Emirates announces third daily flight between Dubai and Nairobi from March 2026
Marking Emirates’ 30th anniversary of operations to Kenya, the world’s largest international airline has announced a third daily flight between Dubai and Nairobi, the African nation’s capital. Commencing on March 1, 2026, Nairobi will be served with 21 Emirates flights per week, allowing for passengers from Kenya and beyond to connect via Dubai to almost 150 destinations.
According to an airline statement, the new flight complements Emirates’ existing scheduled services to Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO), adding an early morning arrival and departure to enhance two-way connectivity with key European destinations, including the UK, France, Norway, and Italy, as well as the US.
Flight EK717 will depart Dubai (DXB) at 00:55, arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 05:05 the same morning. The return flight, EK718, will depart Nairobi at 06:50 and arrive back in Dubai at 12:50. All flights will be operated by Emirates’ fleet of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration.
#image_titleWhat the airline says
“By creating easier access from key markets, the additional frequency will further support Kenya’s tourism goals, which aim to attract five million international tourists by 2030,” said the Emirates statement. “In recent months, Emirates has been operating its double daily flights at a healthy seat factor, underlining the growing demand for air travel. The third daily service will boost Emirates’ capacity and provide more access to the airline’s world-class product and services, including its First Class cabins, which Emirates exclusively operates in and out of the city.”
Not only will the new flight provide multiple connection possibilities via Dubai International Airport, but the flight schedule has also been optimised for connectivity with key flights operated by Kenya Airways, enabling seamless onward travel to other regional destinations such as Rwanda, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Burundi.
JetKat / ShutterstockSince signing an interline agreement with Kenya Airways in 2023, over 31,000 passengers have benefited from the partnership between the two airlines, with a near 50/50 split of bookings, which “highlights the mutual benefits for both Emirates and Kenya Airways customers.”
Cargo gets a boost
Beyond passenger travel, the additional flight will also boost the transportation of goods to and from Kenya, with an additional 280 tonnes of capacity weekly in and out of Nairobi via the belly of the Boeing 777. The early morning departure will be particularly beneficial for the movement of time- and temperature-sensitive perishable commodities like fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers – widely grown in Kenya, where time-sensitive delivery is vital.
Kenya and the UAE have deep-rooted and mutually beneficial bilateral and economic relations, headlined by the signing of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement earlier in 2025. Emirates SkyCargo, the airline’s freight division, has played a key role in facilitating global trade with Kenya, operating three weekly freighters into Nairobi, in addition to the soon-to-be three daily passenger flights offering a total weekly capacity of over 1,100 tonnes in and out of the Kenyan market.
Vytautas Kielaitis / ShutterstockConnecting passengers are the key to success
In October, Emirates marked 30 years of service to Nairobi, following the inaugural flight in 1995. Since then, the airline has carried over 6.6 million passengers to and from the country, forging key inbound traffic from South Korea, China, Thailand, and Australia, as well as ultra-long-haul passengers travelling from the US.
The outbound traffic is similar, with destinations such as Shanghai and Beijing, China; Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney, Australia; and Seattle, New York, and Washington proving popular with travellers from Kenya.
In 2024, Emirates opened Africa’s first Emirates World store in Nairobi, introducing the airline’s refined retail store experience to the region for the first time. Featuring immersive product displays and an expert team to provide travel consultation and bookings, the store further elevates Emirates’ world-class customer experience, on-ground.
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The post Emirates announces third daily flight between Dubai and Nairobi from March 2026 appeared first on AeroTime.
Marking Emirates’ 30th anniversary of operations to Kenya, the world’s largest international airline has announced a third daily flight…
The post Emirates announces third daily flight between Dubai and Nairobi from March 2026 appeared first on AeroTime.
