Scenarios — Fix the Dates

Frame FIXED June 7: 14 days, Oct 18–31. This page is the decision record.

Prices checked 2026-06-06 · Google Flights · 6 pax

Real Google Flights prices checked June 6, 2026 for 6 passengers (2 adults + 4 children). The schedule grid dictates everything: the cruise leaves Aswan on Fridays only, and direct return flights to Lyon exist on Saturday only. Every viable itinerary boards a cruise on Friday Oct 23 and flies home Saturday Oct 31.

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Cruise departs Fridays only

MS Tulip leaves Aswan every Friday. Oct 23 is the only Friday that works — the Oct 30 sailing would end Nov 2, the day school resumes. Cruise = Fri Oct 23 → Mon Oct 26 (Luxor).

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Direct return = Saturday Oct 31 only

Transavia (TO 8067, 19:25→23:35, €1,885) and easyJet (€2,374) fly Hurghada→Lyon direct on Saturday Oct 31. Tue 27 direct costs €4,267 and kills the Red Sea. Wed–Fri have no direct at all — only 1-stop flights leaving at 2–4 AM.

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Outbound: Transavia direct from Lyon (reopened!)

Jun 6 data said the Transavia season ended Oct 11. On Jun 7 the Oct 18 flight reappeared on sale — TO 8042, 14:30→19:45, €395/pp verified. Chosen over AJet 1-stop (+€736 for 4h35 saved and a real evening in Cairo).

The Two Frames

12 Days — not retained · Oct 20 – 31

Required the Geneva outbound (Tue departure). Dropped June 7 when Lyon/AJet was chosen — kept for reference.

Flights: €5,255Hotel nights: 8
  1. Tue Oct 20Geneva → Cairo — EgyptAir MS 772 direct, 15:00 → 19:55. Drive Lyon → Geneva (~2h). Night in Cairo.
  2. Wed Oct 21Pyramids of Giza — Interior of the Great Pyramid (tickets reserved), Sphinx, Panoramic Point. Evening: Khan el-Khalili souk.
  3. Thu Oct 22Grand Egyptian Museum → Aswan — GEM in the morning (Tutankhamun). Evening EgyptAir flight Cairo → Aswan (1h25). Night in Aswan.
  4. Fri Oct 23Philae & board MS Tulip — Philae Temple, High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk with cruise program. Board the cruise — sailing by evening.
  5. Sat Oct 24Kom Ombo & Edfu — Crocodile god Sobek + mummified crocodile museum. Edfu by horse carriage — best-preserved temple in Egypt.
  6. Sun Oct 25Esna Lock → Luxor — Watch the lock passage from the deck. Pool time. Last dinner on board.
  7. Mon Oct 26Valley of the Kings — Disembark. Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon. Night in Luxor.
  8. Tue Oct 27Balloon + Karnak — 5:30 AM hot air balloon over the West Bank. Afternoon: Karnak Temple. Evening: Luxor Temple illuminated.
  9. Wed Oct 28Transfer to the Red Sea — Private transfer Luxor → Red Sea (3–4h). First swim. 3 nights at the resort.
  10. Thu Oct 29Red Sea — full day — House reef snorkeling or boat excursion (dolphins at Sataya if Marsa Alam).
  11. Fri Oct 30Red Sea — full day — Beach, pool, snorkeling. Total decompression.
  12. Sat Oct 31Last swim → Lyon — Full beach day. Transavia TO 8067 direct, Hurghada 19:25 → Lyon 23:35. Sunday to recover — school Monday.

14 Days — CHOSEN · Oct 18 – 31

Recommended

FIXED Jun 7. Two Transavia directs + Air Cairo morning hop — the comfort basket.

