ON ARRIVAL AT ALL EGYPTIAN AIRPORTS
Landing Cards. Before you go through passport control, you will need to have your landing card (sometimes but not always given to you on the plane) filled out. If you have not got it on the plane…head straight for any travel agent rep you see gathering his group around him and ask him to show you where the landing cards are. People who are unaware of this sometimes join the queues at the passport control only to find when they get there they have to go find these cards, fill them out, and rejoin the queue again at the end! ….frustrating!
Entry Visa. If you have checked with your local Egyptian Embassy and decided you can buy your entry visa on arrival at the arrival airport, then as soon as you get off the bus in the Arrivals Hall, go directly to the small kiosk marked BANK. This is where you buy your entry visa. Make sure you have brought some notes in all denominations of either US dollars, euros, or sterling because you have to pay for your visa with foreign currency. The entry visa requires no forms to be filled out—it is just a sticker you post onto a page in your passport. You might want to change about $50 into Egyptian Pounds (LE) here also so you have money for taxi, tips, etc.
Passport Control. Now you have your passport, landing card, and entry visa, and you join one of the queues at Passport Control.
CAIRO AIRPORT
Arrival – It is always preferable and safer to have a transfer pre-arranged with your hotel or find out if they have a shuttle bus. Get specific information from them as to how you will recognise the driver. By the way, there is no sign outside that says “shuttle bus for any particular hotel. Alternatively, have a prearranged transfer arranged with a tour company.
After you pick up your luggage, you will be approached by badge-wearing men offering you a taxi on your way to the exit door. It is best if you make a deal with one of them inside rather than outside the exit door because outside it is just one really big car-park and once outside you cannot re-enter the terminal. You will have no way of being sure any of the people offering taxis are legitimate. There is no point my telling you an approximate price because it won’t apply here. They can charge what they like because ultimately you will have to go with one of them.
Departure – if you are staying far from the airport, it is a good idea to give yourself one to two hours before your check-in time to get to the airport……traffic can be horrendous on the airport road, especially at rush hour and up to about 9pm.
You have to fill out an exit card before going through passport control. This card looks similar to the landing card – it is not always obvious where these cards are. Usually there are some on a shelf just before the passport control desk. You can’t pass through the checkpoint without it completed. Again, they will just send you off to find one yourself, so keep your eyes open.
Make sure you have a pen on you to fill out your exit card….you would be surprised how many people are looking for pens to fill out these cards!
However, if you want to be sure of not missing your flight it might be advisable to book your drive back to the airport with a travel agent or transport company.
I still shudder when thinking of 2013 when I missed my flight to Luxor even though I left my apt in downtown Cairo, 2 and a half hours before departure time. The taxi-driver got lost around the airport because much of the road system is one-way traffic. I had pointed out to him where to turn into the airport, but he thought he knew a better way! After all, his passenger was just a tourist!. At one stage of the journey after he got lost, I saw a sign for Port Said – that’s when I knew we were truly lost. I arrived at the airport exactly 10 minutes before departure time. Did I pay the taxi? Are you joking? I could have killed him! But it was a lesson well learned, and it all worked out o.k. in the end because Egypt Air just put me on the next flight – no charge. Then I was sorry for not having paid the poor old taxi driver! Somehow I don’t think he’ll take a fare to the airport again in the near future…here’s another thing – Egyptians hate saying “No” and “I don’t know”…so beware!
LUXOR AIRPORT EARLY MORNING OR LATE NIGHT ARRIVAL
It is best that you pre-book your airport transfer to your hotel if you are arriving late at night or early in the morning. You could arrive and find no taxis or find that there are so few there that they are charging a higher price, or you have to share the taxi with others.
LOST LUGGAGE
Unfortunately this happens too often, and if it happens to you – here are some tips on what to do about getting your lost luggage back.
BOOKING FLIGHTS ONLINE
By the way (not just in Egypt) I recently found out to my cost that when you book a flight online, you need to keep an eye on the fine print as to how long it will be before your reservation is automatically cancelled by the airline if they have not issued your e-ticket (your reservation confirmation is no guarantee of a ticket). KLM did not complete an online booking I made for a flight from Egypt to Ireland; they didn’t tell me – they didn’t have to. About a week later, when I realised I had not received the online ticket as usual – I checked with them. I fought with them. I lost the battle and ended up paying 1000 LE extra for the same flight.
So many little details to remember and the dramas that can ensue!
Last updated on 26/12/2025 by Marie Vaughan