Cairo International Airport Guide: Terminals, Arrival Steps and Transfers

Where is Cairo airport and how far is it from the pyramids?

Cairo International sits on the north-eastern side of the city next to Heliopolis, which puts it close to downtown but on the opposite side of Cairo from the pyramids. That geography matters more than anything else on arrival day: the Giza Plateau and the Grand Egyptian Museum are across the Nile on the western edge of the metropolis, so the drive there crosses the whole city.

Typical door-to-door times by private car, assuming you leave the terminal promptly:

Weekday peaks run roughly 7.30–10.30am and 3–8pm. Friday mornings are the quietest time on Cairo's roads, which makes a Friday-morning arrival the easiest of the week. If you are choosing between a pyramid-view hotel and a Nile-side one for your first night, our where to stay in Cairo guide weighs up the trade-off.

Which terminal will you use at Cairo airport?

Cairo has three main passenger terminals, and the one you use depends on your airline, so check your e-ticket or airline app rather than relying on what a friend used last year. Allocations shift every few seasons.

• Terminal 3 is the largest and most modern building. At the time of writing it is the home of EgyptAir and most of its Star Alliance partners, and it handles EgyptAir's domestic flights to Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.
• Terminal 2 sits right beside Terminal 3 and reopened after a major rebuild in the mid-2010s. It handles a range of foreign carriers.
• Terminal 1 is the oldest and is a separate complex a few kilometres away, used by many other international and regional airlines. Some carriers have also used a smaller seasonal terminal for peak-period and pilgrimage flights.

Gulf carriers have used different terminals over the years, which is exactly why you should check rather than assume. Moving between Terminal 1 and Terminals 2 and 3 is not a walk: you need the airport shuttle bus or a car, so allow at least 30–45 minutes for the transfer itself if you ever have to switch. Terminals 2 and 3 are close enough to walk between.

What happens when you land in Cairo?

The arrival sequence is visa (if you don't already have one), passport control, baggage, a customs scan, then the arrivals hall, where SIM kiosks, ATMs and bank exchange counters wait before you meet your driver. With an e-Visa and no queue it takes about 30 minutes; when several wide-bodied jets land together, allow an hour or more.

1. Visa. If you hold an approved e-Visa, go straight to the passport queue with a printed copy. If not, buy the visa sticker at the bank counters just before immigration, paying in clean US dollars (at the time of writing the single-entry tourist visa is about US$25). Our Egypt visa guide for Australians covers both options in detail.
2. Immigration. Officers stamp the visa and may ask for your first hotel. Keep the address handy on your phone.
3. Baggage and customs. Bags are usually X-rayed on the way out. Drones are confiscated without prior approval, so leave yours at home; our customs and duty-free guide lists allowances. Egypt also has arrivals duty-free shops in the baggage area, handy if you want to pick up alcohol before a Nile cruise.
4. SIM cards. The main networks (Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat by e& and WE) have counters in the arrivals hall. You need your passport to register a SIM. Compare airport and city prices in our SIM and eSIM guide.
5. Money. Bank ATMs and exchange counters operate in the arrivals area and generally run around the clock. Withdraw a modest amount for tips and small notes; see money in Egypt for card and ATM tactics.

A meet-and-assist service, which is included on Noble Travel tours, puts a representative at the start of the arrivals process with a sign bearing your name. After 20-plus hours of travel from Australia, having someone steer you through each queue is the single most useful thing you can book.

How do you get from Cairo airport to your hotel?

A pre-booked private transfer is the simplest option, ride-hailing apps are the best-value alternative, and public transport is realistic only for light-packing budget travellers. Expect to be approached by drivers the moment you exit customs; a polite "no, thank you" and walking on is enough.

Ride-hailing pickup arrangements at the airport have changed several times, so follow the instructions the app gives you. A metro line to the airport has long been planned, but at the time of writing it is not a practical way to reach a Giza or Nile-side hotel with luggage. Our Uber and taxis in Cairo guide covers fares and safety for the rest of your stay.

How much time do you need to connect to a domestic flight?

Allow at least three hours between landing from overseas and a domestic departure on the same ticket, and stay overnight if your international and domestic flights are on separate bookings.

Coming from Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi on a Gulf carrier, you will normally clear immigration and customs in Cairo, collect your bags, then check in again for an EgyptAir flight to Luxor, Aswan or the Red Sea. If you landed at Terminal 1 or 2 and EgyptAir domestic flights are departing from Terminal 3, add the transfer between buildings. A late international arrival, a long visa queue or a delayed bag can easily eat two hours.

Many of our itineraries avoid the squeeze altogether: you rest in Cairo first and fly south a few days later, or, if the schedule demands an early domestic flight after a late arrival, you sleep at an airport hotel such as Le Méridien Cairo Airport, which is linked to Terminal 3. Domestic routes, baggage allowances and typical flight times are in our domestic flights in Egypt guide, and if you only have a few hours between flights, our Cairo layover guide explains what is realistic.

Are there lounges and decent facilities at Cairo airport?

Yes: Terminals 2 and 3 have cafés, duty-free shopping, prayer rooms and several airline and pay-in lounges, while Terminal 1 is more basic.

EgyptAir operates its own business-class lounges in Terminal 3, which Star Alliance Gold members and business passengers can use. Other lounges are run by the airport, banks and independent operators, and some accept lounge-membership programs. Which lounge belongs to which scheme, and where it sits in the building, changes frequently, so check your card provider's app the week you fly rather than trusting an old review.

Wi-Fi is available but can require registration with a local phone number, which is another reason to sort your SIM or eSIM early. Prices airside are high by Egyptian standards; spend your last pounds on water and snacks rather than trying to exchange small notes back into dollars.

What should you know about departing from Cairo?

Arrive three hours before an international flight, because Cairo screens bags and passengers at the terminal door before you even reach check-in, then again before boarding.

• Entrance security: only passengers can enter most terminal buildings, so say goodbye to your guide or driver at the door. Queues for the first scanner build up when several Gulf flights depart together, which happens in the late evening and around midnight.
• Passport control: outbound immigration is usually quicker than on arrival, but allow for a queue.
• Gate screening: a second security check happens at or near the gate, so do not leave your bottle of water half-finished until the last minute.
• Timing your last day: many flights home to Australia via the Gulf leave Cairo in the evening or overnight. A late hotel checkout or a day room makes the final day far more comfortable, especially if you are flying out after a morning at the pyramids.

If your trip ends on the Red Sea or in Luxor instead, an open-jaw ticket can save you this final Cairo leg altogether; our flights from Australia to Egypt guide explains how.