Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - CAI Int. to Dom. Connection Time?

Is 1:35 enough to arrive into Cairo on an MS flight from Istanbul then catch another MS flight to Aswan? Both flights use terminal 3 but this is for Dec 2 so could easily change.

Since Aswan is an international airport, are baggage customs handled in CAI or Aswan?

Cheers.

I can only speak of personal experience from pre-Terminal 3 days, so bear this in mind (although TK and MS do have good interlining on international routes), as I normally spend a few days in Cairo, before moving up to Aswan, when visiting Egypt.

You're into high season for Egypt tours, in December, but most tourist seem to fly into Luxor or one of the Red Sea resorts and only travel to CAI on domestic flights, so the immigration hall shouldn't be that busy; there's several desks and they do tend to open more and more as it gets busier.

You don't state whether you've already obtained your Egyptian visa or intend to get one on arrival in CAI. Either way, the visa on arrival process should only add a brief delay in getting through immigration.

Amazingly, although logic dictates that you must collect your luggage and go through customs at your point of arrival into the country, the terminal maps (http://www.cairo-airport.com/airport_maps.asp) would appear to indicate that the escalator between international arrivals and domestic departures is located before customs, but this could just be down to rather vague maps.

I've never been delayed by Customs wanting to inspect my luggage on arrival in Cairo, though there are reports from tourism sites that they are getting keener on the random checking of travellers.

From previous experiences of transferring from international to domestic, in Cairo, though at the old T1, I did have to collect my luggage and clear customs before dropping it off for the domestic flightand the process took less than 30 minutes. T3 is far easier to navigate than T1 used to be.

There do appear to be 2 transfer/transit desks before you reach the immigration desks and each of the luggage carrousels is indicated as having a transfer desk and these could come in handy if you're late arriving or there seems to be a long queue to get through immigration.

The only other option is to attempt to get some information from your local Egyptair office, though this might not be that easy.

Thanks a lot. Yes, visa on arrival but even with that it sounds like it should work out. And there is another flight to Aswan dep. CAI 1+ hr later so that could be an option if there's a foul up.

As far as tourist season, I was sort of expecting few tourists visiting Egypt (Cairo, at least) given the turmoil. But that's not based on anything other than an assumption.

Despite the Giza Pyramids (the only ones anybody seems to know about, when there are over 80 in Egypt), Egyptian Museum and the beautiful monuments of the Islamic and Coptic cities, Cairo isn't really a tourist destinationand, as you say, tourist numbers have been down througout Egypt since the Revoution. However, although the number of western tourists is lower than in 2010, this has to some extent been compensated for by a huge increase in teh number of Eastern European (mainly Russian) and asian tourists who've been visiting the Red Sea resorts.

Sadly, large numbers of these visitors won't leave the immediate area of Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and the other beach resorts and those who do will only make a day trip, either by bus or domestic flight, to either Cairo, Luxor or Abu Simbel, so the capital and the Nile Valley have been a lot quieter than one would expect, even in high season.

This does have the advantage of MS domestic flights being somewhat easier to book, as the tour companies don't make, advance, block bookings and release the unsold seats closer to the travel date, but you should be prepared for more persistent sales pitches from the shop, felucca and taxi touts, once you get to Aswan.

BTW. Chances are that you will actually fly on Egyptair's subsidiary, Egyptair Express, for the domestic flight. They use Embraer 170s and, unless you are flying in J you will get a soft drink service, but no food on the flight to ASW (J PAX get a sandwich, cake, hot drink and welcome fruit juice or water, but the seats and their pitch are exactly the same as in Y). The MS Express aircraft I've flown in have been comfortable and clean. Leg room has been more than acceptable; though I'm only 5' 9" tall, and the cabin crew tend to have reasonable english, they tend to smile a lot and fuss over children (as ost Egyptians will). TBH, there isn't really time on the CAI - ASW flight for them to demonstrate much in the way of cabin service skills.

