Guests spending their holiday in Hurghada and wishing to visit Cairo don't necessarily have to spend several hours in a car crossing Egypt. A particularly convenient alternative is the flight from Hurghada to Cairo. Domestic Egyptian flight connections make it possible to reach the Egyptian capital in a short time and use the day for pyramids, museums or less well-known Cairo sights.
But which airlines fly between Hurghada and Cairo? Which aircraft are used? How long does the flight take? And which Cairo programmes can be combined with a flight from Hurghada? Here are the most important facts.
Which airlines fly from Hurghada to Cairo?
For flights within Egypt, the Egyptian airlines EgyptAir and Air Cairo play an important role. Depending on the travel day, season and current flight schedule, different connections may be available.
For our Cairo flight excursions we therefore check the available flight times for each specific travel day and select a connection that fits the planned sightseeing programme in Cairo as well as possible. For a day trip, not only the ticket price is decisive — the departure time from Hurghada and the return flight time from Cairo are especially important so that enough time remains for the desired sights.
Air Cairo — a rapidly growing Egyptian airline
Air Cairo is an Egyptian airline based in Cairo that has significantly expanded its route network and fleet in recent years. The airline connects Egyptian resort regions with Cairo and numerous international destinations. The fleet consists of several aircraft types:
For shorter or less frequently served routes, smaller aircraft such as the ATR 72-600 or Embraer E190 may be used. The actual aircraft type deployed on any given flight depends on the flight schedule and the airline's operational planning — a specific type cannot be guaranteed.
EgyptAir — Egypt's national carrier
EgyptAir plays a central role in Egyptian domestic air traffic. The national carrier operates a mixed fleet covering short, medium and long-haul routes.
For domestic and regional connections, aircraft from the Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 family are particularly relevant. The actual aircraft type is determined by EgyptAir according to the specific flight and operational planning.
What is Petroleum Air Services?
Alongside the well-known scheduled airlines, there are other aviation companies in Egypt — including Petroleum Air Services, or PAS. As the name suggests, the company was primarily established to provide aviation services related to Egypt's oil and gas industry.
PAS operates not only helicopters but also fixed-wing aircraft:
Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen
In standard configuration, this aircraft seats around 90 passengers and is suitable for transporting larger groups and charter connections.
Dash 8 Q300
This turboprop aircraft seats around 50 passengers and is particularly suited to shorter domestic Egyptian routes.
In addition to transporting oil industry personnel, PAS explicitly lists charter flights, special routes and air taxi services as areas of operation. PAS should therefore not simply be equated with a conventional scheduled airline such as EgyptAir or Air Cairo.
Which aircraft flies from Hurghada to Cairo?
This question cannot be answered with a single aircraft type. Depending on the airline, flight number, travel day and load factor, different aircraft may be used. With Air Cairo, machines from the Airbus A320 family, Embraer or ATR aircraft may be deployed. EgyptAir also has various suitable short and medium-haul aircraft.
The planned aircraft type may also change at short notice for operational reasons. Anyone booking a Cairo flight excursion should therefore not make their decision dependent on a specific aircraft model.
How long is the flight from Hurghada to Cairo?
The pure flight time between Hurghada and Cairo is approximately one hour. The time for the transfer to the airport, check-in, security controls, boarding and, after landing, the drive from the airport to the sights all add to this. Even so, flying offers a decisive advantage over a return road journey: you spend significantly less time in a vehicle and can use your time in Cairo more intensively.
Is a day trip from Hurghada to Cairo by plane worthwhile?
For many guests: yes. The flight is particularly interesting for travellers who want to avoid a long car journey or want as much time as possible for sightseeing in Cairo. Families, older guests and travellers who already know Cairo and are planning a more specialised programme also benefit from the fast connection.
Which Cairo flight excursions are available?
At Memnon Reisen, a flight to Cairo is not limited to a single standard programme. Depending on whether you are visiting Cairo for the first time or have already been to Egypt several times, different private programmes can be arranged.
💡 Our Tip
Decide first what you want to see in Cairo — and only then which flight suits your programme. First-time visitors usually want to see the Pyramids and the classic highlights. Repeat visitors can explore Saqqara and Dahshur, or discover the Royal Mummies, the Citadel and medieval Cairo through our programme for returning guests.
Frequently Asked Questions — Flight Hurghada to Cairo
✈️ Plan your Cairo flight excursion
All programmes — day trip, late riser, 2 days or a combination with Luxor or Alexandria.
Private, English-speaking Egyptologist, no compulsory shopping stops.
