Hurghada (HRG) and Marsa Alam (RMF) serve different halves of the coast. Picking the wrong one is the most expensive small mistake people make booking this trip.
Hurghada — HRG
Serves El Gouna, Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh, Makadi, Soma Bay and Safaga. Egypt’s second-busiest airport, and the one most European charters use.
Marsa Alam — RMF
Serves Marsa Alam, Port Ghalib and the southern coast. Much smaller, and far closer to the southern dive resorts than HRG is.
- Which airport should I fly into for the Red Sea coast?
- Hurghada International (HRG) serves the northern half — El Gouna, Hurghada itself, Sahl Hasheesh, Makadi, Soma Bay and Safaga are all inside a comfortable road transfer. Marsa Alam International (RMF) serves the south: Marsa Alam, Port Ghalib, Wadi el Gemal and the deep-south resorts. Flying into the wrong one turns a 20-minute drive into a three-hour one, so check which airport your hotel actually sits nearest before you book the flight, not after.
- How long is the transfer from Hurghada airport to my resort?
- HRG sits in the middle of the northern resort strip, which is its great advantage. Hurghada town and the marina are minutes away; El Gouna to the north and Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi to the south are typically well under an hour; Soma Bay and Safaga are the longest of the common runs. Traffic, the number of drop-offs on a shared coach and roadworks all stretch these, so treat any quoted time as a good day rather than a promise.
- What happens when I land — what is the order of things?
- Visa first if you are buying one on arrival: that is a bank desk in the terminal, before passport control, and it wants cash. Then immigration, then baggage, then a final check as you exit into the meeting area. Drivers wait beyond that with name boards, and it can be crowded and loud. Nothing about this is unusual; the main thing that goes wrong is people joining the immigration queue before buying the visa sticker and having to start again.
- Should I pre-book a transfer or take a taxi at the airport?
- Pre-book if you are arriving late, travelling with children, or heading somewhere far like Soma Bay — arriving to a driver holding your name is worth the small premium. A taxi is fine for a short hop into Hurghada, but agree the fare before the car moves and confirm whether it is per car or per person. Many package holidays already include a coach transfer; check your booking before paying twice for the same journey.
- How early should I get to the airport for my flight home?
- Give yourself three hours for a charter flight home. Red Sea departures bunch up — several full aircraft to Europe leave within the same window — and there are usually two security checks, one on entering the terminal and one at the gate. Airlines here are also stricter than most about passport validity, so have six months of validity and your booking reference to hand rather than buried in a bag.
Checked 24 July 2026. Rules and prices change — we link official sources so you can confirm on the day. Something out of date? Tell us.