🇪🇬 Flights to Hurghada
Cheap Flights to Hurghada from the UK
Find the best deals on flights to Hurghada International Airport (HRG). Dream Fare beats comparison sites with exclusive fares from UK airports to Egypt’s most popular Red Sea resort — superb diving, family beaches, water parks and outstanding all-inclusive value.
Airlines to Hurghada
All Airlines Flying UK to Hurghada
Hurghada has excellent direct connections from London and regional UK airports. We compare every airline and package to find your best price.
Baggage Allowances — UK to Hurghada
| Airline | Cabin Bag | Hold Baggage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TUI Airways | 1 bag up to 10kg | 1 x 20kg | Included in all holiday packages |
| Jet2 | 1 bag up to 10kg | 1 x 22kg | 22kg hold bag included on all fares |
| easyJet | 1 small bag (free) | Not included | Hold bag from £23 — book in advance |
| Ryanair | 1 small bag (free) | Not included | Priority + 2 bags from £26 — book in advance |
| Wizz Air | 1 small bag (free) | Not included | Cabin bag upgrade from £17 — hold bag extra |
| EgyptAir | 1 bag up to 8kg | 1 x 23kg | Included on standard economy fares |
When to Visit
Best Time to Visit Hurghada
Hurghada is a genuine year-round destination with over 330 days of sunshine. The Red Sea is warm every month making it excellent for water sports and diving in all seasons.
Peak Season
Oct — April
The most popular time for UK visitors. Air temperatures of 20°C to 28°C — perfect beach weather. Sea temperature 22°C to 26°C. Higher prices especially Christmas, New Year, October half-term and February half-term. Book ahead for best deals.
Spring Season
March — May
Excellent conditions (24°C to 32°C) with the Red Sea at its most beautiful. Slightly fewer crowds than winter. Whale sharks and hammerhead sharks more common. Good value fares compared to peak Christmas and New Year period.
Hot Season
June — July
Very hot on land (35°C to 40°C) but the Red Sea is wonderful (27°C to 29°C). Competitive fares outside UK school holidays. Best for diving — visibility is excellent and coral is most vivid. Most time spent in water or air-conditioned rooms.
UK Summer Peak
July — August
UK families pack Hurghada in school summer holidays. Very hot on land (38°C to 42°C) but excellent at the beach. Higher prices due to UK demand. Book 3 to 4 months ahead for summer holidays. All-inclusive resorts are excellent value for families.
About Hurghada
Hurghada — Egypt’s Red Sea Capital
Hurghada is Egypt’s most popular resort city and one of the UK’s most visited winter sun destinations. Stretching over 40km along the Red Sea coast, Hurghada has transformed from a small fishing village into a major international resort with hundreds of hotels, world-class diving, water parks, superb all-inclusive resorts and year-round sunshine that UK visitors love.
🐠
World-Class Diving & Snorkelling
The Red Sea at Hurghada is one of the world’s finest diving destinations. Giftun Island National Park has extraordinary coral reefs with exceptional clarity (30+ metre visibility), hundreds of fish species and diverse coral formations. The Abu Nuhas wreck site (four shipwrecks in one location), Sha’ab Abu Ramada and the famous Careless Reef are all excellent dive sites accessible from Hurghada.
🎡
Water Parks & Family Fun
Hurghada has some of Egypt’s finest family attractions. Aqua World Water Park, Titanic Water Park and Jungle Aqua Park are all excellent. The Hurghada Grand Aquarium is outstanding — home to sharks, rays, sea turtles and over 1,000 Red Sea fish species. Quad biking in the Eastern Desert, camel rides and Bedouin desert excursions are all popular family activities.
🛳️
Boat Trips & Island Excursions
Giftun Island — a 30-minute speedboat from Hurghada — has some of the finest snorkelling in the Red Sea with pristine coral reefs and extraordinary marine life. Glass-bottom boat trips, submarine excursions, semi-submersible tours and snorkelling safaris to the offshore reefs are all popular day excursions from Hurghada.
