The Egypt Guides

Air Cairo Launches Direct Cairo to Athens Flights from 24 July

· 2 min read Travel News
Air Cairo aircraft on the tarmac at Cairo International Airport

Contents

  1. What the Routes Cover
  2. Why This Matters for Travellers
  3. What to Note Before You Travel

Air Cairo has confirmed it will launch direct services between Cairo and Athens from 24 July 2026, operating five flights per week. On the same date, the carrier will begin two weekly services between Alexandria’s Borg El Arab Airport and Athens International. Both routes open new direct connections between Egypt and Greece that previously required a stopover.

What the Routes Cover

The Cairo–Athens service departs from Cairo International Airport (CAI), which handles the majority of international arrivals in Egypt. Journey time between the two capitals is approximately two and a half hours direct, compared to four to six hours via connecting hubs such as Istanbul or Amman.

The Alexandria–Athens route operates from Borg El Arab Airport (HBE), which lies around 50 kilometres southwest of Alexandria city centre. That service is intended primarily for travellers in the Nile Delta region who previously had little direct international access without routing through Cairo first.

Air Cairo is a subsidiary of EgyptAir. Its expansion onto these routes coincides with a broader push to increase air traffic between Egypt and Southern Europe ahead of the autumn shoulder season.

Why This Matters for Travellers

For visitors planning a multi-country trip combining Egypt and Greece, the new Air Cairo services make a direct connection viable for the first time. Previously, the only realistic options were EgyptAir’s own Cairo–Athens operation and one-stop routings through other hubs.

The timing - late July - means the route will be active through the summer and into the autumn, covering Egypt’s cooler shoulder months (October and November) when the country sees the strongest tourist numbers.

For travellers already in Cairo planning to continue onward to Greece, this adds a useful option. For those flying into Athens first and looking to add Egypt to their itinerary, the return routing is equally direct.

What to Note Before You Travel

Egypt currently requires most nationalities to obtain a visa in advance or on arrival. Check current requirements at the Egyptian e-Visa portal (visa2egypt.gov.eg) before travel, as conditions have changed in recent years. UK nationals travelling on an e-Visa should note these are single-entry documents.

If you are combining Greece and Egypt in a single trip, note that Greece is a Schengen zone country. Verify your visa situation covers both countries separately - Egypt’s e-Visa does not grant Schengen entry.

Our Egypt entry requirements guide covers current visa rules in detail. For advice on getting from the airport into central Cairo and onward connections within Egypt, see our getting around Egypt guide.

We will update this article as route schedules and pricing are published.