I need to book my last night in Egypt - we will be in Cairo and fly out of there at 8am so have to be at the airport at 6am, I presume. We would prefer to stay back in Cairo itself near Zamalek and book at our same hotel as the one the previous week - is transport good and reliable at 5,30am, say? And can one catch the Metro to the airport and how reliable is that?
Thanks in advance.

The night before my flight out of Cairo I stayed, as you may know, at the airport, Le Méridien Cairo Airport. It's a very nice hotel, good value, good restaurants, right in the airport complex. Traffic in Cairo is awful at all hours and I didn't want to take a chance. You may not want to either.

Yeah, MmePerdu - I'd rather stay in Cairo itself, who wants to be at an airport even longer than is absolutely required!

Well, that's something I might have said but 2 issues (for me):
1. I hate to get up early and
2. I hadn't booked my last night before I arrived in Egypt but, after experiencing Cairo traffic (& Cairo itself), realized staying 1 night at the airport before departure would likely be a good move. And I enjoyed the hotel very much. You aren't IN the airport, you're in a luxury hotel that happens to be in the airport complex.

Cairo, other than the tourist sites, just isn't that great, run down & depressing, this from someone who usually loves getting down, staying "local" wherever I go in the world. You can always change your mind after arrival as I did.

£144 is too much!

I agree with staying near the airport. Traffic is horrendous and it takes forever to get anywhere in Cairo at pretty much any hour of the day or night. I would not want to chance it.