Cairo International Airport carries the airport code CAI and sits 15 kilometers northeast of central Cairo in the Heliopolis district. The airport handled 17.7 million passengers in 2019 before pandemic disruption reduced traffic through 2020 and 2021. Terminal 3 opened in 2009 specifically for EgyptAir operations and Star Alliance partners. Terminal 2 serves most international carriers including European and Gulf airlines. Terminal 1 handles primarily domestic and some charter flights. The three terminals operate independently without airside connections, requiring departing passengers to select the correct terminal before check-in. A fourth terminal dedicated to Hajj pilgrimage flights operates seasonally.
EgyptAir maintains Cairo as its primary hub with connections to 75 destinations across six continents. The carrier operates a fleet comprising Airbus A220, A320 family, A330, Boeing 737, 777, and 787 aircraft as of 2024. Star Alliance membership came in 2008. European carriers with daily Cairo service include Lufthansa from Frankfurt and Munich, Air France from Paris Charles de Gaulle, British Airways from London Heathrow, and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul with multiple daily frequencies. Emirates operates four daily flights from Dubai. Qatar Airways runs five daily Doha connections. Saudi Arabian Airlines connects through Jeddah and Riyadh. Ethiopian Airlines provides African network access through Addis Ababa.
Visa on arrival for tourism purposes costs 25 USD for single entry valid 30 days, available to citizens of the European Union, United States, Canada, Australia, and approximately 40 other nations. Payment accepts USD, EUR, or GBP in cash at dedicated banking windows before passport control. The Egyptian government maintains the official visa policy portal at visa2egypt.gov.eg where current eligibility and requirements appear. Some nationalities require advance visa approval through Egyptian diplomatic missions. Entry stamps do not appear in passports for most visitors after Egypt adopted electronic entry registration in 2023.
Immigration processing times vary substantially by terminal and arrival wave. Terminal 3 typically processes Star Alliance passengers faster due to dedicated e-gate lanes for Egyptian and some foreign passport holders. Terminals 1 and 2 rely primarily on manual processing. Peak arrival periods between 2100 and 0100 when Gulf carriers and long-haul European flights concentrate create queues extending 45 to 90 minutes. Morning arrivals between 0600 and 0900 generally clear within 20 to 30 minutes. The airport does not publish official processing statistics.
Baggage claim halls in all terminals use conveyor systems that frequently experience delays between aircraft unloading and belt delivery. Waiting periods of 30 to 60 minutes after immigration clearance occur regularly. Lost baggage claims process through separate WorldTracer desks operated by individual airlines rather than a centralized airport facility. Terminal 3 consolidates most Star Alliance baggage services in the arrivals hall west side. Terminals 1 and 2 require locating the specific airline desk, which often lack English signage clarity.
The customs declaration process requires all arriving passengers to complete a paper form distributed on aircraft or available at desks before customs inspection. Egypt permits 200 cigarettes, one liter of alcohol, and personal effects duty-free. The country maintains strict controls on drone importation requiring advance permits from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Prescription medication requires accompanying doctor documentation with Arabic translation recommended. Customs officers conduct random bag searches at variable rates, with higher scrutiny applied to passengers arriving from certain origin countries. The inspection process operates separately by terminal without standardized procedures.
Currency exchange windows operate 24 hours in all terminals with rates approximately 3 to 5 percent below interbank levels. The Egyptian pound trades under the currency code EGP. Major banks including Banque Misr, National Bank of Egypt, and Commercial International Bank maintain branches airside and landside. ATMs dispensing Egyptian pounds in 200 and 100 denomination notes appear throughout arrival halls. The Central Bank of Egypt floated the pound in 2016 leading to significant devaluation from approximately 8 EGP per USD to over 30 EGP per USD by 2023. Exchange rate volatility continues with the rate reaching 49 EGP per USD in early 2024 before stabilizing near 31 EGP per USD by mid-2024. Multiple exchange rate systems operated during certain periods with official and parallel market rates diverging substantially.
SIM card vendors operate in arrival halls of all terminals selling Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, Etisalat Misr, and WE (previously TE Data) prepaid packages. Tourist SIM packages typically include 20 to 40 gigabytes of data valid 30 days with minimal voice minutes, priced 200 to 400 EGP depending on data allowance. Registration requires passport presentation and completion of Arabic language forms. The Egyptian National Telecom Regulatory Authority mandates biometric registration for all SIM purchases since 2020. Network coverage in Cairo approaches 95 percent for 4G LTE service. 5G deployment began in 2021 in select Cairo districts but remains limited outside the capital.
