The range of airlines flying to Egypt is as wide as that of any other popular tourist destination. The only direct flights are to Cairo International Airport (CAI), but other accessible airports in Egypt include Luxor, Alexandria and Sharm El Sheikh. Most European airlines offer direct flights to Cairo from Europe, but coming from New York often requires you to change flights and sometimes airlines.
Egypt Air began operating in 1932 and has lasted through several name changes to become a member of the Star Alliance, a group of 26 major airlines worldwide. This partnership assists in making smoother connections between flights and providing alternatives in the case of delays or cancellations. Egypt Air has direct flights between New York's JFK Airport and Cairo International Airport. Flights generally take 11 to 12 hours and fares start at around $850 in 2010.
Delta is a U.S.-based airline with direct flights from JFK to Cairo starting at $900 in the off-season and going up to $1,100 or more in the summer and other peak travel times in 2010. Indirect flights to Cairo can be slightly less expensive and are routed through Europe, often changing planes in Amsterdam with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Partnerships between airlines also result in various operators working together. Online flights listed under Delta also used Iberia Airlines through Madrid and Alitalia through Rome.
Indirect flights to Egypt transfer in many different countries, after starting at JFK. Lufthansa transfers in Frankfurt on its way to Cairo. Flights on Air France require you to change planes at De Gaulle Airport outside Paris. British Airways changes at Heathrow in London and Alitalia goes through Rome. Changing flights usually lowers the cost of the trip, but not always. Layover times between flights can be anywhere from 1 to 5 hours, but are not good times for sightseeing. Airports are usually far from cities, travel times are unpredictable and security is important.
