How to get to Egypt: airports, flights and border crossings

Cairo is the default arrival point for Egypt. It has the widest long-haul network, the shortest transfer to Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, and onward flights or the sleeper train to Luxor and Aswan. Fly into Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh only when the Red Sea is the entire plan, or when a charter fare is much cheaper than Cairo.

If you are combining the Nile Valley with a beach week, fly into Cairo and out of Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh (or the reverse). One-way tickets between the two ends are usually cheap on EgyptAir and Nile Air, and this avoids backtracking through Cairo.

Egypt sits roughly 2–3 hours from most of Europe and 10–12 hours from the US east coast. Almost everything long-haul routes through a European or Gulf hub, so add 2–5 hours of connection time to the numbers below. Treat all times as typical, not exact.

The land crossing most travellers use is Taba, between Eilat in Israel and the Sinai coast. From there you can reach Dahab in about an hour and Sharm el-Sheikh in about three. It is a real option for a Sinai-and-Jordan or Sinai-and-Israel route, but opening hours, shuttle buses and the walk across no-man's land change; confirm the current procedure the day before you travel.

The border at Rafah, from Gaza, is not a route for tourists. The Libyan border in the west and the Sudanese border in the south are closed or unreliable for ordinary travel and should not be planned around. If you want to enter overland from Jordan, the usual route is the ferry or fast boat from Aqaba to Nuweiba, then a bus up the Sinai coast — sailings are infrequent and weather-dependent, so build in a spare day.

By sea, Egypt is mainly a cruise destination: ships call at Alexandria, Port Said and Safaga, and Red Sea liveaboards run from Hurghada and Marsa Alam. There is no dependable scheduled passenger ferry network for independent travellers, so do not plan a crossing without checking a current operator.

Cairo airport has three terminals; check which one your flight uses, because the walk and the taxi ranks differ. Allow 45–90 minutes by road to downtown or Giza depending on traffic, and much longer at peak. Ride-hailing apps are usually cheaper and clearer than a street taxi, and the airport bus is the cheapest option if you are not in a hurry.

For the Nile Valley, EgyptAir and Nile Air fly Cairo to Luxor and Aswan in about an hour, and the overnight sleeper train is the classic alternative. Book the sleeper ahead in the high season (October to April). If you are heading straight to the Red Sea, there are direct flights from Cairo to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, and buses run from Cairo and Luxor to Hurghada.

Before you land, sort out two things: your visa or e-visa, and a data plan. Both are easier to arrange before arrival than at the airport counter.

Fares swing widely by season. October to April is high season on the Nile, and Christmas, New Year and Easter are the most expensive weeks; July and August are cheap but very hot in Luxor and Aswan. Booking 2–4 months ahead usually beats last-minute pricing on long-haul routes.

A Sinai-only stamp issued at Sharm el-Sheikh or Taba lets you stay in the peninsula without a full visa, but it does not cover Cairo, Luxor or the Red Sea mainland. If your itinerary crosses out of Sinai, get a full visa instead.

Check your passport validity and blank pages before booking, and check your government's current travel advice for the specific regions you plan to visit. Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation is worth having for diving and desert trips.