Cheap flights to Cairo

There comes a time when all of us want to leave the drizzly UK behind and head for sunnier climes. Luckily for us, you can get to the land of sun and pyramids in less than six hours.

Various airlines run flights from the UK to Cairo. If you want a direct flight, your best bet is probably either British Airways, starting from about £390 for an inclusive adult return, or Egyptair, from about £351. Both airlines leave from London Heathrow. The duration of a direct flight is roughly around the five-hour mark, although this can vary.

If you want to save money on your flight to Cairo, you'll have to consider taking an indirect flight. Most of the cheaper flights involve a change, and you'll need to decide if the extra journey time is worth the saved money. Good options for cheaper flights include KLM, starting from about £270 for an inclusive adult return from Heathrow. KLM flights almost always go via Amsterdam. It's also worth considering Alitalia, flying from Heathrow via Milan and costing £269 for an inclusive adult return. If you're not based in London, look at Lufthansa, which flies from Manchester and Birmingham as well as Heathrow. Lufthansa return flights start from around £320 and usually involve going via Frankfurt.

However, there is a downside to the cheaper indirect journeys, which is that the increase in journey time can be substantial. For example, if you use KLM, you might find yourself waiting up to 18 hours in Amsterdam before your connecting flight. The smart traveller compares journey times as carefully as prices, to avoid those epic trips with too much tarmac time.

Having said that, it is sometimes possible to get a bargain direct flight for the same price as an indirect one. If you're not fussy about the precise timing of your trip, you can take advantage of special offers and promotions. British Airways sometimes runs trips to Cairo for under £300, and if you see such an offer it's well worth snapping up.

When you land, you'll find that Cairo International Airport is fairly basic in appearance, although the new terminal is clean and modern. The trip from the airport to central Cairo is roughly half an hour, and you can take this journey by taxi for between £4 and £8, depending on the time of day.(Fares are cheaper in the day time, but always agree the price with the driver before setting off.) Alternatively, there is a half-hourly bus which will get you there very cheaply, for less than 30p. Car hire is an option too, as many big-name car-hire firms operate from Cairo Airport. Choose from Avis, Hertz and Thrifty, among others.