🏖️
Beaches & Resorts
Hurghada’s beach resort strip stretches over 40km from El Dahar (the old town) through Sekalla, Dahar and the new resorts of Makadi Bay and Sahl Hasheesh to the south. The newest resorts at Makadi Bay and Sahl Hasheesh have Hurghada’s finest beaches and most luxurious all-inclusive properties. The water is warm, calm and crystal clear throughout — ideal for families with young children.
🍜
Food & All-Inclusive Dining
Hurghada’s all-inclusive resort dining has improved enormously in quality over the past decade. The best resorts now offer excellent buffets with international cuisine alongside Egyptian specialities — fresh fish, mezze, koshari, falafel and freshly baked bread. The El Dahar old town has excellent independent restaurants serving fresh Red Sea fish, Egyptian street food and authentic local cuisine at very affordable prices.
🏄
Watersports & Activities
Hurghada has the widest range of watersports on the Egyptian Red Sea coast. Windsurfing and kitesurfing are excellent (consistent northerly winds year-round). Parasailing, jet skiing, banana boats, flyboarding and wakeboarding are all available. For non-water activities: desert quad biking, sand boarding, camel trekking, horse riding and Bedouin dinner experiences under the desert stars are all popular.
Top Things to Do in Hurghada
Giftun Island Snorkelling
The most popular day excursion from Hurghada — a speedboat trip to Giftun Island National Park with some of the finest snorkelling in the Red Sea. The coral reefs around the two Giftun Islands are in excellent condition with extraordinary fish life, sea turtles, dolphins and vivid coral formations. Beach barbecue and fresh fish lunch on the island is included in most trips.
Hurghada Grand Aquarium
One of Egypt’s finest aquariums — the Hurghada Grand Aquarium has over 1,000 Red Sea fish species including sharks, rays, groupers, moray eels, sea turtles and an extraordinary collection of coral fish. The walk-through tunnel underwater offers extraordinary close-up views. An excellent half-day activity especially for families with children.
Desert Safari & Bedouin Experience
The Eastern Desert behind Hurghada offers extraordinary desert landscape — dramatic mountains, ancient wadis and Bedouin settlements. Quad biking across the desert sands, sand boarding on the dunes, camel trekking to Bedouin villages and traditional Bedouin dinner experiences under the desert stars (with stargazing far from city light pollution) are all unmissable Hurghada experiences.
Luxor Day Trip
Hurghada is approximately 4 hours from Luxor by road through the Eastern Desert — making a Luxor day trip possible (though long). The Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, the Colossi of Memnon and the Luxor Museum can be visited on a guided day tour from Hurghada. Alternatively a 45-minute domestic flight on EgyptAir connects Hurghada to Luxor Airport.
El Dahar Old Town & Bazaar
Hurghada’s original fishing village — El Dahar — is a world away from the resort strip. The Sharia Sheraton market, the fish market, the spice shops and the traditional cafes serving shisha and Egyptian tea give a genuine taste of Egyptian life beyond the resort bubble. Prices in El Dahar’s market are a fraction of those in resort hotel shops.
Makadi Bay & Sahl Hasheesh
The newest and most exclusive resort areas south of Hurghada. Sahl Hasheesh is a purpose-built luxury resort town with some of the finest hotels on the Egyptian Red Sea coast, excellent private beaches and exceptionally clear water with outstanding house reefs. Makadi Bay has excellent all-inclusive resorts with beautiful beaches and good snorkelling directly from the shore.
Travel Tips
Hurghada Travel Guide
🛂
Visa for Egypt
UK citizens require a visa to enter Egypt. An e-visa is available online at visa2egypt.gov.eg for approximately $25 USD. Visa on arrival is also available at Hurghada Airport for approximately $25 USD and is generally quick to process. Apply online before travel for maximum convenience and to avoid airport queues.