Three ground transportation options connect the airport to central Cairo: taxi, bus, and private car service. The official Airport Taxi service operates white vehicles with yellow side panels and "Cairo Airport Taxi" markings from dedicated ranks outside each terminal. Flat rates to central Cairo districts range 150 to 250 EGP depending on destination, with Tahrir Square and Downtown Cairo typically charged 180 EGP, Zamalek 200 EGP, and Giza 220 EGP. Drivers expect 10 to 20 EGP additional gratuity. Meters exist but drivers default to negotiated fares. Uber and Careem ride-hailing applications function at Cairo Airport with pickup locations designated at parking areas requiring 5 to 10 minute walks from terminal exits. Uber fares to central Cairo average 120 to 180 EGP during normal periods, increasing 1.5 to 2 times during Friday afternoon and evening peak demand. Careem prices similarly with occasional promotional discounts.
Airport Bus Line 111 operates between Cairo Airport Terminal 3 and the Abdel Moneim Riad bus station adjacent to Tahrir Square with stops at Terminal 2 and Heliopolis. Service runs 24 hours with departures every 20 to 30 minutes during day hours and 45 to 60 minutes overnight. The fare costs 5 EGP paid in cash to the conductor after boarding. Journey time ranges 60 to 90 minutes depending on Cairo traffic conditions. Buses lack dedicated luggage compartments requiring passengers to manage bags in seat areas. Air conditioning operates inconsistently. The route number and destination appear in Arabic script on the bus front, with minimal English signage. Transit Cairo, the public bus authority, operates this route but does not maintain English language schedules or route information online.
Private transfer companies including Egypt Tailor Made, Memphis Tours, and Ask Aladdin offer advance-booked airport pickups with meet-and-greet service. Drivers hold passenger name signs in arrival halls. Rates for sedan service to central Cairo range 300 to 500 EGP depending on vehicle class and advance booking period. These services require payment details and flight information submitted 24 to 48 hours before arrival. Vehicles range from basic sedans to SUVs and vans for group transfers. Some companies include bottled water and basic SIM cards in quoted prices.
Traffic conditions between Cairo Airport and the city center deteriorate substantially during weekday morning rush from 0700 to 1000 and evening rush from 1600 to 2000. The Ring Road provides the primary route with Friday afternoon traffic particularly severe as weekly patterns concentrate social and religious activities. Travel times during peak periods extend 90 to 120 minutes for routes completing in 30 to 40 minutes during overnight hours. The Salah Salem highway offers an alternative route through Heliopolis and past the Cairo International Stadium but encounters similar congestion. No rail connection exists between the airport and city despite periodic government announcements of planned metro extensions.
Cairo Airport terminals contain multiple dining options ranging from international fast food franchises to local Egyptian cuisine vendors. Terminal 3 houses Starbucks, Costa Coffee, McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC alongside Egyptian chains including Mori Sushi and Cilantro. Costs run 50 to 100 percent above street prices with a cappuccino at Costa Coffee priced 65 EGP compared to 35 to 45 EGP at city center locations. Terminal 2 offers more limited selection concentrated in coffee shops and sandwich vendors. Smoking sections segregate most food service areas with designated smoking rooms available in departure halls.
The airport operates prayer rooms in each terminal with separate facilities for men and women. Islamic prayer times display on screens throughout the terminals with adhan (call to prayer) broadcast over public address systems five times daily. Ablution facilities adjoin the prayer rooms with marked directions in Arabic and English. Christian chapel facilities exist in Terminal 3 near Gate 8. Saint Catherine's Monastery liturgical items appear in some terminal retail outlets.
Hotel options within the airport property include Le Méridien Cairo Airport connected to Terminal 3 by covered walkway and Novotel Cairo Airport located on the airport grounds requiring shuttle bus transfer. Le Méridien standard room rates begin at 2,500 EGP per night with hourly day-use rooms available for 800 to 1,200 EGP for six-hour blocks. Novotel prices similarly with rates from 2,200 EGP nightly. Both properties cater primarily to transit passengers and airline crew. Heliopolis district hotels including Baron Hotel Heliopolis and Concorde Hotel sit 10 to 15 minutes from the terminals by taxi with rates 800 to 1,500 EGP nightly. These properties date from mid-20th century development with variable maintenance standards.
Porter services operate informally throughout arrival halls with individuals approaching passengers offering luggage assistance. No official uniform or identification system exists. Negotiated rates typically run 50 to 100 EGP depending on bag quantity and distance to ground transportation. Luggage trolleys are available without charge in baggage claim areas but quickly become scarce during peak arrival periods. Elevator and escalator availability varies by terminal with Terminal 1 relying more heavily on stairs and ramps.
The airport provides left luggage storage in Terminal 2 operated by Egypt Air Ground Services with rates of 50 EGP per bag for 24 hours. The facility operates 24 hours but lacks climate control and provides only basic security monitoring. Maximum storage duration extends to seven days. Terminal 3 does not maintain a left luggage facility. No storage lockers operate in any terminal.
