Minister of Civil Aviation Dr. Sameh El-Hefny announced that Air Cairo has ambitious plans to grow its fleet and route network and strengthen its role in supporting inbound tourism to Egypt. The airline's fleet currently numbers 43 aircraft, and it has contracted for about 30 new A320neo aircraft.
For his part, Air Cairo chairman Hussein Sherif said the total value of the contracts for the new aircraft, along with 68 engines, exceeds $4.2 billion, reflecting the scale of the planned expansion in the airline's operating capacity in the coming phase.
Sherif explained that the airline aims to bring its total fleet to about 80 aircraft by 2029, as part of its plan to increase operating capacity and open more markets and destinations, supporting its ability to absorb the expected growth in travel and tourism to Egypt.
The Air Cairo chairman noted that 40 aircraft will operate from its operations hub at Hurghada Airport, which will be its main hub, and 40 from other airports. There are currently 16 aircraft based at Hurghada Airport, a number set to reach 18 by the end of this year and to rise gradually to 40 by 2029.
The meeting also reviewed Air Cairo's projects at Hurghada International Airport, including the establishment of an Air Cairo training center and an aircraft maintenance hangar with experienced investors, supporting the airline's technical and training capabilities and its readiness to expand operations and open new markets and destinations.
This growth is part of the integration between Air Cairo, EgyptAir and the other Egyptian and foreign airlines operating in the market, strengthening the civil aviation sector's ability to support inbound tourism, meet the needs of different markets and raise the competitiveness of Egyptian carriers.
This came during a meeting between Dr. Sameh El-Hefny, Minister of Civil Aviation, and aviation sector journalists, attended by a number of civil aviation sector leaders. The wide-ranging meeting covered the latest developments in the sector, the results of Egypt's participation in the second edition of the Egypt International Airshow (EIAS 2026) in El Alamein, a number of files and projects under way at Egyptian airports and EgyptAir, and the development and expansion plans for the coming period.
