El Gouna
Airport
A private resort airstrip owned by Orascom, twenty minutes north of Hurghada, with a 5,265 foot runway for light aircraft and turboprops. For a jet the answer is Hurghada and a short drive, and we say so.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Fact-checked against Icarus Jet fleet and airport operations data · Last updated 2 September 2026
The Airport
El Gouna at a glance
El Gouna carries the ICAO code HEGO and has no IATA code. A single 5,265 foot runway at 56 feet elevation on the Red Sea coast, owned by Orascom, the developer of the El Gouna resort.
It is a private airstrip for light aircraft and turboprops, without permanent customs, and jets reach the resort through Hurghada.
Be Clear
Light aircraft only
El Gouna’s runway is about 1,605 metres, 5,265 feet, at 56 feet elevation. Those are light aircraft and turboprop dimensions, and fire cover and fuel are confirmed per operation rather than published. For a jet the answer is Hurghada, about 20 minutes south by road, which is how most private travellers reach the resort.
El Gouna does not have permanent customs and immigration, so an international arrival clears at Hurghada. A domestic leg from Cairo on a suitable aircraft is the realistic direct option, and a helicopter along the coast avoids the runway question entirely.
Operating
Permit, permission and the resort
Egypt requires a landing permit from the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority for private and charter flights. We plan on four business days, with registration, airworthiness, insurance, noise certificate, AOC for charter and crew details, and a specific stated purpose of flight rather than business.
As a private resort airstrip, permission from the operator is also required, and handling is arranged through the resort rather than a commercial FBO. Our El Gouna charter page covers the whole trip, Hurghada arrival included.
History
Built with the resort
The airstrip was built as part of Orascom’s development of El Gouna from the late 1980s, to give the purpose-built resort town direct air access from Cairo.
It has remained a private field for light aircraft, and the resort’s growth has been served mainly through Hurghada.
Nearby
El Gouna and the Egyptian fields
Egypt is a permits market first. Choose the airport by destination once the ECAA permit is in hand.
HECACairo InternationalHESXSphinx InternationalHEAXAlexandria InternationalHEGNHurghada InternationalHESHSharm El Sheikh International
HELXLuxor InternationalHESNAswan InternationalHEALEl Alamein International
Hurghada for any jet to El Gouna. Sharm El Sheikh across the Red Sea. Cairo International and Sphinx for the capital. Luxor and Aswan for the Nile Valley. Alexandria and El Alamein for the Mediterranean.
Airport guides & index
Questions
El Gouna, answered
Can private jets land at El Gouna?
Light aircraft and turboprops, yes. El Gouna is a private resort airstrip owned by Orascom, the resort's developer, with a 5,265 foot runway. For a jet the answer is Hurghada, about 20 minutes south by road, which is how most private travellers reach the resort. Our El Gouna charter page covers the whole trip.
How long is the runway at El Gouna?
16/34 is about 1,605 metres, 5,265 feet, in asphalt, at 56 feet elevation. Those are light aircraft and turboprop dimensions. Fire cover and fuel availability are not reliably published and are confirmed per operation.
What permit does Egypt require?
Egypt requires a landing permit from the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority for private and charter flights. We plan on four business days, with registration, airworthiness, insurance, noise certificate, AOC for charter and crew details, and a specific stated purpose of flight rather than "business".
Does El Gouna need prior permission?
Yes. As a private resort airstrip, permission from the airport operator is required in addition to the national ECAA permit. Handling is arranged through the resort.
El Gouna or Hurghada?
Hurghada for any jet, with a 20 minute road transfer to the resort. El Gouna direct only on a turboprop or light aircraft, and only when the resort confirms it. Hurghada has a 13,123 foot runway, full international facilities and no aircraft restriction.
What is El Gouna?
A purpose-built resort town on the Red Sea north of Hurghada, developed by Orascom from the late 1980s, with lagoons, marinas, hotels and a permanent residential community. The airstrip was built as part of it.
Can you fly internationally into El Gouna?
Not routinely. El Gouna does not have permanent customs and immigration, so an international arrival clears at Hurghada. A domestic leg from Cairo on a suitable aircraft is the realistic direct option.
Is there a helicopter option for El Gouna?
Yes, and it is a natural fit: a jet to Hurghada and a helicopter onward, or a helicopter transfer along the coast, avoids the runway question entirely.
Is ground handling available at El Gouna?
Through the resort, yes, arranged with the permission. It is not a commercial FBO.
What is the history of El Gouna airstrip?
The airstrip was built as part of Orascom's development of El Gouna from the late 1980s, to give the resort direct air access from Cairo. It has remained a private resort field for light aircraft, and the resort's growth has been served mainly through Hurghada.
What time zone is Egypt in?
Eastern European Time, UTC+2, with daylight saving reinstated from 2023 giving UTC+3 in summer.
Get Your Number
Request an El Gouna charter
Tell us the aircraft. If it is a turboprop we seek the resort’s permission and file the ECAA permit; if it is a jet we plan Hurghada with the transfer, or a helicopter along the coast, and say so from the start.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 888 277 7203 or email charter@icarusjet.com. The desk is staffed 24/7.