Dubai to Cairo flights

When fares to Cairo are lowest

Fares to Cairo are usually lowest outside the Eid holidays, the UAE winter and summer school breaks and the Christmas and New Year period. The live fare calendar on this page shows this month's lowest fares across the next 12 months, so you can compare your dates against quieter weeks before you book.

The route is short and busy, and demand from Egyptian families and workers in the UAE pushes fares up whenever schools close or families travel home together. Booking well ahead of those weeks usually gives you more choice of departure times and airlines.

The Slashtel Fare Index on this page helps you judge timing. It shows the lowest fare in the next three months against the route's usual monthly fare, where 100 is usual and 85 or under is a good time to book. Use it alongside the fare calendar rather than on its own.

To plan around price:

1. Open the fare calendar on this page and find this month's lowest fares.
2. Check the Slashtel Fare Index and note whether it sits at 85 or under.
3. Move your dates away from the Eid holidays, UAE school holidays and Christmas and New Year if you can.
4. Compare nonstop options from Dubai International and low cost services from nearby Sharjah.
5. Set a price alert so you are emailed when fares fall for your dates.

Direct flights and airlines on the route

Nonstop flights from Dubai to Cairo land at Cairo International Airport (CAI). Airlines on the route include Emirates, EgyptAir, Air Arabia, Air Cairo and Nile Air. These are examples of airlines flying the route nonstop, not a complete list. Some low cost services leave from nearby Sharjah rather than Dubai International.

Nonstop is the simplest choice for families with luggage and for anyone arriving late into Cairo. EgyptAir and Emirates both serve the route, and Air Arabia, Air Cairo and Nile Air add more departures, including low cost options from Sharjah.

Our fare checks also show AJet and Jazeera Airways with a stop. Some of these are self transfer routes on separate tickets, which carry risk if a flight is delayed. Weigh that against the saving before you book, especially if you are travelling with children or checked bags.

Busy weeks on the Dubai to Cairo route

The busiest weeks on this route are the Eid holidays, whose dates follow the moon, the UAE school holidays in the December winter break and the July and August summer break, and Christmas and New Year. Fares and seats are under the most pressure in these windows, so book early or travel outside them.

Eid travel is hard to plan far ahead because the dates follow the moon, so watch the calendar and book as soon as your dates are confirmed. The December break and the long summer break bring families home to Cairo in large numbers, and Christmas and New Year add another peak.

If your trip is fixed to a busy week, set a price alert early and compare departures from both Dubai International and Sharjah. Outside these weeks the route is calmer and the fare calendar usually shows more low fares.

Arriving in Cairo: phone, data and entry

Egypt's mobile networks are Vodafone, Orange, e& (Etisalat) and WE, with 4G and 5G in some areas. A travel eSIM or mobile top up bought before you fly means you land connected for family pickups and onward travel. For entry, check the official rules for your passport before you fly.

Coverage is good in Cairo and along the main roads, with 5G in some areas. If you are staying for a few weeks, a local SIM from one of the four networks is easy to arrange, but an eSIM set up in the UAE saves time at the airport.

Remember the time difference when you share your arrival time with family. Egypt is 2 hours behind the UAE in winter and 1 hour behind in Egyptian summer time, so a late Dubai departure can land at a reasonable Cairo hour.

How to get a price alert for your dates

Set a price alert for your Dubai to Cairo dates and we check fares every day and email when they fall well under the usual price for your dates or under your own target. It takes a minute and saves you checking the fare calendar each day.

Choose your travel dates, or a range if you are flexible, and set your own target if you have one. The alert runs in the background while you get on with your week.

Use it together with the Slashtel Fare Index: an alert tells you when a fare drops, and the index tells you whether the route is generally cheap right now. Together they cover both your dates and the wider market.