Cairo to Aswan
Private Jet Charter
Cairo to Aswan is about an hour in the air, 377 nautical miles from Sphinx to the southern end of the Nile, on a turboprop, light or midsize jet. Aswan is the gateway to Abu Simbel, Philae and the High Dam, and the other end of most Nile itineraries that begin at Luxor.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Fact-checked against Icarus Jet fleet and airport operations data · Last updated 4 September 2026
Route overview
Get your number
Get a number for your dates
Tell us the dates, the passengers and whether the trip starts at Luxor or continues to Abu Simbel. The desk quotes Aswan every week, files the Egypt permit, and tells you which aircraft fits the group before you book.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 888 277 7203. The desk is staffed 24/7.
The route
Why fly private from Cairo to Aswan?
Cairo to Aswan is the southern leg of the Nile on our desk: 377 nautical miles, about an hour in the air, and a landing near the High Dam with Philae, the Nubian villages and the cruise moorings a short drive away. Most of our Aswan trips are the return end of a cruise that began at Luxor, and many continue south to Abu Simbel.
Why private works here
Leave Sphinx, 35 minutes from downtown Cairo, and land at Aswan with the car at the aircraft. No airline queue, no fixed timetable, and the same aircraft can take you on to Abu Simbel and back in a morning rather than a three-and-a-half-hour drive each way. On a Nile itinerary the aircraft drops you at Luxor, waits out the cruise, and picks you up here.
Aircraft fit
At this distance a turboprop such as a King Air 350 carries eight in about an hour and twenty minutes and is the right money for most families. A light jet does it in under an hour for six or seven. A midsize jet carries eight with full luggage and a stand-up cabin, and is the choice when the same aircraft continues to Abu Simbel or on to the Red Sea. The 11,161 foot runway takes all of them.
Advisor note
Aswan is straightforward on the ground: a long runway, no airport permission beyond the national permit, and handling that is available without being mandatory. What we plan for is heat. Aswan is the hottest major city in Egypt in summer, and a fully loaded departure in July is scheduled for early morning, not the afternoon.
Icarus Jet charter deskCost
What determines the cost of a Cairo to Aswan private jet charter?
An hour-long sector is priced on the aircraft, the trip shape and how long the aircraft waits. These are the things that move the number on Cairo to Aswan.
Aircraft
A turboprop is the right money for up to eight. A light jet is quicker. A midsize jet earns its place for luggage or when the aircraft continues to Abu Simbel or the Red Sea on a multi-leg itinerary.
Round trip, one way or multi-leg
A Nile itinerary is usually one way into Luxor and one way home from Aswan, with the aircraft repositioned or released between. A day trip keeps it with you. The desk prices the shape that fits.
The Egypt permit
Egypt requires a landing permit from the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority for private and charter flights, domestic legs included. We plan on four business days and file it with the registration, insurance, AOC and crew details, and a specific stated purpose of flight. It is routine, and it is the one thing that cannot be fixed the day before.
The Abu Simbel leg
Adding Abu Simbel is a short domestic hop with its own landing and handling. Priced as one itinerary with Aswan, it replaces seven hours of road with about an hour of flying.
The season
October to April is the season, with the winter holiday weeks the busiest for aircraft out of Cairo and cabins on the cruise fleet. Those dates need firm bookings a couple of weeks ahead.
What the number covers
We tell you what the quote covers before you book and we hold the operator to the number we gave you. No surprises on the invoice is the point of using the desk.
Aircraft
Which aircraft flies Cairo to Aswan?
Every aircraft in the Icarus brokered fleet flies this sector. These are the three quoted most on Cairo to Aswan.
King Air 350 class
Eight passengers, about an hour and twenty minutes in the air, and the lowest cost on a domestic leg.
Citation CJ and Phenom 300 class
Six or seven passengers with carry-on baggage, and under an hour to the southern Nile.
Citation XLS and Hawker 800 class
Eight passengers with full luggage and a stand-up cabin, for a multi-leg Egypt itinerary on one aircraft.
Larger groups fly on a super-midsize jet, a regional turboprop or, for a whole party of up to eighty, a regional jet on a group charter. See the aircraft we broker for the full range by cabin class.
Before you fly
What should I know before flying Cairo to Aswan?
It is a domestic flight, so there is no customs at either end. Bring passports or Egyptian ID; the crew checks them at the aircraft. You can arrive at the terminal fifteen to twenty minutes before departure.
Aswan International is the arrival. A single 11,161 foot runway at 662 feet elevation, about 25 kilometres south west of the city near the High Dam, with no airport permission beyond the national permit. The Nile-side hotels, Philae and the cruise moorings are a short drive north. The field has a separate general aviation ramp and parking area away from the airline terminals, with handlers based at Aswan such as Tiger Aviation and ZAS Aviation.
