Kenya Airways celebrates 5 years of non-stop flights to New York from Nairobi

Kenya Airways is celebrating its five-year anniversary of offering non-stop flights from Nairobi to New York, marking the only airline to provide this direct link between East Africa and the United States. Since the inaugural flight in 2018, they’ve transported over 300,000 passengers and 6,000 tonnes of cargo on 1,700 flights, covering approximately 72,000 kilometres.

Kenya Airways has expanded its codeshare partnership with Delta Airlines, providing customers with more travel options in the U.S. and Africa, spanning 31 destinations in Africa and 57 cities in the U.S. and Canada.

The airline’s CEO, Allan Kilavuka, emphasised the significance of this route for the travel and tourism industry, the business community, and both countries’ governments. The Nairobi–New York route plays a crucial role in enhancing socio-economic development in Kenya and Africa as a whole.

This route serves as a vital gateway for trade, education, medical services, sports, and leisure travel between East Africa and North America. It has facilitated significant exports between Kenya and the U.S. and attracted tourists from the United States to East Africa.

In response to growing demand, Kenya Airways will introduce daily flights on the Nairobi–New York route from December 1, 2023, providing customers with increased flexibility and travel options, especially during the festive season.