Cairo Airport: A Primary Hub for Airlines Flying to Egypt

The main and the busiest airport in Egypt, Cairo International Airport is the main hub for airlines like Nile Air and Egypt Air. It is also considered the second busiest airport in Africa and is spread in an area of around 37 square kilometers. There are a total of three terminals at Cairo Airport with terminal 3 being the largest and is equipped with more facilities as compared to other two terminals. Facilities like Ahlan Service, food courts, duty-free, car rentals, medical and bank facilities make this airport the best in Egypt and also an essential point of connectivity with the rest of the world.

Cairo Airport: Different Terminals in the Airport

Cairo Airport has three main terminals out of which terminal 2 and terminal 3 are primary hubs for main airlines. Let’s check out some more information on these terminals.

Terminal 1

The first terminal that was opened at the Cairo International Airport was terminal 1 which was initially used by EgyptAir and several other Middle Eastern companies. The main airlines operating from Terminal 1 are Nile Air, Nesma Air, Fly Nas, Iraqi Airways, Meridiana Fly, Air Cairo, Air Arabia, Air Leisure, Eritrean Airways, Tarco Air, Sudan Airways, Air Go, Royal Wings, Aviator, National Air, Fly and Baghdad besides many other. Essential services like car rental, banks/ATMs, lounges, shops, lost & found are also available at terminal 1 for the comfort and leisure of the passengers.

Terminal 2

Terminal 2 when it was opened back in the year 1986, it was the primary hub of airlines like Gulf, East Asian and European airlines. Terminal 2 operates jointly with terminal 3 of the airport as one integrated terminal and both are connected via an air bridge. The lounge area of the terminal 2 can accommodate up to 300 people at a time and offers all the top-notch facilities. Royal Air Maroc, Alitalia, Air France, British Airways, Egypt Air, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Saudi, Oman Air, China Airlines, and Russian Airlines are some of the main airlines operating from Cairo Airport terminal 2.

Terminal 3

Terminal 3 of Cairo Airport was made open to public on 27th April 2009 with a capacity to receive around 11 million passengers annually. Both terminal 2 and terminal 3 are inter-connected via an air bridge. Terminal 3 of the airport has the best facilities with children’s corner located in Finger F and G where they can spend time enjoying various games. The major airlines operating from terminal 3 are Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Lufthansa Airlines, Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Aegean Airlines and many other. You will also get the best duty-free shopping experience at terminal 3 of Cairo Airport along with other facilities like Ahlan service, banks/ATMs, car parking, car rentals and others.

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Facilities Available at Cairo International Airport

First & Business Class Lounges

Guests who book their tickets in first-class and business class gets direct access to use the high-end facilities available at first and business class lounges of the airport. If travelers have reached the airport before their departure time or have huge stopovers in between, then they can relax in these lounges and enjoy its world-class services like free WIFI, open buffet restaurants serving delectable food, fresh juices, desserts and others, luxury toilets with hot water, local and international newspaper and magazines, FID showing flight details, and duty-free shops to purchase souvenirs and other high-end branded stuff.

2. Banks/ATMs

Cairo Airport caters to the money related needs to the travelers hence, you will find several banks, ATMs and currency exchange centers within the premises of the airport so that they do not have to worry about cash withdrawals or currency exchange. ATMs, banks and currency exchange centers are located on all the three terminals of the airport. The list of different banks at different termimals is given below:

Terminal 1

• United Bank
• ADIB
• Bank of Alexandria
• Banque du Caire
• Misr Bank
• HSBC
• National Bank of Egypt
• Commercial International Bank – CIB
• Export Development Bank of Egypt
• National Bank of Kuwait

Terminal 2

• Bank of Alexandria
• Banque du Caire
• Misr Bank
• National Bank of Egypt
• African Bank

Terminal 3

• United Bank
• ADIB
• Bank of Alexandria
• Banque du Caire
• HSBC
• Ahli United
• National Bank of Egypt
• Commercial International Bank – CIB
• Emirates NBD
• African Bank

3. Car Rental

Cairo International Airport also offers car rental service to passengers so that they can easily get to the city center without any hassles. Taxis can be easily booked as various international car rentals companies provide taxis from the airport. You can book the taxi directly from the offices of these companies that are located in all the terminals and visit different attractions in Cairo or can directly go to your hotel from the airport. However, the most convenient way is to get limousine service which is available in four categories. Category A is for elite class and is the most expensive where you get to travel in luxury limousines like Mercedes Benz, category B includes micro buses that can accommodate up to 7 passengers, category C includes mid-sized cars like Mitsubishi Lancer and category D comprises of London Taxis.

4. Medical Facilities

It is very essential for every airport to provide some basic medical facilities to passengers in case of any mishap. Doctors and nurses are available at the airport 24*7 to look after the ill person. If the case is serious and needs to be taken care of at the hospital, then they are taken to any nearby hospital in an ambulance. Doctors also monitor closely the health conditions especially for people who are coming from plagued countries. Pharmacies are also available for urgent medicine needs for passengers arriving or departing the airport.

5. Ahlan Service

How about someone waiting for you outside the airport in order to welcome you? Yes, Ahlan service is where an Ahlan representative waits outside the airport to welcome you with your name plate in his hand. He will then take you to a VIP lounge in a Ahlan dedicated car and you will be taken care of till the time you leave after all the check-in or check-out formalities. In order to avail Ahlan services, passengers who are non-Egyptians need to pay 150$ for passenger/servants/greeters for VIP service while for meet & assist service, they need to pay only 75$.

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Shopping at Cairo International Airport

Cairo Airport is one of the best airports in Egypt to enjoy a great duty-free experience. The airport has a total of 4000 square meter space dedicated to retail shops offering passengers myriad of international branded shops selling exclusive products. One of the best things to do in Cairo is to buy souvenirs that are exclusively found here. Duty free shops are available at all the terminals of the airport where they are located on the first floor at terminal 1, within customs office at terminal 2 and near departure post at terminal 3. Some of the famous duty-free shops located at different terminals of Cairo International Airport are:

Terminal 1: CADF (Cairo Airport Duty Free)

Terminal 2: CADF (Cairo Airport Duty Free), DUFRY Egypt, and IDF

Terminal 3: CADF (Cairo Airport Duty Free)

Passengers can select from a wide range of products from different categories like beauty, health, fashion, alcohol, watches, jewelry, fragrances, food, electronics and souvenirs. The duty-free shops that are located in the arrivals terminal can be accessed only up to 48 hours after arrival to the airport. You can shop for brands like Gucci, Armani, Calvin Klein, Prada and others. From beauty to fashion, you will find all exclusive range of products from these duty-free shops in the airport. Other than duty-free shops, there are some other retail and branded shops too that are available like Precious Stones, Vodafone, Egypt al Dawlia, Amir Center Co., Captain Tours, Delta Tours, Orange Communication, FrandPack, IDF, and others.

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Food & Beverage at Cairo Airport

With almost every facility available at Cairo Airport, you will also find dining outlets and takeaway counters here to kill your hunger pangs. Long journeys can be hectic and thus, you need to fill in your tummies to get that extra boost of energy. Some of the most famous restaurants in Cairo are available at the airport that are open all day for the convenience of the passengers. Whether you have long stopovers or have a jetlag, the food and beverage outlets at this airport are open 24*7 at your service. Some of the outlets available at different terminals of the Cairo Airport are:

Terminal 1: Target, Mostaffa Cafeteria, Yossry Khalaf Cafeteria, Shemy Cafeteria and SSP Egypt

Terminal 2: Royal Group, Mc Donalds, Al Shayaa, Yossry Khalaf Cafeteria, Paradise, Target for tourism, SSP Egypt

Terminal 3: HMS Host, Shemy Cafeteria, Mostaffa Cafeteria, Target for tourism, SSP Egypt

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Cairo Airport is one of the best airports in African continent and also the busiest in Egypt. Most of the international airlines stop here as it serves as a primary hub for these airlines. If you have longer stopovers at Cairo Airport or have reached early, you can access the various facilities available at the airport like shopping from the duty-free shops, Ahlan service, car rentals, children’s play area, first and business-class lounges and other such facilities. Next time you book a flight to Cairo, do not forget to explore this gorgeously constructed airport in Cairo.

Cairo Airport FAQs