How to get through the Cairo Airport (with only mild anxiety)

I don’t get it.

Okay, I take that back.  I do kind of get it.  The way it’s talked about, the Cairo Airport is a labyrinth full of traps and pitfalls.  Make the wrong choice, and a giant boulder comes rolling down a ramp.  Next thing you know, you’re fleeing for your very life.  Better know where you’re stepping and how much sand to put in your bag, or you’ll regret it.

I think this mindset is partially perpetuated by tour groups. 

If you pay for a big tour, they’ll come and meet you.  They’ll stand right at the gate, and hold your hand the whole way through.

This isn’t necessary.  You can get through the Cairo Airport all by yourself, if you come equipped with a few tips.  There may be poisoned darts somewhere in the walls, but I certainly didn’t see any.

Getting your Egyptian Visa at the Cairo Airport

Once you exit your plane and enter the airport, the first thing you need is an Egyptian visa.  This is a little more complicated than it is in some countries, so keep these tips in mind as you’re planning.

You can buy your visa online ahead of time, but there isn’t much of a reason to.  It’s really not worth the hassle.  You can just get one on arrival.

Before you go through passport control and pick up your luggage, you’ll see some little bank kiosks.  This is where you’ll get your visa.

What you need is $25 cash.  Yes, American dollars.  They will also accept the equivalent in Euros or British Pounds, so make sure you know the current exchange rate if you’re going that route.  I believe the reason for these restrictions is because Egypt likes to bring in foreign currency.  Now, I have heard of some people being able to pay with a card, but I’m not sure I’d trust that to be the case for everyone.

You’ll show your passport, pay the $25, and get a sticker you’ll put in your passport.  That’s it.

This is also a spot where you might want to exchange some money, so you’ll have something to tip your driver and won’t have to worry about dealing with an ATM right away.

Once you’ve got your visa, you can stroll over to passport control.  They’ll put a stamp over your sticker, and you’re through.

Getting an Egyptian SIM card at the Cairo Airport

Next, you’ll probably need a SIM card.  That’s a little…wait, do you know what a SIM card is?  You probably do — but let’s assume you don’t.  Just humor me for a second, okay?

A SIM card is a little chip about the size of a fingernail that goes in your phone.  It basically holds your phone number and account information.  Most people never pop it out, as we tend to stay on the same network.

It is possible to set up your existing account so it will work in Egypt, depending on what carrier you’re using.  Let’s use AT&T as an example — you can go online, check and see what the cost is to use your plan in Egypt, and set that up. 

It can be as little as $10 a day.  In which case, you can skip buying a SIM card altogether…although it’s worth noting that your carrier probably won’t make any claims about how good your service will be.

Personally, I bought a SIM card.  Data plans are very affordable in Egypt — nothing like what we pay in the US, for sure.

A vital note : Your phone must be unlocked.  If you bought your phone from a carrier like AT&T and financed it with a monthly fee, it’s probably locked to AT&T.  If you’ve had it long enough that it’s paid off then you’ll have to get your carrier to unlock it for you, which is a relatively easy process.

If you bought your phone outright, it should be unlocked.  Just make sure you check before you go.

Another note: Make sure you know your passwords.  For example, your iCloud password.  Your phone will likely want to make sure you’re you before it lets you activate a new account with a new SIM card.

If this makes you nervous, you can always buy a cheap SIM card from Walmart and test out the whole process.  Anyway, now that we’ve gotten through that mountain of potentially pointless information…

What’s that picture of the old phone for, you might ask?  Well, I neglected to take any pictures of this terminal at the airport, so that’s the best I could do.  It’s from a spot with vintage items at a market in Cairo.  I knew it would come in handy for something, and since this section is becoming disgustingly long-winded, I figured I’d better break it up with something.

You’ll find little kiosks in the terminal after you’ve gone through passport control.  They’re very easy to spot.  I used Vodaphone, and found their coverage to be excellent all over Egypt.

The employees will give you some options — as I said, you’ll find them all quite affordable.  I would recommend getting one with both data and voice. 

I opted for data only, and suffered some headaches trying to use Uber.  Data only means you won’t be able to send or receive text messages, and Uber requires this when you’re attaching a new phone number to your account.

Now, you may be wondering if you need to have cell data in Egypt at all — trust me, you do.  Sure, you’ll find wifi around, but you’ll also want to look up restaurants, check out maps on the go, or find some information about sites you’re visiting. 

I’d also recommend downloading WhatsApp — it’s a messaging service used my most people in Egypt.  This will allow you to do things like text a driver you’re using about when and where to pick you up.

Wow, I thought this section would never end.  Are you ready to move on yet?  I certainly am.

Getting to your hotel from the Cairo Airport

Ready to rent your car and drive to your hotel?  I’d highly recommend doing so if you plan on never coming home.

Seriously.  Don’t try driving in Egypt.  Just don’t.  I’m not even going to get into it here.  Trust me. It’s wild.

Odds are, you might be approached by a cab driver inside the terminal, offering to give you a ride. I don’t think they’re supposed to be in here, but it happens.  You can also walk out the doors and find plenty of them standing around, awaiting the arrival of a tired traveler just like you.

But you should be aware that many cabs in Egypt don’t use meters.  You’ll have to negotiate the price before you get in — and the last thing I want to do after a long flight is play the haggling game.

Another option is Uber, but the pickup spot isn’t all that easy to find.  You have to go outside, cross the street, go down a flight of stairs, then find a specific numbered area in a parking lot.

Now, Uber works fine in Cairo.  I used it many times, and even took an Uber back to the airport.  But taking one from the Cairo Airport to your hotel?  Probably not the best option.

You could consider prebooking a ride with a company called Cairo Shuttle Bus.  No, they’re not paying me to say that.

You tell them your estimated arrival time and your destination, and they’ll give you a quote.  I paid about $25 for a ride in a nice minivan from the airport to a hotel by the Pyramids, which isn’t exactly close. I’m sure you could save a bit with a cab or an Uber, but is it worth the headache?

The company has a little booth in the terminal, not too far from where you pick up your luggage and where you can buy a SIM card.  It may also have the name “Cairo Airport Travel” on it.

You’ll go over, tell them your name, and a driver will walk you over to your ride.  I also emailed them a couple of times with questions before I arrived, and found them responsive.

Oh, and a funny note: The driver didn’t speak English, but look at the radio in the picture.  That’s an English language station.  I think he did it to be polite.

Leaving on a jet plane

Depending on your itinerary, you may be leaving Cairo more than once.  The picture above is before a flight to Aswan, and there’s some things you’ll want to keep in mind.

You may encounter some employees trying to help lift your luggage on a conveyor belt.  I say “employees” because they’re wearing vests with the words “Cairo Airport” on the back. Whether or not they actually work there, I cannot say.

They’re looking for tips.  If you want to give them a bit for their help, feel free.  But you should also feel free to refuse their help.  Remember, tipping in Egypt is part of the culture.  If someone performs a “service” for you, you’re expected to tip them. 

Personally, I don’t feel the need to have a guy lift my suitcase and set it down, but that’s your call.

You may also encounter some trouble with having your bag scanned.  I had to open mine up and show a guy things like refrigerator magnets.

Egypt is very strict about antiquities.  That’s the kind of thing they’re looking for.  Woe be unto you if you tried swiping something, or bought an actual relic from somebody.  The authorities are not going to be happy.

I don’t think this is unusual, and I have heard some reports of it taking an excessive amount of time.  So keep that in mind when you’re deciding when to arrive at the airport — it even happened to me on a domestic flight from Luxor to Cairo.

Another tip about leaving: the Cairo Airport has a lot of security.  You’ll likely have to pass through a second screening before sitting down outside your gate when leaving the country, so keep that in mind when you’re planning your departure time.  Things are a little more complex than the airports you may be used to.

And with that, my friends, we conclude this article that’s taken way more time to write than I ever would have thought possible.

Note: Everything I say here is my own personal opinion, and may not work best for everyone. I’m far from an expert, so please just do whatever is best for you, and be sure to visit the TripAdvisor Forums to ask questions and do some more research!