About the new Sphinx airport
It is the newest civil airport in Greater Cairo. It was opened in January 2019 and it took a full year of work to complete its construction.
This was part of the plan to develop airports, ports, transport lines and roads in Egypt. This come within the aim of serving the development projects that the Egyptian President recently launched.
The cost of the new Sphinx airport is EGP 300 million. The airport aims to reduce pressure on Cairo Airport.
The airport had a pilot open on October 15, 2018.
On 24th February 2019, it received the first international flight arriving from Athens International Airport in Greece, which was a private plane carrying 6 passengers, to be the second international airport in Greater Cairo after Cairo Airport.
Also, it is expected that the international airport of the New Administrative Capital will open during 2020
Location and land area of the airport
The new Sphinx Airport is located to the west of the capital, Cairo. It is 12 kilometers far from the pyramids in Giza Governorate.
The airport is located on an area of 25,500 square meters, near Sheikh Zayed City, 6th of October City and New Giza City.
The Airport Constructing Company
Sphinx Airport was established in cooperation between the Engineering Authority of the Egyptian Armed Forces and the Egyptian Investment Company.
About 200 engineers, 35 consultants and 2,500 workers participated in that project.
The airport has an aircraft terminal with a surface of 126,800 square meters, and it can expand to 9 aircrafts.
It has the latest thermal surveillance cameras in the world.The airport consists of the main terminal building, the air traffic control tower, and dozens of service buildings, spread over an area of 26,000 square meters.
Also, the airport owns 4 buildings such as power substations and a meteorological building. It also include a mosque and garages that can accommodate hundreds of cars.
The main building of the airport consists of a travel hall, arrival hall, and a VIP longue. In addition, it encompasses the administrative offices of passports, customs and security.
The main building accommodates 300 passengers per hour. The airport’s main gate is located on the Cairo-Alexandria desert road.
The economic and tourist importance of Sphinx airport
The Sphinx Airport area targets to be a tourist and commercial attraction.
As it is near tourist regions such as: Pyramids Tourist Area, the Grand Egyptian Museum, and Fayoum City. It’s also near Lake Qarun, and Bahariya Oasis Road.
Also, being near the industrial zone of the 6th of October City, which contains many factories, which makes the airport one of the most important economic tributaries of the region
It will be easy to finish commercial transport operations between the airport and the industrial areas.
The hotels surrounding the airport or located in the neighboring cities (the pyramids or Sheikh Zayed City) will be fully occupied.
The tourist flights to Sphinx Airport are scheduled to be forwarded directly instead of Cairo Airport, which is relatively far from the archaeological areas.
The impact of the airport on the real estate market
It is expected that the Sphinx airport has a positive impact on the real estate market and its neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are: 6th of October City and its extensions, Sheikh Zayed City, Al-Haram street and Faisal Street.
The search for apartments for rent in 6th of October City, and Sheikh Zayed City will increase. This is due to the tourism and commercial activity that the Sphinx Airport will cause in these areas.
It will be easy for investors of all nationalities to open headquarters for their companies in the cities near to the airport as an alternative to Nasr City, New Cairo and some areas near Cairo Airport.
Sphinx Airport also will serve the students of universities and educational centers in October and Sheikh Zayed, reviving the real estate market that targets these students of all nationalities.