Some details of MS Express can be found here:

http://express.egyptair.com/

And a seat map of their EMB 170s here:

http://express.egyptair.com/AboutUs/Fleet.aspx

If you are flying up to ASW by day, the views of Lake Nasser, as you approach the airport, can be quite spectacular, and you get a reasonable chance to see the "green snake" of the Nile Valley, amidst the desert, but the routing south normally means you don't get to see any of the pyramid fields around Cairo (northbound flights are normally routed over Dashur, Saqarra, Abu Sir and Giza, before passing over the city and Citadel). With luck, Qubet al Hawa, on the West Bank will be lit up, when you fly over Aswan.

And if you have time, a half a day trip to Abusimbel is definitely worth it.

And if you have time, a half a day trip to Abusimbel is definitely worth it.

That's the main reason I'm starting in Aswan. Then hope to arrange a 4d river trip down to Luxor. Any tips on the cruise would be appreciated.

That's the main reason I'm starting in Aswan. Then hope to arrange a 4d river trip down to Luxor. Any tips on the cruise would be appreciated.

Hi,

I've done the Aswan - Luxor cruises many times, over more years than I care to admit to, as I find it's the most relaxing way to travel between the two cities and allows you to see something of the countryside on the way.

A general set of opinions, posted by trabvellers themselves can be found in this Trip Advisor thread (NB. it's long and dates back quite some time, to it's beginning):

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g294205-i9426-k1787448-Cruise_recommendations_opinions_needed_REPOSTING-Luxor_Nile_River_Valley.html

There's also this thread, relating to the boat I've recently travelled on, for my last two cruises:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g294205-i9426-k5554802-Nile_Cruise_Review_on_board_Royal_Vikin_June_12-Luxor_Nile_River_Valley.html

Sadly, with the downturn in tourist numbers for the Nile Valley, many of the boats have been berthed until things improve, and it's impossible to advise about fares, so it could be worth Googling the names of any boats you like the sound of, to see who can book them for you, before you set off for Egypt.

Thanks for the links.

I was planning on setting up the cruise in Aswan because I've heard that with low passenger numbers you can end up on a different boat than what you booked so the passengers can be more consolidated. Plus, I'd like to see the boat up close before booking not to mention saving some cash by cutting out any middleman (or middlewoman as the case may be) booking agency.

That's the main reason I'm starting in Aswan. Then hope to arrange a 4d river trip down to Luxor. Any tips on the cruise would be appreciated.

Not at all sure how strong your constitution and your spirit of adventure is - but you could consider contracting a felucca captain to take you between Aswan and Luxor. It's a magical trip.

Not at all sure how strong your constitution and your spirit of adventure is - but you could consider contracting a felucca captain to take you between Aswan and Luxor. It's a magical trip.

That was something I was considering especially going downstream since it's one less day of bruising my buns on the wooden boat. And I'm always up for an adventure. My thinking here was that with the low tourist numbers I may be able to get a good deal on what would normally be a splurge for me. Still haven't given up the idea. Will play it by ear.

Just to follow up in case anyone is interested, I emailed Egypt Air and they informed me that my baggage will be checked all the way to Aswan where customs will be carried out.

Thanks for the update, as the information avaiable from CAI's website wasn't too clear.

ASW itself is fairly small for an international airport, it makes Luxor look huge in comparisson, but is reasonably pleasant. Don't expect airbridges, as I've been bussed to the terminal on all but 2 international or domestic flights, over the last 24 years, and both of these occasions were in Cairo.

If you arrive in daylight, check out the airisde facing decoration of the terminal building, which features an image of the face of the Dynasty IV statue of Princess Nofret, which was discovered at Meydum (near Beni Suef, not far south of Cairo), and try to catch the brief glimpse of Philae Temple, as you pass over the Old (British) Aswan Dam, during your drive to the city, from the airport (which is located in the desert, some distance south of Aswan itself).

As already mentioned, the views of Lake Nasser, as you make your approach, are wonderful.

I also hope you have the good fortune to be routed over Cairo itself; possibly by way of Giza, although a pyramids approach is quite rare for international flights, as you can get some marvellous views of the medieval Islamic monuments in the city and the Nile.

Enjoy your flights and please come back to let us know how you got on with everything in the end.

Will be leaving Cairo at 9 pm in autumn so not sure of the views.

Thanks for all the tips. I'll report back but the trip isn't til December 2. However, you can check out my blog (and subscribe) to read about my previous trip to the Middle East and other destinations - www.mytb.org/povertyjetet.