The passion for the country of the pharaohs extends to all continents. And as we have seen in this blog, there are many who travel from Latin America: nationals from countries like Mexico or Chile embark on long-haul flights, often with several stopovers, to discover a unique destination for its heritage and beaches. In this article, however, we focus on how to travel to Egypt from the United States: what are the connections, what kind of visa is needed? Take note if you are planning to fly from this North American country, which is very important for Egyptian tourism, as only in 2022 (last year for which there is data) more than 670,000 Americans visited it, according to figures from Statista.
Flights from the United States to Egypt
The first issue to consider when traveling to Egypt from the United States is the air connection. And despite the distance, there are different possibilities, both with direct flights and one-stop flights, in most cases to the main Egyptian airport, Cairo International.
For proximity, the most convenient options are those departing from the east coast of the country. Specifically, New York (JFK International Airport), from where there is a daily direct flight operated by the national airline EgyptAir. The duration of the outbound flight is around 10.5 hours, while the return flight takes approximately 11.5 hours.
The other city from which direct flights to Cairo depart is Washington DC, from its Dulles International Airport. However, the frequency of these non-stop flights is not daily, but on specific dates, so it is not always a valid solution to travel to Egypt from the United States. The journey times are very similar to those of the New York – Cairo route.
On the other hand, if a stopover is added, the travel possibilities multiply, both in terms of cities and airlines. To travel to Cairo without going through New York or Washington, some of the main departure cities are Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston, and intermediate airports for the stopover can be Munich, Doha, Amsterdam or Paris, among many other possibilities.
As for airlines operating flights with one or more stopovers, the list is very long, from U.S. airlines (Delta, for example), European airlines (Swiss Air, Air France, etc.) and Asian airlines (Qatar Airways, among others).
And although the journey is longer this way, the price does not necessarily have to be higher. On the contrary, it is common for flights with a stopover to be cheaper than direct flights. In some cases, for as little as $600 each way, although this all depends on the dates.
Visa to enter Egypt from the United States
U.S. citizens are not exempt from obtaining a tourist visa to travel to Egypt. However, this is an e-Visa, i.e. a procedure that can be done online, paying by credit card. The cost of this e-Visa in 2024 was $25 for the normal mode (single entry), and $60 for the multiple entry mode.
The essential requirement to obtain a tourist visa is to have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Egypt. In addition, you must have a travel itinerary and accommodation reservations. Therefore, relying on an agency such as Egypt Exclusive to set up the circuit is very useful.
