Kenya Airways (KQ)
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Kenya Airways is Kenya’s national flag carrier (“The Pride of Africa”) and a SkyTeam member. Hub: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO/JKIA), Nairobi. It operates a mix of Embraer 190 regional jets (domestic/regional), Boeing 737s, and long-haul Boeing 787 Dreamliners / 777s. The network focuses on connecting Africa internally and linking the continent to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America.
Domestic (Local) Routes
Main scheduled passenger routes operated by Kenya Airways (or marketed by KQ with codeshares):
| Route | Frequency (approx.) | Notes / Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Nairobi (NBO) ↔ Mombasa (MBA) | High (many daily; ~60 weekly mentioned) | Core route; Embraer 190 |
| Nairobi (NBO) ↔ Kisumu (KIS) | Regular (multiple daily / ~17 weekly) | Embraer 190 |
| Nairobi (NBO) ↔ Eldoret (EDL) | Recently resumed (5× weekly initially after ~10-year gap; codeshares also exist with Jambojet) | Growing importance for the North Rift |
- Other notes: Some bush/safari or secondary points may be codeshared. Low-cost subsidiary Jambojet handles many additional domestic frequencies (often cheaper). Meals are typically provided on main domestic jets. Seat pitch ~32″ economy / 38″ business on Embraer 190.
Sample domestic fares (Economy, one-way or round-trip starting points observed recently – highly variable):
- Nairobi–Mombasa: One-way from ~KES 9,500–16,500+ / ~USD 64–130; round-trip often from ~KES 16,500–20,000+.
- Nairobi–Kisumu: Similar range, one-way from ~KES 8,800–17,500 / ~USD 68+.
- Business class domestic round-trips typically start ~KES 48,000–50,000+.
Book early or use promotions for lower rates. Promo codes (e.g., SAFKQ via Safaricom OneApp) have offered 10% off domestic.
Kenya Airways serves roughly 40–50+ destinations overall (majority in Africa). From Nairobi it offers nonstop service to ~35–40 points depending on the season. Key categories:
East & Southern Africa (strong network)
Entebbe (EBB), Dar es Salaam (DAR), Zanzibar (ZNZ), Kigali (KGL), Kilimanjaro (JRO), Bujumbura (BJM), Johannesburg (JNB), Cape Town (CPT), Lusaka (LUN), Harare (HRE), Lilongwe (LLW), Livingstone / Victoria Falls area, Addis Ababa (ADD), Juba (JUB), Kinshasa (FIH), Lubumbashi, Mauritius (MRU), Seychelles (SEZ), and others (e.g., Maputo, Nampula, Moroni, Dzaoudzi).
West & Central Africa
Lagos (LOS), Accra (ACC), Abidjan (ABJ), Dakar, Monrovia, Freetown, and selected points.
Europe
London Heathrow (LHR) – frequent; London Gatwick (LGW – seasonal/added); Amsterdam (AMS); Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG).
Middle East & Asia
Dubai (DXB – resumed/expanded); Mumbai (BOM); Bangkok (BKK); Guangzhou (CAN – often via fifth-freedom or connection).
North America
New York (JFK) – nonstop Dreamliner service.
Frequencies vary: high on regional African routes (multiple daily on key city pairs), daily or near-daily on major Europe/Middle East/Asia trunks, and several weekly on longer or thinner routes. Fifth-freedom and codeshare flights expand the network further.
Sample international fares (Economy round-trip starting points observed on the official site in late Oct 2026 – very date- and demand-sensitive):
- Nairobi–Dar es Salaam / Zanzibar / Entebbe: from ~KES 25,000–55,000.
- Nairobi–Johannesburg / Cape Town: from ~KES 85,000–105,000+.
- Nairobi–Dubai: from ~KES 61,000–70,000+.
- Nairobi–London (LHR): from ~KES 117,000–125,000+.
- Nairobi–New York (JFK): from ~KES 178,000+.
- Nairobi–Mumbai / Lagos / Accra: typically mid-to-high five-figure KES range.
Business Class is significantly higher (often 3–5× economy or more on long-haul). Promotions (Black Friday-style codes such as BFKQ26 offering up to 25–30% off selected international routes, or SAFKQ 15% off) appear regularly—check the site for current offers and blackout dates.