💱
Currency & Money
Egypt uses the Egyptian Pound (EGP). Most resort hotels and tourist shops in Hurghada accept USD and EUR. Cards are widely accepted in hotels and large restaurants. ATMs are available throughout the resort strip. Bring some Egyptian Pounds for the El Dahar bazaar, local restaurants, tips and non-resort purchases.
🚕
Getting Around Hurghada
Hurghada stretches over 40km along the coast — a taxi is essential for getting between areas. Taxis are widely available but negotiate a price before getting in. Your hotel can arrange day trips, excursions and airport transfers. A hire car is useful for independent travellers wanting to explore the resort strip and El Dahar at their own pace.
🌡️
Weather Year-Round
Hurghada averages over 330 days of sunshine per year with virtually no rain — making it one of the most reliable year-round sun destinations from the UK. Winter (October to April) is perfect beach weather (20°C to 28°C). Summer is very hot on land (38°C to 42°C) but the Red Sea is glorious. Wind from the north keeps conditions pleasant at the beach even in summer.
🤿
Diving & Snorkelling Tips
Hurghada has hundreds of dive centres offering PADI courses from approximately £200 for open water certification. The best dive sites — Giftun Island, Abu Nuhas wrecks, Sha’ab Abu Ramada — require a boat. Most hotels have house reefs with good snorkelling directly from the beach. Rent fins and a mask from your hotel or dive centre — bring your own reef-safe sunscreen.
🏨
Choosing Your Resort Area
El Dahar and Sekalla are the oldest resort areas with the widest choice of independent restaurants and shops but older hotels. Dahar and the central strip have the best-known large resorts. Makadi Bay and Sahl Hasheesh (20 to 30km south) have the newest and most luxurious all-inclusive resorts with excellent private beaches. Dream Fare can advise on the best area for your budget and travel style.
Flights to Hurghada FAQ
How long is the flight from the UK to Hurghada?
Direct flights from London to Hurghada take approximately 5 hours 30 minutes. TUI, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Wizz Air all operate direct services from London Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and regional UK airports including Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds Bradford and Bristol. Hurghada is only 2 hours ahead of UK time.
Do UK citizens need a visa for Hurghada?
Yes. UK passport holders require a visa to enter Egypt including Hurghada. An e-visa is available online at visa2egypt.gov.eg for approximately $25 USD. Visa on arrival is also available at Hurghada Airport for approximately $25 USD and is generally quick. Apply online before travel for maximum convenience.
Is Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh better?
Both are excellent Red Sea destinations but with different characters. Hurghada is larger, more developed and has more family-friendly water parks and activities. Sharm El Sheikh has more dramatic scenery, slightly better diving (Ras Mohammed and the Thistlegorm) and is closer to Mount Sinai. Hurghada typically offers better value for money on all-inclusive packages. Dream Fare can advise on the best option for your needs.
Is Hurghada safe for UK tourists?
Hurghada is one of Egypt’s most heavily touristed destinations and the resort areas are well-secured with a large permanent UK and European visitor community. Millions of UK tourists visit Hurghada safely every year. Check the latest FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt before travelling for the most up-to-date assessment.
What is the best resort area in Hurghada?
Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi Bay (20 to 30km south) have the finest and most luxurious all-inclusive resorts with excellent private beaches and good house reefs. The central Dahar strip has the most established resorts and best access to restaurants and shops. El Dahar is best for independent travellers wanting authentic Egyptian character. Dream Fare can match you to the right area and hotel for your budget.
How much do return flights from the UK to Hurghada cost?
Return flights from the UK to Hurghada start from approximately £159 with budget airlines. TUI and Jet2 all-inclusive packages vary by hotel and board basis but offer excellent value. Dream Fare compares all airlines and packages to find your best total price — call 020 8264 0018 for a quote.
* Prices are indicative from fares and subject to availability and change. Call 020 8264 0018 for current pricing.