After landing, most travelers head first to a visa kiosk or bank counter (if arranging a visa on arrival rather than an e-visa obtained in advance) before joining the passport control queue, where your visa or e-visa is checked alongside your passport. A digital visa processed at Cairo airport itself costs USD 36 (USD 30 plus a USD 6 service fee) as of 1 August 2026 — see Do You Need a Visa to Visit Egypt? for how this compares to the other visa routes.
After passport control
Baggage claim follows, and the process is broadly similar to any major international airport, though it can be busy during peak arrival times. If you've booked a tour or cruise, a driver holding a sign with your name is the standard, reliable way most operators handle the airport transfer, so you shouldn't need to arrange your own taxi.
Keeping some small-denomination cash accessible in your carry-on for the visa fee, if paying on arrival, and any small tips for porters, makes the first hour smoother and avoids fumbling through checked luggage right after a long flight.