🛫 Terminal 1 (Main International, Chinese-Built 2019)

Airlines: Air Algérie (the dominant carrier — most CDG/ORY/IST/YUL/MAD/FCO routes), Tassili Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, Iberia, ITA, Tunisair, Royal Jordanian, Saudia, Qatar Airways. Salon d’Honneur in Hall 2 near Gate 21.

Hub: Air Algérie’s primary hub. Modern jet bridges, full duty-free, more food options than any other terminal.

🛩️ T2 + T3 + T4 (Secondary, Domestic, Legacy)

T2: Secondary international, some Maghreb routes and charters. T3: Domestic Algeria — Tassili Airlines, Air Algérie internal flights to Oran, Constantine, Tlemcen, Tamanrasset, Djanet. T4: Legacy block, Hajj season, overflow.

Always confirm your terminal on the boarding pass — the four are physically connected but security is per-terminal.

Visa Required for EU / UK / US / CA / AU

Advance visa required for almost all Western nationalities — apply at the Algerian consulate ≥60 days ahead, 6-month passport validity, mandatory travel insurance certificate, hotel reservations and flight booking required. Limited Saharan VOA (30 days, Tamanrasset / Djanet / Illizi) only via approved Algerian tour operator. A December 2024 government proposal to extend VOA to all provinces has not been confirmed implemented as of mid-2026 — verify before booking.

DZD: Closed Currency + Parallel Market

The Algerian dinar (DZD) cannot be imported or exported — exchange in-country only. Declare amounts over €5,000 equivalent on entry. The famous Square Port Saïd parallel exchange market in central Algiers offers ~240–260 DZD per euro (early 2026) vs the official ~145–150 — roughly 65–75% premium. Airport bureaux give official rate only. Most travellers exchange a minimum at ALG, balance at Square Port Saïd. Cash euros / USD are the primary parallel-market instrument.

Customs Reality

Drone declaration required (drones are restricted in Algeria, expect questions or seizure). Cigarettes 200, alcohol 1L. Outbound: keep your DZD-exchange receipt from the airport bureau or Square — needed if customs ask about leftover dinars (officially you can’t export DZD; small amounts ignored in practice). Drugs and pornography are heavily prosecuted; standard caution applies.

⭐ Algiers Metro Airport Line — Opens H2 2026

The single biggest infrastructure change at ALG in a decade: the Metro extension from El Harrach into the airport opens in the second half of 2026 (target late 2026, possibly slipping to early 2027). 9.5 km, 9 stations, 20–25 minutes from city centre to terminal once operational, fully integrated into the Algiers Metro fare. Verify operational status before relying on it for time-sensitive transfers.

🚌 ETUSA Line 100 Bus — The Cheapest Legacy Option

The ETUSA Line 100 bus connects ALG to Place des Martyrs (Casbah). Single ticket ~50 DZD (cash). Frequency 1–2 hours, journey ~50 min off-peak, much longer at peaks. The bus stop is in front of T1; signage is in French and Arabic, no English. This is the locals’ default when the Metro isn’t available — but it’s slow and unreliable. Use the official taxi if you need predictability.

🚕 Official Taxi — 2,000 DZD to Centre, Cash-Only

The official taxi rank is in front of T1 (and T3). Standard fare to central Algiers is ~2,000 DZD (cash, DZD only — no foreign currency, no cards). The compteur (meter) is theoretically mandatory but most drivers run négociable — agree the price before boarding, especially at night. Avoid arrivals-hall touts who approach you before you exit; use the marked rank only.

📱 Yassir — The Algerian Super-App (SIM Required)

Yassir is the de facto Algerian Uber — the local super-app combining ride-hailing, food delivery, and payments. It works at ALG with reliable supply, in-app payment, and tracked rides. The catch: registration requires an Algerian SIM card, so foreign visitors typically can’t use it on arrival. Heetch withdrew from Algeria; no Uber, Bolt, Careem, or InDrive operate in Algeria. The workaround for repeat visitors: buy a Djezzy / Mobilis SIM at the arrivals kiosk, register Yassir on it, then use throughout the trip.

