London to Cairo flights

When fares to Cairo are lowest

Fares to Cairo are usually lowest outside school holidays and major festivals, and the live fare calendar on this page shows this month's lowest fares. Use the Slashtel Fare Index to time your booking: 100 is the route's usual monthly fare, and 85 or under is a good time to book.

The index compares the lowest fare in the next three months against the route's usual monthly fare. That gives you one simple number to judge whether a fare is worth taking now or waiting on. The fare calendar covers 12 months, so you can scan a full year of months rather than guessing.

To get a useful comparison for your own trip:

1. Open the fare calendar on this page and find your travel month.
2. Check the Slashtel Fare Index for that period.
3. If the index is 85 or under, it is a good time to book.
4. If it is close to 100 or above, watch the fare for a while.
5. Set a price alert so you hear when fares fall for your dates.

Direct flights and airlines on the route

British Airways and EgyptAir fly direct from London to Cairo International Airport (CAI). Both are full service airlines, which suits families and holidaymakers who want one ticket and no change of aircraft on the way to Cairo.

If a nonstop flight matters to you, these are the two airlines to check on this route.

Pegasus, Wizz Air and easyJet also appear in our fare checks with a stop. Some of these are self transfer routes on separate tickets, which carry risk if a flight is delayed. On a self transfer booking you are responsible for making the connection, and a delay on the first flight can leave you buying a new onward ticket. For a family trip with luggage and fixed holiday dates, weigh that risk before you book.

Busy weeks on the London to Cairo route

The busiest weeks on this route are Christmas and New Year, Easter, the Eid holidays (dates follow the moon) and the UK school summer holidays in July and August. Fares are typically higher in these periods, so book earlier and stay flexible on dates.

Many Egyptian families in the UK travel home during the school holidays, and the Eid holidays shift each year because they follow the moon. Check the dates for your year before you fix your trip.

If your dates are fixed, set an alert and let the fares come to you instead of checking every day. Outside these busy weeks, the index is more likely to sit at a good level.

Remember the time difference: Egypt is 2 hours ahead of the UK for most of the year. A late departure from London can mean a very late arrival in Cairo, so plan the first night accordingly.

Arriving in Cairo: phone, data and entry

Cairo International Airport (CAI) is the main arrival point for this route. Egypt's mobile networks are Vodafone, Orange, e& (Etisalat) and WE, with 4G and 5G in some areas. Sort your data before you fly and check the official entry rules for your passport.

A travel eSIM set up before departure means you land connected, without hunting for a shop in the terminal. If you prefer a local SIM, the four networks above are the ones to look for.

Network generation is 4G, with 5G in some areas, so coverage and speed vary by location. For maps, messaging and booking a car, 4G is enough for most trips.

On entry, rules depend on your passport. Check the official rules for your passport before you fly, and do this well ahead of your travel date.

How to get a price alert for your dates

We check fares every day and email when they fall well under the usual price for your dates or under your own target. Set a target that fits your budget and let the alerts do the watching.

Start with your travel dates and the fare you would be happy to pay. We then compare fares daily against both the usual price for those dates and your own target.

This works well for family trips where dates are fixed by school holidays or Eid. If your dates are flexible, a wider window gives the alert more chance to find a lower fare.

The fare calendar on this page shows this month's lowest fares, so you can see where your dates sit before you set a target. You can also use the Slashtel Fare Index to decide whether to book now or wait.