Cairo International Airport
Cairo International Airport is the largest and busiest gateway in Egypt, seeing over 16 million passengers a year. This figure also makes it Africa’s second largest airport. Most of the major international carriers have service here including British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, and Emirates. Direct flights from the United States are available on Delta from New York, Denver and Portland; or British Airlines flying from Cincinnati, Baltimore or Las Vegas.
The main Egypt airport is well-equipped and offers passengers many services including several banks and ATMs, currency exchanges and post offices in every departure area, 24-hour restaurants and bars, gift shops, clothing stores, newsagents, and pharmacies.
Located 45 minutes from downtown Cairo, the city has introduced a shuttle that departs every half hour. There are also many taxi companies waiting outside the arrivals terminal.
Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport
Established to service traffic on the Red Sea coast, Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport is geared more towards chartered flights than public travel to Egypt. The airport is much smaller than Cairo’s, but nonetheless offers a few passenger services including banking and currency exchange, restaurants, duty-free, and gift shops. Many airlines departing from the United States also arrive in Sharm el-Sheikh including Delta, which flies from Birmingham and Manchester, and Swiss Air, which connects through San Francisco and Miami.
The airport is located only 20 minutes outside of Sharm el-Sheikh city, but there are limited public transportation options available and almost all of the arriving passengers have private transfers to their accommodation. There are a few minibuses which wait outside the terminal to take people into the Egyptian city. These don’t run on a set schedule, but rather wait until they are full. There are also a few taxis, but make sure to negotiate a price before departing.
Hurghada International Airport
Hurghada International Airport serves the resort of Hurghada on Egypt’s Red Sea and is more geared toward chartered travel, though it does receive some public flights, as well. There are a few essential services provided such as post offices and internet, ATMs and currency exchanges, retail outlets and baggage wrapping. While fewer carriers from the United States fly to Hurghada, there are a few which make the trip. Turkish Airlines departs from O’Hare International in Chicago, while Condor Airlines has services from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The airport is only a 20 minute drive outside the resort and there are minibuses which will take passengers into town. Most people have arranged private transfers prior to arrival, so the public transportation options aren’t extensive. Minibuses have no set departure times and leave once they are filled to capacity. There is also a taxi stand outside of the arrivals terminal.