Flights: €5,014Hotel nights: 10
  1. Sun Oct 18Lyon → Cairo DIRECT — Transavia TO 8042: LYS 14:30 → CAI 19:45 (4h15). €2,370 for 6. Evening at the hotel — full night before the Pyramids.
  2. Mon Oct 19Pyramids of Giza — Interior of the Great Pyramid, Sphinx, Panoramic Point. Evening: Sound & Light show (optional).
  3. Tue Oct 20Grand Egyptian Museum — Full day at the GEM — Tutankhamun, 5,000+ artifacts. Evening: Khan el-Khalili souk.
  4. Wed Oct 21Cairo → Aswan — Air Cairo SM 90, 10:20 → 11:40. Arrive for lunch, check in (Mövenpick Family Villa), felucca sunset sail.
  5. Thu Oct 22Aswan — islands & souk — Botanical Garden + Elephantine Island by felucca. Nubian Museum. Aswan souk in the evening.
  6. Fri Oct 23Philae & board MS Tulip — Philae Temple, High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk. Board the cruise — sailing by evening.
  7. Sat Oct 24Kom Ombo & Edfu — Same cruise program as the 12-day frame.
  8. Sun Oct 25Esna Lock → Luxor — Lock passage, pool time, last dinner on board.
  9. Mon Oct 26Valley of the Kings — Disembark. Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon. Night in Luxor.
  10. Tue Oct 27Balloon + Karnak — Sunrise balloon, Karnak, Luxor Temple by night.
  11. Wed Oct 28Transfer to the Red Sea — Private transfer Luxor → Red Sea (3–4h). First swim.
  12. Thu Oct 29Red Sea — full day — Snorkeling, beach, pool.
  13. Fri Oct 30Red Sea — full day — Boat excursion or house reef.
  14. Sat Oct 31Last swim → Lyon — Transavia TO 8067 direct, 19:25 → 23:35. Sunday to recover.

Side by Side

12 Days (not retained)14 Days — CHOSEN
Flights (6 pax, real prices)€5,255 (Geneva)€5,014 (2 Transavia directs + Air Cairo)
Hotel nights (outside cruise)8 nights10 nights (+€300–400)
Cairo1 full day2 full days
Aswan before cruiseEvening arrival only1 full day + felucca
Red Sea3 nights3 nights
PaceEfficient — no dead timeComfortable — margin for kids

Every Flight Option — Toussaint Window

Outbound → Cairo

DayFromFlight6 paxTimesNote
Fri Oct 16LyonAegean, 1 stop€1,45217:30 → 02:50School day + 3 AM arrival
Sat Oct 17LyonLufthansa, 1 stop€2,31618:50 → 03:053 AM arrival
Sun Oct 18LyonAJet via Istanbul€1,63413:40 → 23:30Cheapest reasonable option
Sun Oct 18GenevaDirect · EgyptAir MS 772€2,58115:00 → 19:55Chosen — 14-day frame
Sun Oct 18Paris OrlyDirect · Transavia€3,38409:00 → 14:40Expensive + TGV needed
Mon Oct 19LyonLufthansa, 1 stop€1,46217:50 → 02:452:45 AM arrival
Tue Oct 20LyonLOT, 1 stop€1,17111:35 → 03:55Cheapest overall, 4 AM arrival
Tue Oct 20GenevaDirect · EgyptAir MS 772€2,58115:00 → 19:55Chosen — 12-day frame

Return from Hurghada

DayToFlight6 paxTimesNote
Tue Oct 27LyonDirect · easyJet€4,26716:30 → 19:35Kills the Red Sea + expensive
Wed Oct 28LyonPegasus, 1 stop€1,66802:35 → 11:502:35 AM departure
Thu Oct 29LyonPegasus, 1 stop€1,66802:35 → 11:50Old plan's return day — no direct exists
Fri Oct 30LyonPegasus, 1 stop€2,04104:05 → 11:504 AM departure
Sat Oct 31LyonDirect · Transavia TO 8067€1,88519:25 → 23:35THE return — full last beach day
Sat Oct 31LyonDirect · easyJet U2 4496€2,37422:30 → 02:35Backup direct
Sat Oct 31GenevaDirect · easyJet U2 1594€3,70014:25 → 18:35If car parked at Geneva
Sun Nov 1LyonAJet, 1 stop€2,16004:45 → 13:25Day before school

✓ Fixed

  • ◆Dates: 14 days, Oct 18 – 31 (June 7)
  • ◆Outbound: AJet Lyon → Cairo via Istanbul-SAW, Sun Oct 18 — €1,634 for 6
  • ◆Return: Transavia Hurghada → Lyon direct, Sat Oct 31 — €1,885 for 6
  • ◆Cruise: Friday Oct 23 from Aswan (boat TBD)
  • ◆6 travelers · Mixed booking strategy

◯ Open

  • ◆THE BOAT — Tulip / Storia / Sonesta / DWA / private charter (quotes pending)
  • ◆Red Sea spot: El Quseir vs Marsa Alam (quote both)