Transfer at Cairo Airport
Cairo Airport operates four terminals. All the buildings are large, but the airport is still congested and, especially in the evening, there is little seating and long queues.
Terminals 2 and 3 are combined into one complex and Terminal 1 is located about 1.5 km away. Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are connected by a free automatic train running through the public area.
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Approximately 1 km west of Terminal 3, there is a seasonal terminal, mainly for charter flights to Saudi Arabia for the Muslim Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
The terminals are differentiated according to the airlines that serve them.
Domestic and international flights are handled from all terminals, each building has a small section without immigration control just for domestic flights.
- Terminal 1 - Air Algerie, Air Arabia, Air Cairo, AlMasria Universal Airlines, Badr Airlines, Fly Egypt, Flynas, Iberia, Nesma Airlines, Nile Air, Tunisair
- Terminal 2 - Air France, British Airways, Cyprus Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, ITA Airways, Flyadeal, Gulf Air, Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways, MEA, Neos, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Saudia, Sichuan Airlines, Tarom, Transavia, Vueling
- Terminal 3 - Aegean Airlines, Austrian, China Eastern Airlines, Egyptair, Ethiopian Airlines, LOT, Lufthansa, Swiss, Turkish Airlines
- Terminal S - some Egyptair flights to/from Saudi Arabia and Hajj and Umrah charter flights
Egyptian visas - where to buy at Cairo Airport
On arrival from abroad, you must purchase a visa collection before attending the normal immigration checkpoint.
Visas are sold at bank branches and always cost 25 usd. Payment can only be made in cash, so it is essential to have the money before you fly to Egypt.
You can pay in US dollars or Euros, but the exchange rate is converted 1:1.
Security checks and queues
Ideally, arrive at Cairo airport at least 3.5 hours before your flight, especially if you have checked luggage. In this case, you'll face 4 queues straight away.
The first queue is already when you arrive by taxi to the airport area, when you go through the toll gate and can stand there for up to 15 minutes.
Next, there is a security check when you enter the terminal and a baggage scan. These checks tend to be quick, but if there are large numbers of people, you may be waiting up to 20 minutes.
Check-in queues vary by airline, but can take upwards of 60 minutes.
After that, you'll go through passport control, which is usually very quick (usually within 15 minutes), and the classic security check between the public and transit areas (20-45 minutes).
Transfer between flights
Cairo airport is fairly well organised for transfers, as long as you don't have to move between terminals.
Within one terminal
Upon arrival, follow the yellow "Connecting Flights" signs that will take you to the transfer desks.
International <-> International
If you are transferring from an international flight to another international flight, you do not need to go through immigration.
You will present your passport with your boarding pass for the connecting flight at the transfer desk and will then be allowed direct access to the transit area.
Waiting times at transfer counters range between 5-20 minutes. After that, you can enter the departure gate area directly without going through security or passport control.
Realistic transfer times are around 40 to 60 minutes.
International -> Domestic
Upon arrival, visit the transfer desk again, watch for the "Domestic Departure" sign. From here you will be directed to the passport control created specifically for transferring passengers.
Your luggage will be automatically transferred if you have both flights on the same booking. However, always make sure to check in at your departure airport.
Realistic transfer times are around 60 to 80 minutes.
Transfer between terminals
Transferring between terminals is not very common at Cairo Airport, but it is not impossible either.
The process requires considerably more time and especially patience. Airport staff are notoriously unpleasant.
If you have a boarding pass for a connecting flight, again you must first visit the transfer desk upon arrival to present your passport and boarding pass.
After checking in, which can take up to 20 minutes, you will be escorted by a member of staff to a special departure gate from which shuttle buses run around the tarmac (free of charge).
Frequency of service is 15-45 minutes.
- Terminal 1 <-> Terminals 2 or 3 - bus journey time approx. 15 minutes
- Terminal 2 <-> Terminal 3 - bus journey time approx. 2 minutes
You do not go through any security or immigration checks when transferring between terminals either.
Moving between terminals via the public section
If you have scheduled your transfer at Cairo Airport on your own and do not have a boarding pass for a connecting flight, you must always purchase an Egyptian visa and go through immigration out.
Terminals 2 and 3 are in close proximity and can be walked between in 3 minutes via an interior corridor and an exterior walkway.
A free automated monorail runs between Terminal 1 and Terminals 2 and 3. The train runs 24/7 at 5-10 minute intervals and the ride takes less than 5 minutes.
Visiting Cairo by transfer
If you wish to visit downtown Cairo on a long layover, you will need to purchase a standard Egyptian visa upon arrival for 25 usd.
To make your visit to the city worthwhile, it is recommended that you have at least 8 hours for your transfer, or at least 10 hours to visit the Pyramids of Giza.
Any questions left?
If you have any questions or comments about the article...
10 comments
Thank you for this information, Chara.
Although I don't have any hold luggage, I'll take more time.
Be careful at terminal 3. I arrived from Luxor at 06:25 in the morning and my next flight was with Aegean at 09:00 to Athens. We were a group of 39 people. Unfortunately we missed our flight to Athens because the luggage was late, the security control was going very slowly and the check in desk closed 5 minutes early. We had to buy new tickets with Egypt air to come home.
No way to find our justice.
Hello and thank you for all these details.
In my case, I arrived in Cairo from Paris at 5pm (Terminal 2).
Is it possible to leave for Luxor at 6.15pm (Terminal 3)?
I would have 2 separate tickets and no hold baggage...
Hello, on a domestic flight you may have to check in at the transfer desk (online check-in cannot always be generated), plus you will have to go through immigration and security and a short bus ride. You can make the transfer, but I think it's already quite a risk and if you have the option, I would opt for a later departure to Luxor.
Thank you very much!
Very good, do I have to dial 00 and then +34 to call from Egypt to Spain if I do it from a mobile phone? Thanks
Either "00" or "+".
I'm looking at purchasing a flight from Brussels to Kigali with an 1 and 15 minute layover in Cairo. I should land in terminal 3 and my connecting flight should be in terminal 3. I am flying the same airline both flights. will my baggage be transferred or do I have to get it? do I have to purchase a visa on my connecting flight? and is an hour and 15 minute enough time to make my connecting flight?
If the flight is purchased as a single booking, any time sold by the airline is sufficient. Especially if it is a transfer within one terminal.
Your luggage will be transferred automatically and no visa is needed - you won't be leaving the transit zone and therefore not going through immigration.
hello, i arrive from aswan to cairo terminal 3 at 6:25 am and fly from cairo to amman jordan at 7:50 am with hand luggage only, can i make the transfer?
Shouldn't be a problem.
Thank you very much for the answer ,I forgot to inform you that I arrive at terminal 3 and the flight to Amman departs at terminal 2.
That's the best option. There is a transit zone bus between the two terminals, see text above.
Is there anything to fill in during the flight to Egypt? Thank you
Yes, you will be given an arrival form on the plane to fill out and hand in at immigration.
Very good, I have the visa online, will it take me a long time to pass the controls? I arrive at 2220 in Cairo, thank you.
The process is just as long, you just save the time of buying the visa on the spot, which is bought before passport control.
Hi, thanks for all the info.
I have a query: Are the booth(s) or the $25 visa booth(s) open 24hrs? My flight is likely to arrive at 11pm.
Yes, visa issuing branches (banks) are open 24/7 in all terminals.
Thank you for the information, but why not use the corridor between terminals 3 and 2 airside? Why all these buses and hussle like that, why just not walk this corridor if it connets the terminals to each other?