Medical facilities consist of small clinics in each terminal staffed by general practitioners and basic emergency response capability. The clinics handle minor injuries, common travel illnesses, and basic medication dispensing. Serious medical situations require transfer to Cairo hospitals including Dar Al Fouad Hospital 8 kilometers from the airport in 6th of October City or As-Salam International Hospital in Maadi approximately 25 kilometers south. Emergency ambulance service to these facilities operates through the airport medical center. Travel insurance documentation expedites admission to private hospitals.
WiFi service operates throughout all terminals under the brand "Cairo Airport Free WiFi" requiring mobile phone number registration with confirmation code sent via SMS. Connection duration limits to 30 minutes before requiring re-registration. Signal strength varies substantially by terminal location with strongest coverage near gates and food service areas. Commercial WiFi vendors also operate with unlimited access passes sold for 50 EGP for 24 hours. Speed tests conducted in Terminal 3 departure areas measured 3 to 8 Mbps download speeds during afternoon periods.
Airport information desks operate in arrival halls of each terminal with English-speaking staff availability inconsistent. Printed maps and basic tourist information appear in Arabic and English. The desks do not book hotels or arrange transportation beyond providing taxi rank locations. Operating hours officially span 0600 to 2200 but desk closure during stated hours occurs regularly. The airport website cairoportal.com provides terminal maps and flight status but lacks ground transportation detail or facility information depth.
Duty-free shops operate in both arrivals and departures areas selling alcohol, tobacco, perfumes, chocolate, and electronics. Pricing on alcohol runs 20 to 40 percent below European retail for spirits and wine. Egyptian regulations permit arriving passengers to purchase duty-free items upon entry before customs clearance. Departure duty-free areas in Terminal 3 span approximately 2,000 square meters with brands including Cartier, Dior, and Bulgari alongside electronics retailers selling cameras, phones, and accessories. Currency acceptance includes EGP, USD, EUR, and GBP with unfavorable exchange rates applied to foreign currency payments.
Smoking regulations prohibit smoking throughout the terminals except in designated smoking rooms marked with Arabic and English signage. Enforcement varies with airport security occasionally instructing violators to move to designated areas. The smoking rooms provide seating and ventilation but no food or beverage service. Some airline lounges maintain separate smoking areas within their premises.
The Cairo Metro does not extend to the airport despite plans announced in 2015 for Line 3 extension to connect at Terminal 2. Construction delays and funding gaps have postponed completion indefinitely. The nearest metro station remains Ard El-Maarad on Line 3 approximately 10 kilometers from the airport terminals requiring taxi or bus connection. Metro Line 3 opened in segments between 2012 and 2022 connecting Attaba in central Cairo to Cairo University in Giza through 34 stations.
Arriving passengers requiring Egyptian pounds immediately upon landing encounter currency exchange demand exceeding ATM capacity during peak periods. The machines frequently run empty of notes during evening arrival waves. Exchange windows maintain better availability but charge visible spreads. International credit cards function at most airport vendors but acceptance remains inconsistent at some food service locations and smaller retail outlets. Contactless payment adoption remains limited with traditional chip-and-PIN or signature still required for most card transactions.
Tourist police maintain desks in arrival halls wearing distinctive white uniforms during summer months and black uniforms in winter. Their stated function includes assisting foreign visitors with directions, transportation disputes, and general inquiries. English language capability varies widely among officers. The tourist police report to the Ministry of Tourism rather than the Ministry of Interior which oversees general police forces. Documentation of taxi overcharges or service disputes through tourist police rarely produces fare refunds but may result in officer intervention with drivers.
Photography restrictions apply in certain airport areas with prohibition signage appearing in Arabic and English near security checkpoints and immigration halls. Enforcement focuses on preventing photography of uniformed personnel and security infrastructure. Casual photography in commercial areas generally proceeds without intervention. Some travelers report being instructed to delete photos by security personnel in immigration and customs areas.
Arrival hall currency exchange booths display rates on electronic boards with buy and sell prices for major currencies. The spread between buying and selling rates typically runs 5 to 7 percent. Exchange transaction receipts contain Arabic text primarily with minimal English detail. Reverse exchange when departing Egypt requires presentation of original exchange receipts to convert Egyptian pounds back to foreign currency at rates typically 8 to 10 percent worse than initial exchange rates.
The airport authority Cairo Airport Company operates as a subsidiary of the Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Terminal maintenance and cleanliness standards vary significantly with Terminal 3 receiving more consistent attention than older terminals. Restroom facilities throughout the airport charge 5 EGP for access in some locations while others remain free. Attendants expect small gratuity of 5 to 10 EGP when present. Paper supplies run short during busy periods.