Is Luxor Airport on the East Bank or the West Bank?

Luxor Airport is on the East Bank, east of the city. That puts it close to most hotels, Karnak and Luxor Temple, while trips to the West Bank add a river crossing by road bridge or boat.

Can I fly directly to Luxor from Europe?

Yes, mainly in the cooler months. Seasonal flights connect Luxor with the UK, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy and several other countries. In summer, most visitors fly to Cairo first and take a one-hour domestic flight.

Is there an ATM at Luxor Airport?

Yes. The arrivals area has several ATMs and exchange counters. Withdraw enough Egyptian pounds for taxis, tips and small purchases, but keep US dollars in cash if you plan to buy your visa on arrival.

How long is the flight from Cairo to Luxor?

The flight takes about one hour. With airport transfers and check-in time, the whole journey from a Cairo hotel to a Luxor hotel usually takes four to five hours.

Luxor International Airport Traveler's Guide

Luxor International Airport: Complete Traveler's Guide

9 min read | Published: Nov 14, 2026 | Updated: Nov 14, 2026 | TRIPS IN EGYPT

For most visitors, the first glimpse of ancient Thebes comes through an airplane window: a green ribbon of fields along the Nile, desert on both sides and, if you are lucky, the cliffs of the West Bank catching the morning light. Luxor International Airport is where that view ends and the trip begins. It is small, calm and close to town, and knowing how it works makes the first hour in Luxor much easier.

This guide follows the airport in the order you will use it. It covers where the airport is and how it grew, which airlines fly there, what happens on arrival, how to get to your hotel or Nile cruise and how to leave again without stress. Here are all things you need to know about Luxor International Airport:

Luxor International Airport Guide & Facts

Luxor International Airport sits about 6 km east of the city center, on the East Bank of the Nile, close to the villages of Al Bayadiyah and El Dabiya. It is the main air gateway to Upper Egypt and one of the busiest tourist airports in the country. Our guide to the airports in Egypt shows how it compares with the others.

Detail	Information
Codes	IATA: LXR, ICAO: HELX
Location	About 6 km east of central Luxor, East Bank
Runway	One asphalt runway (02/20), 3,000 m long
Elevation	About 90 m above sea level
Terminal	One building with domestic and international halls
Check-in and gates	48 check-in desks, 8 gates, 5 baggage belts
Opening hours	24 hours a day
Drive to the city	About 15 to 25 minutes

A Short History of Luxor Airport

The airport's story goes back to the end of the Second World War. In May 1946, British military authorities handed the airfield, with its air control center and weather station, to Egypt's civil aviation authority, and it opened to civilian traffic in 1954. The terminal was rebuilt and enlarged over the following decades, and a major renovation in 2005 raised its capacity to about 8 million passengers a year.

Real traffic has stayed far below that figure, which works in your favor. Even in peak season, the terminal rarely feels as crowded as Cairo International, and lines usually move quickly outside the busiest charter mornings. Luxor itself is a calm city for visitors, as our guide on whether it is safe to travel to Luxor explains.

Flights to Luxor: Airlines and Routes

Luxor is mainly a domestic and seasonal airport, so the routes on offer depend a lot on when you travel.

From Cairo. EgyptAir runs the main link, with several flights a day and a flight time of about an hour, compared with about 9 to 11 hours by road or train. Air Cairo and Nile Air add more Cairo flights, and our day trip to Luxor from Cairo by plane shows how much you can see with an early flight and an evening return.

Within Egypt. Air Cairo links Luxor with Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh, and seasonal flights reach other Red Sea resorts. Flights to Aswan are rare, so most travelers cover that stretch by road or on a Nile cruise.

From abroad. Most international flights are seasonal and run mainly from October to April. Recent schedules have included:

United Kingdom: EgyptAir from London Heathrow, and TUI and easyJet from London Gatwick and Manchester.
Europe: Transavia from Paris, Edelweiss Air from Zurich, TUI fly from Brussels and Düsseldorf, Vueling from Barcelona, Neos and Air Cairo from Milan, Luxair from Luxembourg and Aegean Airlines from Athens.
Middle East and Turkey: Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways from Kuwait City, Pegasus from Istanbul and seasonal flights from Jeddah.

Charter routes change from season to season, so check the latest schedule before you plan around a direct flight. Outside winter, most international travelers fly into Cairo and connect to Luxor on a domestic flight. Our best time to visit Luxor guide explains why most flights cluster in the cooler months.

Arriving at Luxor Airport: Visa, Immigration and Facilities

Most nationalities need a visa for Egypt. You can apply online for an e-Visa, which costs USD 30 for a single entry and should be done at least a week before you fly. Eligible travelers can also buy a visa on arrival for USD 30 at the counters before passport control. Bring exact US dollars in cash, since card payment is not always available at Luxor.

