Concerns about holidays in Egypt: What travelers need to know

Since Israel and the United States launched attacks on Iran on February 28, 2026, the Middle East has been engulfed in conflict. The escalating situation is unsettling many travelers planning holidays in the region, including those intending to visit Egypt, a country neighboring Israel.

Is a trip to the Red Sea currently safe, or would rebooking be advisable? Travelnews answers the five most important questions about holidays in Egypt.

What is the current situation in Egypt?

Egypt has not been affected by the Iran-Iraq War. Military actions in the conflict are focused on Israel and several Gulf states, often targeting infrastructure or sites with a US military presence. Travel risk analysts from Safeture and Riskline have given the all-clear for Egypt: They told the German Press Agency (dpa) that there are currently no indications that the conflict will have any impact on tourist areas or major international air traffic hubs. Hurghada and Marsa Alam, the most popular resorts for Swiss tourists in Egypt, are hundreds of kilometers from the Israeli border.

What advice does the EDA give for travel to Egypt?

The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has not issued a travel warning for Egypt – unlike for Israel and several Gulf states. However, the official travel advice notes that the further development of the situation is uncertain due to the military escalation in the region, and travel restrictions, such as airspace closures or flight cancellations, cannot be ruled out. Travelers are advised to closely monitor the current situation and follow the instructions of the local authorities. The long-standing recommendation to avoid travel to the northern Sinai Peninsula remains unchanged. For the southern part of the peninsula, where the resort town of Sharm El Sheikh is located, the FDFA continues to advise that excursions outside the beach resorts should only be undertaken in organized groups with experienced local guides. These recommendations, however, were in place long before the current escalation related to the conflict with Iran.

Are travelers cancelling or rebooking their Egypt holidays?

The travel industry is sending mixed signals. Some Swiss travel agencies told Travelnews that customers are experiencing a degree of uncertainty regarding holidays in Egypt and are inquiring about alternative destinations. Dertour Suisse, Switzerland's largest tour operator, is also observing a reluctance to make new bookings and a shift in demand westward – for example, to the Canary Islands or the Caribbean. However, the travel group TUI told the industry portal "FVW" that it has not yet observed any direct impact on booking behavior.

How do Swiss Egypt specialists assess the situation?

For them, it's clear: the situation is completely safe. However, they too are receiving an increasing number of inquiries about whether traveling to Egypt is currently safe. Cancellations and rebookings are rare, though. Reto Amin, owner of Amin Travel, can reassure all travelers to Egypt. «Everything in the country is running as usual, without any restrictions,» he said when asked. There haven't been any flight cancellations so far either. On the contrary: «Some airlines are even increasingly using Egyptian airspace as an alternative route because important flight corridors in the region are closed or only partially usable.» His conclusion is correspondingly positive: «The feedback from our customers who have recently returned from Egypt or are currently there has been consistently very good.»

Can travelers cancel their Egypt vacation free of charge?

No. Concerns due to the war in the Persian Gulf are not sufficient grounds for canceling a travel contract. Swiss tour operators always adhere to the guidelines of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) . The FDFA is not currently advising against travel to Egypt. For those who nevertheless wish to cancel or rebook their trip, the standard cancellation policies apply.