Luxor International Airport (IATA code LXR, ICAO code HELX) is the main airport for Luxor and the Nile Valley’s ancient sites, about 6 kilometers (4 miles) east of the city centre. The state-owned Egyptian Airports Company runs it, and the airfield is shared with the Egyptian military. A new terminal opened in 2005 with capacity for 8 million passengers a year; actual traffic runs at roughly one million, so the building rarely feels full.
How Many Terminals Does Luxor Airport Have?
One. A single passenger terminal handles all domestic and international flights, with international departures on the upper level and domestic services at ground level. The building holds 48 check-in desks, 8 gates and 5 baggage claim belts, generous numbers for its traffic, which is why check-in and baggage claim usually move quickly. The airport map shows the layout in detail.
Visa on Arrival at Luxor Airport
Most eligible nationalities can buy a 30-day tourist visa on arrival at the bank kiosks before passport control. The sticker costs 25 US dollars per person, paid in cash in dollars, euros or pounds at the day’s rate, and takes a few minutes; a landing card is handed out on the plane, and the passport must be valid for six months. Buy the sticker at the counter yourself: airline and tour representatives sell the same visa at a markup, and travelers have reported being charged 34 dollars for it. An e-Visa arranged in advance on Egypt’s official portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg, works too. Bring small banknotes for the arrivals hall, expect offers of help from unofficial porters and taxi touts outside, and track inbound flights on the live arrivals board. Fixed transfer options are covered on the Luxor Airport taxi and shuttle page.
Departures: Check-in and Security
Airlines at Luxor generally ask passengers to arrive 3 hours before international departures and 2 hours before domestic flights. Outside peak periods the 48 desks and the security lanes clear fast; when several European charters leave within the same hour, mostly on winter evenings, security becomes the slow point, so keep the full 3 hours on those days. The live departures board shows the day’s schedule.
Pearl Lounge
Luxor has two lounges, both run by Pearl. The international Pearl Lounge is airside on the upper floor, on the left after the final X-ray machines, and accepts Priority Pass, several premium cards and walk-in passes at about 40 dollars for a stay capped at three hours; it offers Wi-Fi, hot food, a smoking room and a prayer room, and children under two enter free. The domestic Pearl Lounge sits airside at ground level, on the right after the final X-ray, with the same pass options. Both are listed as open 24 hours a day.
Shops, Food and Services
Luxor Airport has a fairly limited but useful range of facilities. Inside the terminal, you will find duty-free and gift shops, a pharmacy, a few cafes and restaurants, currency exchange services, ATMs, car rental desks, a tourist information counter, first-aid facilities, baby-changing rooms and step-free access.
Runway and Airfield
The airport has a single runway, 02/20, 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) of asphalt at an elevation of 90 meters (294 feet), long enough for any aircraft the charter market sends. The cargo terminal is handled by EgyptAir Cargo, with refrigerated storage and livestock facilities.
Airlines at Luxor Airport
EgyptAir, Air Cairo and Nile Air connect Luxor with Cairo year-round, Jazeera Airways flies from Kuwait, and Pegasus serves Istanbul. The winter season adds European leisure carriers including easyJet, TUI, Edelweiss, Transavia, Vueling, Neos, Sundair, Luxair and Aegean. The full roster with destinations is on the airlines page, and current routes are tracked on the flights page.
LXR is the IATA code for Luxor International Airport, used on tickets and baggage tags. The ICAO code, used in flight operations, is HELX. Both refer to the same single-runway airport 6 kilometers east of Luxor city centre.
Three hours before an international flight and two before a domestic one, the standard airline guidance here. The terminal is rarely crowded, but security slows when several charter departures bunch together on winter evenings.
Yes. Both Pearl Lounges accept Priority Pass: the international lounge on the upper floor after the final X-ray machines and the domestic lounge at ground level. Walk-in passes cost about 40 dollars, and stays are capped at three hours.
Inside the terminal, the documented smoking option is the smoking room in the Pearl Lounge on the international side, which requires lounge access. No general airside smoking area is confirmed, so smokers should plan for the lounge or finish before security.