Cairo International Airport: Visa on Arrival for Most Nationalities

Getting there, at a glance

Amenities, at a glance

Cairo International Airport (IATA: CAI) is Egypt’s largest and busiest airport, serving more than 31 million passengers a year as the country’s primary international gateway. It sits about 15 km northeast of central Cairo and is the main hub for EgyptAir and the Star Alliance’s gateway to Egypt.

Overview

CAI operates three main terminals plus a seasonal terminal used during Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage periods. Terminal 3, the newest and most modern, handles EgyptAir and most Star Alliance flights, while Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 split domestic, regional, and other international traffic. Always confirm your terminal, since transfers between them require a shuttle bus rather than a walk. Egypt’s Ministry of Civil Aviation reported 28.775 million passengers for CAI in 2024, up from 26.463 million in 2023 as part of a broader 9% rise across Egyptian airports.

Terminals

• Terminal 1: The oldest terminal, mostly domestic and regional flights.
• Terminal 2: Recently renovated, handling a mix of regional and international carriers.
• Terminal 3: The largest and newest, the main hub for EgyptAir and Star Alliance airlines.
• Seasonal Flights Terminal: Used during peak Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage periods.

Airlines

EgyptAir dominates CAI as its home hub and Egypt’s flag carrier, operating an extensive domestic network alongside international routes across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia as a Star Alliance member. Nile Air also has a growing presence for domestic and regional routes.

How to Get There

• BRT + Metro: Under 20 EGP total, the cheapest option — a dedicated BRT bus connects the airport to Adly Mansour metro station, with onward connections into central Cairo via Line 3, about 45–60 minutes depending on transfers.
• Official Taxi: Roughly 200–450 EGP to Downtown Cairo — confirm the driver is using the meter, or agree on a price before departing, since some drivers skip the meter. About 30–60 minutes depending on Cairo’s often heavy traffic.
• Uber / Careem: Typically 120–200 EGP, often cheaper and more straightforward than a taxi since the fare is shown upfront in the app, about 30–60 minutes.

Prices above are indicative and can change — always check current fares with your ride-hailing app or agree on a taxi price before you get in.

Getting Through Security and Passport Control

• Domestic flights: Security only. Typically 20–30 minutes off-peak, up to 35–50 minutes during busy periods.
• International flights: Security plus passport control, plus visa-on-arrival processing for many nationalities. Typically 30–45 minutes off-peak, but can stretch to 60–90 minutes during peak periods — arrival processing in particular can take longer if you need to purchase a visa-on-arrival stamp before reaching the passport counter.
• If you haven’t arranged an e-Visa in advance, budget extra time for the visa-on-arrival counter, which typically requires exact cash payment (commonly $25 USD).

Parking

All terminals have adjacent short- and long-stay car parks. Given ongoing modernization at the airport, it’s worth confirming current rates and availability directly with Cairo Airport Company.

Wifi

Free wifi is available across the terminals with a time-limited free session; an eSIM with an Egyptian data plan is a reliable backup, especially useful for ride-hailing apps and maps on arrival.

Best Times to Arrive

• Domestic flights: 90 minutes before departure is generally sufficient.
• International flights: Arrive 3 hours ahead, particularly if you need to purchase a visa-on-arrival, which adds a step before passport control.
• Cairo’s traffic can be unpredictable and heavy at various times of day, so build in extra buffer time for the journey to the airport itself, not just processing once you arrive.

Where to Eat

Terminal 3 has the strongest dining selection, with Egyptian classics — koshari, falafel, fresh juices — alongside international fast-food chains and sit-down options. Terminals 1 and 2 have more limited but functional choices. At the nearby Novotel, Le Jardin runs an international buffet and à la carte menu in the lobby, and Le Rêve offers a quieter à la carte option.

Airport Hotel

The Novotel Cairo Airport is about 5 minutes from the terminal — close, though not directly connected, so budget a short transfer. Beyond Le Jardin and Le Rêve, it has Le Rendez-vous for live music and drinks, a genuinely relaxed option for an overnight layover.

Lounges

• EgyptAir lounges in Terminal 3, accessible with eligible tickets, elite status, or paid access.
• Several Priority Pass-affiliated lounges are also available, mainly in Terminal 3.

Duty-Free Shopping

CAI’s duty-free area features Egyptian specialties — perfumes and essential oils, spices, papyrus art, and jewelry — alongside the usual international fashion, cosmetics, and electronics brands, concentrated in Terminal 3.

Airport Map

This is a simplified layout to help you get oriented — for current terminal information, see Cairo Airport’s official resources.

Useful Links

• Official airport site (Cairo Airport Company) — terminal info, services, flight status.
• Egypt e-Visa portal — apply for a visa before you travel.

Long Layover Tips

• With 5+ hours and a visa arranged (on arrival or in advance), a trip to see the Pyramids of Giza is technically possible but tight given Cairo’s traffic and airport processing time — a 7+ hour layover is a safer minimum for a worthwhile visit.
• If staying airside, Terminal 3 has by far the best mix of lounges, dining, and duty-free for a long wait.
• Budget extra time for both the visa-on-arrival process and Cairo’s traffic if you’re leaving the airport, in either direction.