Visa desk, immigration, baggage, and the taxi negotiation you can avoid entirely.
The order at Hurghada catches people out. If you do not already have an e-visa, buy the visa sticker at one of the bank counters in the arrivals hall before joining the immigration queue. Cash, US dollars or euros. Joining immigration first means being sent back.

Immigration itself is quick. Baggage reclaim is slower and the hall is small and warm. There is a second security scan on the way out, which is normal and applies to everyone.
Outside is where the pressure starts: a wall of taxi drivers and people offering help with bags. A transfer booked in advance removes all of it — your driver is inside the hall with a sign, and you walk past the rest. If you have not booked one, agree the fare in Egyptian pounds before loading anything.


If you do not already have an e-visa, buy the visa sticker at one of the bank counters in the arrivals hall before joining the immigration queue.
Practical details: get local cash from an ATM inside the terminal rather than a bureau, buy a SIM at one of the operator desks in arrivals if you want data, and expect 15–40 minutes to your hotel depending on whether you are in town, Sahl Hasheesh or Makadi.