After landing, the sequence is simple:

Buy your visa sticker if you do not already have one.
Pass through passport control, where your visa is stamped.
Collect your bags from one of the five belts. In peak season, this can take 15 to 30 minutes when several flights land together.
Pass through customs, then walk out to the arrivals hall, where drivers wait with name signs.

Allow 45 minutes to 1.5 hours from the plane to the curb on international flights, and much less on domestic ones. Porters may offer to carry your bags and will expect a small tip, so keep a few small notes handy. Our guide to tipping in Egypt explains the usual amounts.

Inside the terminal, the international hall is air-conditioned and open around the clock. Facilities include:

Money: a bank branch, currency exchange counters and several ATMs. Changing a small amount here covers taxis and tips for the first day.
Food and shopping: cafés, snack bars and a duty-free shop with perfumes, souvenirs and local crafts.
Connectivity: free Wi-Fi, though it can be patchy. A local SIM card gives you more reliable data for maps and messages.
Services: a tourist information desk, travel agencies, car rental counters, a post office, a pharmacy and a mosque.
Comfort and care: a VIP lounge, a first aid room, baby changing facilities and wheelchair assistance, which you should request through your airline at least 48 hours ahead.

There are no hotels inside the airport, but the city is close enough that you never need one. Our Egypt travel tips cover money and SIM cards, and our list of what to pack for Egypt helps you fill your hand luggage.

Getting From Luxor Airport to Your Hotel or Nile Cruise

There is no reliable public bus from Luxor Airport to the city, so almost everyone travels by car. You have four main options:

Private transfer: the easiest choice, booked through your hotel, cruise or tour operator. A driver waits in the arrivals hall with your name, and the fare is usually USD 15 to 25. It is the best option for late-night arrivals and for travelers heading to a Nile cruise boat.
Taxi: taxis wait outside the terminal at all hours. Meters are rarely used, so agree the price before you get in. Expect about EGP 150 to 300 to central Luxor.
Ride-hailing apps: Careem works in Luxor, and Uber has more limited coverage. Drivers may ask you to walk a short way out of the terminal to meet them.
Car rental: several companies have counters in the terminal, but Luxor's traffic, horse carriages and checkpoints make a car with a driver the more relaxed choice.

Most hotels, including the riverside hotels on the Corniche, are on the East Bank and only 15 to 25 minutes away. The West Bank takes longer, since the drive crosses the Nile by one of the road bridges. The table below gives typical drive times from the airport.

Destination	Drive time from LXR
Luxor Temple and the Corniche hotels	About 20 minutes
Karnak Temple	About 20 to 25 minutes
Nile cruise docks	About 20 minutes, depending on the dock
Valley of the Kings	About 35 to 45 minutes
Temple of Hatshepsut	About 35 to 45 minutes

Short on time? Many travelers drive straight from an early flight to Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple on our Luxor East Bank day trip, or across the river to the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut on our Luxor West Bank day tour. If you land the evening before, a Luxor hot air balloon ride at sunrise is a fine way to begin, and our Luxor in 48 hours plan and list of things to do in Luxor help you use every hour.

For cruise passengers, the airport is the usual start or end point of a Luxor and Aswan Nile cruise. Boats moor along the East Bank, and transfers are normally included in the cruise price.

Departing From Luxor International Airport

Leaving Luxor is as easy as arriving, as long as you allow enough time. Plan to reach the airport two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. On winter mornings, when several charters leave close together, lines at check-in can run longer.

The departure process has one more step than most travelers expect:

Entry screening: your bags are X-rayed at the terminal door before you reach check-in.
Check-in: counters for charter and seasonal flights may open only two to three hours before departure, so do not arrive too early.
Passport control: for international flights, your passport is stamped out of Egypt.
Security check: a second screening of hand luggage before the gates.

A few practical points make the last hour smoother. Spend or change most of your Egyptian pounds before passport control, since exchange options airside are limited. Do not photograph security checkpoints or staff, which is not allowed. If you are flying out in summer, stay hydrated, since the walk to the plane can feel very hot in Luxor's 40°C afternoons. Our weather in Luxor guide shows what to expect each month.

Many travelers also use the airport for side trips. Our 2-day Luxor tour from Cairo by plane uses LXR in both directions, while the Aswan and Abu Simbel trip from Luxor travels south by road and returns you to Luxor in time for your flight home.

Start Your Luxor Journey With Trips In Egypt

The flight into Luxor is short, but the first hours on the ground set the tone for the whole trip, and nothing beats stepping out of the arrivals hall to find a driver waiting and the golden temples of Thebes only minutes away. We meet you at the airport, handle your transfers and connect you with licensed Egyptologist guides. Explore our Luxor day tours, browse our Egypt tour packages or design your own route with our tailor-made tours. Book us now or contact our operation department today.