✨ Air Algérie Salon d’Honneur (T1, Hall 2, near Gate 21)

The classical Algerian airport meal is couscous with chicken or lamb, served at most T1 airside food kiosks for ~1,200–1,800 DZD (~$8–12 official, much less at parallel rate). Tagines (slow-cooked stews with prunes, almonds, lemons) and chorba (lamb soup) are also standard. Note that Air Algérie inflight meals are notoriously substantial — full hot meal on 2-hour Mediterranean hops is the carrier’s calling card, so save room.

Algeria is the world’s #4 date producer — Deglet Nour dates from the Tolga oasis are world-class and significantly cheaper at ALG than at any European deli. Look for vacuum-sealed 1 kg trays at duty-free, ~1,500–3,000 DZD (~$10–20 official). Makroud al-louz (semolina-and-almond pastry, honey-glazed) is the regional sweet — ~600–900 DZD per box airside. Argan oil and Saharan dried herbs are also worth a duty-free glance.

Take-home picks: Deglet Nour dates (the Tolga ones are the gold standard, vacuum-sealed at duty-free), makroud al-louz pastries, Berber-pattern ceramics from Kabyle / Tipaza workshops, Tassili T-shirts and books on the Saharan rock-art region. Avoid carrying loose tobacco and avoid bringing alcohol home — Algerian airport airside has limited licensed alcohol and most travellers won’t buy it here anyway. No coca, kratom, or illicit-substance equivalent — Algerian customs are strict.

Ramadan 2026 falls roughly 17 February to 20 March (moon-sighting dependent). All-day fasting reshapes airport behaviour: airside food kiosks heavily reduced 06:00–19:00, often closed entirely with only basic vending. Full service resumes after iftar (~19:00–04:00) when the entire facility wakes up. The Salon d’Honneur business lounge stays open but with adjusted menus. If you’re flying mid-Ramadan economy through ALG, eat before security — the landside food court has more options than airside during fasting hours.

Algeria is officially Arabic and Tamazight (Berber) but French is the de facto second language at airline counters, taxi stands, hotels, and most retail. English is limited to international airline desks (Air Algérie counters work in English; Tassili Airlines and Algerian retail mostly do not). If you have French, use it — it’s the universal lubricant here. Otherwise, basic numbers in Arabic for taxi prices help, and a translation app is mandatory for non-airline interactions.

Algeria–Morocco diplomatic relations have been severed since August 2021. Zero direct flights between ALG and Moroccan airports (CMN, RAK, FEZ, NDR, RBA). The connection options are Tunis (TUN), Istanbul (IST), Paris (CDG), or Madrid (MAD) — adds 4–6 hours of layover plus the cost of a second segment. If your North-Africa trip plan includes both countries, fly in/out of separate hubs and route via Europe; don’t assume any 2026 reopening — there have been no official signals.

Square Port Saïd in central Algiers is the open-air parallel-market exchange that has been the Algerian reality for decades — EUR/USD cash trades at ~240–260 DZD per euro (early 2026) vs the official ~145–150. Most travellers exchange minimum at the airport bureau, then bring cash euros to the Square for the rest of the trip. The market is technically illegal but openly tolerated. Use small-bill euros (€20s, €50s, €100s) and count carefully. For airport taxi fare, exchange just enough at the bureau (~3,000–5,000 DZD) and save the rest.

Djezzy, Mobilis, and Ooredoo sell tourist SIMs at ALG arrivals kiosks. ~1,500–3,000 DZD for a 30-day plan with 10–20 GB. Show passport at activation. EU roaming via your home plan does NOT cover Algeria. An Algerian SIM unlocks Yassir (the local super-app) — strongly worth it if you’re staying more than a few days. VPN is not blocked at the platform level but specific VPN services have been blocked intermittently — install one before arrival.

Air Algérie still bundles 1×23 kg checked bag in economy on intercontinental routes (CDG/ORY/IST/YUL/MAD/FCO) — the Gulf-and-flag-carrier model rather than the Lufthansa / AF / KLM “Light fare strip” pattern that has dominated European full-service carriers since the 2026 fuel crisis. Fares have risen ~10–15% YoY but bag policy unchanged. If your aifly.one deal post shows Air Algérie, the 23 kg checked bag is included unless explicitly stated otherwise.