Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has marked 30 years of operations in Kenya, having carried more than 6.6 million passengers on over 34,000 flights between Dubai and Nairobi since 1995.
The airline, which operates double daily Boeing 777 services to Nairobi, connects Kenya’s capital with more than 145 destinations worldwide. Over the past year, passenger traffic to and from Asia and Australasia, including China, Thailand, South Korea, and Australia, has remained among the busiest routes, alongside long-haul travel from the United States.
Emirates Country Manager for Kenya, Christophe Leloup, said Nairobi remains one of the airline’s strongest African destinations, driven by both tourism and business travel. “We are proud to play a key role in Kenya’s aviation, tourism and trade journey and remain committed to the destination for the decades to come,” he said.
In 2023, Emirates signed an interline partnership with Kenya Airways, enabling one-ticket connections and expanding access to East African destinations including Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Burundi. The agreement has so far been used by more than 31,000 passengers.
Emirates has also deepened its footprint in Kenya with the launch of Africa’s first Emirates World travel store in Nairobi in 2024, introducing an interactive retail concept that offers customers personalized travel advice and experiences.
Beyond passenger services, Emirates SkyCargo operates three weekly freighters to Nairobi, in addition to cargo capacity on passenger aircraft. Kenya remains a key hub for flower exports, with Emirates transporting more than 16,000 tonnes of fresh-cut flowers in 2024.
The airline employs more than 1,100 Kenyans across its global operations, including 254 cabin crew and 41 pilots. Through the Emirates Airline Foundation, it also supports three Kenyan charities focused on child welfare and education.
Kenya and the United Arab Emirates signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement earlier this year, strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties between the two countries.
