Cairo International Airport
Cairo, EgyptCAI / HECA
International hub · 61 direct destinations · 3 runways · longest runway 13,123 ft
79 °F · CloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
Cairo → Istanbul
CAI
CairoCairo International Airport
CairoCairo International AirportIST
Istanbulİstanbul Airport
Istanbulİstanbul Airport- Distance
- 785 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~2h 5m
Same local time in Cairo and Istanbul.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
A couple of times a day
On average around 2.5 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 2.5
- flights per day
- 4
- busiest month · Aug
- 1
- quietest month · Apr
- 1 hr 46 min
- measured flight time
- 6 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- –Jan2026
- –Feb
- –Mar
- 1Apr
- 2May
- 3Jun
- 3Jul
- 4Aug
- 1Sep
- –Oct2025
- –Nov
- –Dec
In January 2026, February 2026, March 2026 we saw less traffic at Cairo in general than usual; compare that month with care.
Airlines
Who flies it
Turkish Airlinessummer
EgyptAirsummer
Air Caironow and then
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in Cairo. Most departures between 22:00 and 01:00.
- 00:00
- 01:00
- 02:00
- 03:00
- 04:00
- 05:00
- 06:00
- 07:00
- 08:00
- 09:00
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 12:00
- 13:00
- 14:00
- 15:00
- 16:00
- 17:00
- 18:00
- 19:00
- 20:00
- 21:00
- 22:00
- 23:00
Through the week
By weekday
- 0.7Mon
- 1Tue
- 0.9Wed
- 0.9Thu
- 0.8Fri
- 0.5Sat
- 0.6Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Airbus A321neoA21N25%
- Boeing 737-800B73817%
- Airbus A330-200A33211%
- Airbus A321A3217%
- Airbus A330-300A3337%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| February 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| March 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| April 2026 | 1 | 5 |
|
| May 2026 | 2 | 11 |
|
| June 2026 | 3 | 68 |
|
| July 2026 | 3 | 75 |
|
| August 2026 | 4 | 108 |
|
| September 2026 | 1 | 12 |
|
| October 2025 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| November 2025 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| December 2025 | Not seen in this month. | ||
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on CAI-IST - not a booking guarantee.
About this route
- Intercontinental: this route connects two continents.
- The opposite direction has also been observed as a direct connection.
- Direct destinations observed from Cairo: 61.
- Direct destinations observed from Istanbul: 116.
The airports on this route
İstanbul Airport
Istanbul, TürkiyeIST / LTFM
International hub · 116 direct destinations · 6 runways · longest runway 13,451 ft
52 °F · RainSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Alternative airports for this journey
Same journey, a different airport nearby - with an observed direct connection.
About the route from Cairo to Istanbul
The observed direct connection between Cairo International Airport (CAI) and İstanbul Airport (IST) covers approximately 785 mi. The estimated flight time is around 2h 5m. Air Cairo, EgyptAir and Turkish Airlines have been observed on this connection in the available route data.
Frequently asked questions about this route
- How far is Cairo from Istanbul by air?
- The great-circle distance between Cairo International Airport and İstanbul Airport is approximately 785 mi.
- How long is the flight from Cairo to Istanbul?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 2h 5m. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from Cairo to Istanbul?
- Yes, a direct connection between CAI and IST has been observed in our route data.
- Which airlines have been observed on this route?
- In the available route data: Air Cairo, EgyptAir and Turkish Airlines.
- How often is there a flight from Cairo to Istanbul?
- On average around 2.5 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 279 observed flights. Mainly Turkish Airlines, EgyptAir, Air Cairo. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between Cairo and Istanbul?
- Same local time in Cairo and Istanbul.
Where this data comes from
The route data comes from the flight archive (ADS-B, adsb.lol): which connections actually flew over the last twelve full months and who flew them, combined with our own airport, runway, and airline datasets. It is reference data about observed routes - not a current timetable and no claim about bookability.
The frequency and aircraft on this page come from the flight archive (ADS-B, 12 months, October 2025 to September 2026), summarized per route per month. We do not see every flight, so it is a floor, not a count.
Route data updated on October 11, 2026.