Emirates Launches Third Daily Flight to Nairobi

Emirates Expands Nairobi Services with Additional Daily Flight

Emirates has launched its third daily flight between Dubai and Nairobi, increasing its services on the route to 21 weekly flights and providing additional travel options between Kenya and the airline’s global network.

The new service, EK717, arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly after 5:00 am, marking the start of the airline’s expanded schedule.

The flight departs Dubai at 01:20 and arrives in Nairobi at 05:25, offering improved onward connections from North America and several European destinations. The return service, EK718, departs Nairobi at 07:10 and arrives in Dubai at 13:15, offering convenient onward connections to destinations including the UK, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Portugal.

The additional morning service gives international visitors more time to continue their journeys within Kenya, including to national parks and coastal destinations. Business travellers also benefit from same-day connections to commercial centres across Europe.

The inaugural flight was welcomed by Emirates representatives, government officials from Kenya and the UAE, and members of the aviation and tourism sectors.

Christophe Leloup, Country Manager for Emirates in Kenya, said the new service reflects the airline’s long-standing relationship with Kenya and its continued investment in improving connectivity for travellers and businesses.

Emirates has served Nairobi since 1995 and has carried more than six million passengers to and from Kenya over the past three decades, connecting the country to more than 138 destinations through Dubai.

The additional daily service also increases cargo capacity by 280 tonnes per week, supporting exports such as fresh flowers and agricultural produce. Together with Emirates SkyCargo’s three weekly freighter services, the airline now transports more than 1,100 tonnes of cargo to and from Kenya every week.

The expanded schedule also complements the airline’s interline partnership with Kenya Airways, launched in 2023, providing travellers with improved regional connections across Africa.

The new frequency supports Kenya’s tourism and trade ambitions by improving access from international markets while strengthening connectivity between Africa, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

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