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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Cairo International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Cairo, Cairo Governorate (Egypt)

IATA: CAI ICAO: HECA

Longest Active Runway

13,124 ft

4,000 meters

Field Elevation

322 ft

98 m MSL

Runway Inventory

3 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

30.1115°, 31.3967°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

tied #51 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#93 of 7558

Top 1.3% percentile worldwide

For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.

National Standing (Egypt)

#2 of 13 in EG

#2 of 28 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+31.2%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 CAI in numbers: 13,124 ft longest runway · tied #51 of 650 published · #93 of 7,558 worldwide (top 1.3%) · #2 in Egypt.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Cairo International Airport (CAI)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Cairo International Airport is the historic commercial aviation crossway linking Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Its three runways permit high-capacity operations, supporting EgyptAir's intercontinental network. Elevated at 382 ft MSL on the eastern edge of the Nile Valley, CAI's 13,120 ft parallel runways ensure that heavy widebody flights can depart safely for North America and Asia even during scorching desert summer afternoons.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Three active runways: parallel pair 05C/23C (13,120 ft / 4,000 m) and 05R/23L (13,120 ft / 4,000 m), plus crosswind Runway 05L/23R (10,830 ft / 3,300 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Built during WWII as Payne Field for the US Army Air Forces. Transferred to Egyptian civil control in 1945; expanded with Terminal 3 in 2009 and a massive runway reconstruction in the 2010s.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Busiest airport in Egypt and second-busiest in Africa, operating alongside Sphinx International (SPX, 28 NM west) which serves the Giza pyramids.

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Desert khamsin winds in spring generate localized sandstorms and high ambient temperatures, countered by Runway 05C and 05R's identical 13,120 ft lengths.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Egypt National Civil Aviation Authority · State Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) & ICAO Annex 14 Standards

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

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Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

CAI lies at 98 m (322 ft), #324 of 650 published airports by elevation and 44.2 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 109 ft above the Egypt median (213 ft, 13 airports); ATZ is highest at 748 ft, 426 ft higher than CAI.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

1 Qualifying Aerodrome in Vicinity

Closest of 1 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbour within 100 NM: Sphinx International Airport (SPX), 26 NM, 11,975 ft. CAI has the longest runway in this radius, 1,149 ft over SPX.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 13,124 ft (4,000 m)

CAI runways: 05R/23L 13,124 × 197 ft asphalt; 05C/23C 13,123 × 197 ft asphalt; 05L/23R 10,827 × 197 ft asphalt. National standing: #2 of 13 in Egypt; HRG leads by 47 ft (13,171 ft). +31.2% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
05R/23L	13,124 ft (4000 m / 4.000 km)	197 ft (60m)	`Asphalt`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
05C/23C	13,123 ft (4000 m / 4.000 km)	197 ft (60m)	`Asphalt`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
05L/23R	10,827 ft (3300 m / 3.300 km)	197 ft (60m)	`Asphalt`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Sphinx International Airport (Al Jiza)	`SPX`	26 NM (48.2 km)	11,975 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →