Luxor International Airport (LXR)
Passenger guide to Luxor International Airport (LXR): transport into the city and the West Bank, terminal facilities, airlines, and hotels near the airport.
Where Is Luxor Airport?
Luxor International Airport lies 6 kilometers east of the city center, on the east bank of the Nile; the drive to the Corniche hotels takes 10-20 minutes. From Cairo, EgyptAir covers the route in about one hour, against roughly 650 kilometers and 8-10 hours by road.
Most international visitors use Luxor Airport as a gateway to the city’s archaeological sites and Nile cruises. The passenger terminal was upgraded in 2005 with a stated annual capacity of up to eight million passengers. Queue times still depend on the number of flights checking in at the same time.
Airport Name:
Luxor International Airport
IATA Code:
LXR
ICAO:
HELX
Location:
Luxor, Luxor Governorate 85955, Egypt
Luxor Airport Terminal Facilities
The single terminal handles domestic and international flights with 48 check-in desks, 8 gates, and 5 baggage claim belts. Food is limited to a few cafes and snack bars, with a duty-free shop, a newsstand, and a pharmacy on the departures side and a post office landside. A bank counter, exchange bureaus, an automatic currency exchange machine (CIB), and ATMs cover money matters; the machines dispense large notes, so break them before the taxi rank. A tourist help desk and travel agency counters operate in arrivals. The only documented indoor smoking room is inside the Pearl Lounge on the international side, so smokers without lounge access should finish before security. Treat the free Wi-Fi as a bonus, not a plan: travelers regularly report no usable signal in the arrivals hall, so download maps and booking details before landing.
Airlines at Luxor Airport:
EgyptAir connects Luxor with Cairo daily in about one hour. Many international services are seasonal, with more European leisure flights operating between October and April. Routes change every winter; the airlines page carries the current list.
Luxor Airport Parking & Car Rentals
A paid open-air car park sits directly in front of the terminal, within walking distance of both halls. Fees are collected in cash in Egyptian pounds. Car rental desks are inside the arrivals hall.
Airport Transportation
- There is no public bus, minibus, or rail link at Luxor Airport. Arriving passengers leave by taxi, pre-booked transfer, hotel car, or rental car.
- Taxi: The rank operates outside arrivals around the clock. Agree the fare before the bags go in; meters are fitted but rarely used. Expect EGP 150 to 300 for the 10 to 20 minute run to the city center. Quotes at the terminal door run high, and travelers report street fares closer to EGP 100 after a five minute walk out to the main airport gate.
- Pre-booked transfer: Hotels, tour operators, and Nile cruise companies meet arrivals with a name board. A pre-booked transfer is useful when a cruise or tour has a fixed meeting time.
- Ride-hailing apps require a working mobile data connection and a registered account, so do not depend on the terminal Wi-Fi.
Five Things to Know Before You Fly to Luxor
- • Buy the visa at the bank counter, not from a rep. Most nationalities get a 30-day tourist visa on arrival for 30 US dollars in cash, sold at the bank kiosks before passport control.
- • Leave the drone at home. Importing or flying a drone in Egypt without prior permission from the Ministry of Defence carries a prison sentence of up to seven years or a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 Egyptian pounds, according to UK government travel advice.
- • Professional camera gear needs a permit to enter the country. Phones and ordinary cameras are fine.
- • Before booking a hot-air balloon flight, ask the tour company which operator runs it and what safety and insurance standards apply.
- • A rental car needs an international driving permit. You need the 1949-version permit alongside your home licence, and you cannot buy one once you are in Egypt, so arrange it before you fly.
Contact Info
Luxor International Airport
Luxor, Luxor Governorate 85955, Egypt
+20952324455
info@airport-luxor.com
Luxor, Egypt: Ancient Thebes
Luxor is built over ancient Thebes, Egypt’s capital at its height, and its monuments are the reason the airport exists. Karnak and Luxor Temple stand on the east bank, a short drive from the terminal and the Corniche hotels. The Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and the mortuary temples lie across the river on the west bank, reached by the bridge or the local ferry; the West Bank and Valley of the Kings pages cover the transfer.