Cairo to Beirut
Private Jet Charter
Cairo to Beirut is about an hour in the air, 304 nautical miles from Sphinx to Rafic Hariri International on the edge of the city, on a turboprop, light or midsize jet. It is one of the oldest trade and political routes in the region and one of the most flown private sectors between Egypt and Lebanon. Same time zone at both ends.
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 where in Beirut you are going. The desk quotes this sector every week, files the Lebanese landing right and the Egypt permit together, and tells you which aircraft fits 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 Beirut?
Cairo to Beirut is the Levant sector on our desk: 304 nautical miles, about an hour in the air, and a landing at an airport that sits on the edge of the city rather than an hour outside it. Business, family and the Lebanese-Egyptian traffic that has run between the two capitals for generations fly it, in both directions, all year.
Why private works here
Leave Sphinx, 35 minutes from downtown Cairo, and land at Rafic Hariri with the car at the aircraft and the city minutes away. An hour in the air against an airline morning of check-in, connection risk and a queue at the other end. The group travels together, the return leaves when the trip ends, and the same aircraft can continue to the Gulf or back to Cairo the same day.
Aircraft fit
At this distance a turboprop such as a King Air 350 carries eight in a little over an hour and is the right money for a family. 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 usual choice for a business delegation or when the aircraft continues on to Dubai or Riyadh. The runway takes all of them.
Advisor note
On this sector the paperwork is the flight. The Egyptian departure permit is routine at four business days. The Lebanese landing right takes longer than people expect and we plan a minimum of 12 hours for it, more when the file is complex. We file both together the day you confirm, and we tell you the operating picture in Beirut on the day rather than assuming last month's.
Icarus Jet charter deskCost
What determines the cost of a Cairo to Beirut private jet charter?
An hour-long international sector is priced on the aircraft, the trip shape, the permits and the dates. These are the things that move the number on Cairo to Beirut.
Aircraft
A turboprop is the right money for up to eight on a short sector. A light jet is quicker. A midsize jet earns its place for luggage, a delegation, or when the aircraft continues on to the Gulf.
Round trip or two one-ways
A day trip keeps the aircraft with you in Beirut. A longer stay is usually better as two one-way flights. The desk prices both and tells you which is cleaner.
Two permits
Departure needs the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority permit, planned at four business days. Arrival needs the Lebanese landing right, planned at a minimum of 12 hours. We file them together on every trip.
Handling and parking
Beirut is a single-airport city and handling is arranged on every flight. Parking for a stay of several days is confirmed before the aircraft leaves Cairo.
The calendar
The route flies year round. Summer, the Christmas and Eid holidays and the big family weeks are the tightest for aircraft out of Cairo. 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 Beirut?
Every aircraft in the Icarus brokered fleet flies this sector. These are the three quoted most on Cairo to Beirut.
King Air 350 class
Eight passengers, a little over an hour in the air, and the lowest cost on a short international leg.
Citation CJ and Phenom 300 class
Six or seven passengers with carry-on baggage, and under an hour to Beirut.
Citation XLS and Hawker 800 class
Eight passengers with full luggage and a stand-up cabin, for a delegation or an onward leg to the Gulf.
Larger groups fly on a super-midsize or heavy jet. See the jets we broker for the full range by cabin class.
Before you fly
What should I know before flying Cairo to Beirut?
It is an international flight, so bring passports for everyone aboard. The desk files the crew and passenger details with the Egyptian permit and confirms each passenger's entry requirements for Lebanon before departure. Customs is cleared at the aircraft at both ends.
Rafic Hariri International is the only airport. It sits on the coast on the southern edge of Beirut, with runways up to 12,467 feet that take any aircraft we broker, and the city minutes away by road. Handling is arranged on every flight and confirmed with the landing right. General aviation is handled by the Cedar Jet Center, the FBO on the field, so you clear and board away from the airline terminal.
The landing right sets the timetable. Lebanon issues the landing right separately from the Egyptian permit and it takes longer, so we plan a minimum of 12 hours and file both the day you confirm. The desk also confirms the operating picture at Beirut for your dates rather than assuming it, and tells you plainly if anything has changed.
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.
No time change. Egypt and Lebanon are both on Eastern European time with the same summer clock, so a 9 am departure from Sphinx is on the ground in Beirut around 10:15.
When to go
When is the best time to fly Cairo to Beirut?
The route flies year round. Summer, the Christmas and New Year weeks and the Eid holidays are the busiest for aircraft out of Cairo and for Beirut, and need firm dates a couple of weeks ahead. Allow the permit lead times on any first trip.
Outside those weeks, a day or two of notice is normal from Cairo once the landing right is in hand, and the desk often manages a same-day departure for a light jet or turboprop when the paperwork is already filed.
Related
Cairo airport guides
The Cairo fields this sector uses, with runways, handling and history on their own guides. Beirut gets its guide as the Levant set is published.
Questions
Cairo to Beirut private jet questions
How long is a private jet flight from Cairo to Beirut?
About 55 minutes on a jet and about 1 hour 15 minutes on a turboprop. The sector is 304 nautical miles from Sphinx to Rafic Hariri International.
How far is Cairo from Beirut by air?
304 nautical miles, about 350 statute miles, between Sphinx and Beirut Rafic Hariri International. Both are on Eastern European time, so there is no change on the clock.
Which airport do private jets use in Beirut?
Rafic Hariri International, the only airport, on the coast at the southern edge of the city. Its runways of up to 12,467 feet take any aircraft we broker, and handling is arranged on every flight. The Cedar Jet Center is the FBO for private aircraft.
Which Cairo airport do private jets use for Beirut?
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.
Which aircraft is best for Cairo to Beirut?
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 or a delegation.
What permits does a Cairo to Beirut private flight need?
The Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority permit for the departure, planned at four business days, and the Lebanese landing right for the arrival, planned at a minimum of 12 hours. We file them together on every trip. Passengers need passports and the desk confirms entry requirements.
How much notice do I need to book Cairo to Beirut?
Allow the permit lead times on a first trip: four business days for Egypt and at least 12 hours for the Lebanese landing right. After that a day or two is normal, and for summer and the holiday weeks give the desk firm dates a couple of weeks ahead.
What determines the cost of a Cairo to Beirut private jet?
The aircraft, whether the trip is a day return, a longer stay or two one-way flights, the two permits, handling and parking at Beirut, and the dates against the summer and holiday peaks. We tell you what the quote covers before you book.
Can I fly Beirut to Cairo on the same page?
Yes. The sector is quoted in both directions. Put Beirut as the departure in the form and the desk handles it the same way, with the Egyptian permit on the Cairo end.
Is there customs on a Cairo to Beirut private flight?
Yes, it is an international flight. Customs and immigration are cleared at the aircraft at both ends, and the crew checks passports before departure. There is no airline security line.
Can I continue from Beirut to Dubai or Riyadh on the same aircraft?
Yes. A midsize or larger jet flies Cairo, Beirut and the Gulf as one itinerary, and the desk files each country's permit as part of the same trip.
When is the best time to fly to Beirut?
Any time; the sector flies year round. Summer and the Christmas, New Year and Eid weeks are the busiest and need the most notice. Spring and autumn are the easiest to book.
Get your number
Cairo to Beirut, quoted from the desk
Give us the dates, the passengers and where in Beirut you are going. You will get an aircraft, both permits 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.