Abu Simbel is a flight, not a drive. The temples sit about 280 kilometres south, three and a half hours by road. The same aircraft that brought you to Aswan flies you there and back in a morning, and the desk quotes it as one itinerary.
Most Nile trips fly one way. Into Luxor, cruise south, and fly home from Aswan, or the reverse. Our Cairo to Luxor page covers the other end, and the desk quotes the pair with a single permit file.
On the Cairo side, Sphinx is the better private airport for most trips. A single 11,975 foot runway west of the city in Giza, open 24 hours with customs on site, no airport slot, no airline queue, about 35 minutes from downtown and materially cheaper to operate into. Cairo International in Heliopolis earns its place when you are connecting onto a scheduled flight, when the destination is the east of the city, or when the aircraft might need maintenance support, which Sphinx cannot provide. It is slot coordinated with mandatory handling, so the permit, slot and handling are filed together.
When to go
When is the best time to fly Cairo to Aswan?
October to April is the season, when Aswan is warm by day and the cruise fleet is running. The winter holiday weeks are the busiest for aircraft out of Cairo and for cabins, and need firm dates a couple of weeks ahead. Allow four business days for the permit on any first trip.
Summer is quiet and extremely hot. The route still flies, with departures scheduled for early morning and Abu Simbel visited before the heat. A few days of notice is normal from Cairo outside the peak.
Related
Cairo and Aswan airport guides
Every field this sector uses, with runways, handling and history on its own guide.
Questions
Cairo to Aswan private jet questions
How long is a private jet flight from Cairo to Aswan?
About 55 minutes on a jet and about 1 hour 20 minutes on a turboprop. The sector is 377 nautical miles from Sphinx to Aswan International.
How far is Cairo from Aswan by air?
377 nautical miles, about 434 statute miles, between Sphinx and Aswan International. Both are on Egypt time, so there is no change on the clock.
Which Cairo airport do private jets use for Aswan?
Sphinx, west of the city in Giza, for most trips: no slot, no airline queue, about 35 minutes from downtown and cheaper to operate into. Cairo International in Heliopolis when you are connecting from a scheduled flight or the destination is the east of the city.
Can private jets land at Aswan?
Yes. Aswan International has a single 11,161 foot runway, handling on the field, and no airport permission beyond the national Egyptian permit. It takes the whole of business aviation.
How do I get from Aswan to Abu Simbel?
By air. The temples are about 280 kilometres south, three and a half hours by road, and the same aircraft that brought you to Aswan flies you there and back in a morning. The desk quotes it as one itinerary with the Cairo leg.
Which aircraft is best for Cairo to Aswan?
A King Air 350 class turboprop for up to eight at the lowest cost. A Citation CJ or Phenom 300 class light jet for six or seven, the quickest. A Citation XLS or Hawker 800 class midsize jet for eight with luggage on a multi-leg itinerary.
Do I need a permit to fly privately within Egypt?
The operator does. Egypt requires a landing permit from the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority for private and charter flights, domestic legs included. We plan on four business days and file it on every trip. Passengers need only ID.
Can I fly into Luxor and out of Aswan?
Yes, and most Nile itineraries do. The desk quotes the pair as one trip with a single permit file, with the cruise between. Our Cairo to Luxor page covers the other leg.
What determines the cost of a Cairo to Aswan private jet?
The aircraft, whether the trip is a day return, one way or part of a multi-leg itinerary, whether Abu Simbel is added, how long the aircraft waits, and the dates against the October to April season. We tell you what the quote covers before you book.
Can I fly Aswan to Cairo on the same page?
Yes. The sector is quoted in both directions. Put Aswan as the departure in the form and the desk handles it the same way.
Is there customs on a Cairo to Aswan flight?
No, it is a domestic flight. Bring a passport or Egyptian ID for the crew to check at the aircraft. You can arrive fifteen to twenty minutes before departure.
When is the best time to fly to Aswan?
October to April. Aswan is the hottest major city in Egypt in summer, so summer trips are flown early in the day. The winter holiday weeks are the busiest.
Can I do Cairo to Aswan as a day trip?
Yes. With about an hour each way the aircraft waits at Aswan while you see Philae and the High Dam, or flies you to Abu Simbel and back, and you are home in Cairo the same evening. A day return keeps the aircraft with you and is quoted as one trip.
How much notice do I need to book Cairo to Aswan?
Allow four business days for the Egyptian permit on a first trip. After that a few days is normal, and for the winter holiday weeks give the desk firm dates a couple of weeks ahead. With a permit already on file the desk can have an aircraft off Cairo within two to three hours of the call, subject to crew availability.
Get your number
Cairo to Aswan, quoted from the desk
Give us the dates, the passengers and whether Luxor or Abu Simbel is part of the trip. You will get an aircraft, the permit filed and a number you can hold us to.
Get a number for your datesPrefer to talk? Call +1 888 277 7203 or email charter@icarusjet.com. The desk is staffed 24/7.