Cairo International Airport (CAI) Airport Guide - HonestAirport

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Airportist Score

Arrive

Security

Fastest

Cheapest

Lounges

On time

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CAIGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Arrive 3 hours early for international

Security and passport lines routinely exceed 60–90 minutes at peak.

Counters often open 2–3 hours pre-departure. Gender-separated security plus passport control routinely eat 60–90 minutes at morning and evening banks. A second document check at the gate is normal — do not treat airside as “already done.”

Terminal

EgyptAir / Star Alliance = Terminal 3

T3 for EgyptAir/Star; T2 connected to T3; T1 still handles many airlines.

Terminal 3 is the EgyptAir hub and the Star Alliance building. Terminal 2 is linked to T3 by an airside connector, so some non-EgyptAir long-haul still uses T2. Terminal 1 remains a real passenger building for many other carriers. Transfers between T1 and T2/T3 are bus or a long walk — confirm the terminal on the boarding pass before you leave Cairo.

Food

Eat landside before security

Landside food beats airside; lounge meals beat gate snacks.

Airside F&B is limited and queues form near gates. Landside koshary, ful, and cafés are cheaper and better. If you have Priority Pass, Ahlein or CAC is the practical meal — Ahlein showers and VIP rooms are extra, not included.

Status

Check the Priority Pass app, not a T2-only map

PP lounges exist in T1, T2, and T3 — all listed 24 hours in the live directory.

PP currently lists 24-hour Ahlein and CAC rooms in T1, T2, and T3. Ahlein Premium T2: after passport control, turn right before Duty Free (max 3 hours; showers extra). Ahlein Emerald T2 is on the 1st floor above immigration. Ahlein Premium T3 is near Gate G. CAC T1 is after security and passport control on the 1st/2nd floors (max 2 hours). EgyptAir Al Genah / Alioth in T3 are airline-status rooms, not PP.

Live conditions

Right now at CAI

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Affordable Priority Pass lounges
24-hour operations
Cheap city transfers
EgyptAir connections

Watch out for

Long unpredictable security queues
Terminal transfers needed for some flights
Limited airside dining variety
Peak-hour congestion

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

6.8

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

6.5

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

6.2

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

7.5

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

6.9

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

6.4

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

30,944,269 (2025)

Terminals

3 main terminals

On-time departures

78%

Typical security

45 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for CAI.

Updated Sep 11, 2026

Three passenger terminals (T1, T2, T3) plus a seasonal Hajj/Umrah hall. EgyptAir and Star Alliance partners concentrate in Terminal 3; T2 is linked to T3; many other carriers still use T1 — read the boarding pass, not a generic “T2 for long-haul” rule.
Ministry of Civil Aviation / SIS: 30,944,269 passengers in 2025 (+6.8% vs 28,974,544 in 2024) on 224,303 flights (+4.8%). Peak day 25 Dec 2025: ~103,000 passengers / 696 flights across all three terminals.
No metro station at the airport. Line 3 ends at Adly Mansour (~10 km short). The proposed Phase 4C airport branch has no confirmed opening date — plan on Uber/Careem, official taxi booth, or bus.
Priority Pass covers Ahlein Premium/Emerald (T2), Ahlein Premium (T3), and CAC by Plaza Premium & EAS in T1/T2/T3 — live PP directory lists all of them 00:00–23:59. Ahlein max stay 3 hours; CAC T1 max stay 2 hours.
Gender-separated screening is common. Arrive 3 hours before international; add buffer for passport control and a second gate check.
Use the official prepaid taxi booth or Uber/Careem from signed pickup — ignore curb hustlers.

3 official sources

Full guide

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