Flights around Kenya
Which airport to use, who flies where, how long it takes and roughly what it costs. Pick a place on the map or choose a route below. We do not sell tickets; fares are guides, dated and sourced.
The network
Every route in this guide, from Nairobi and between the places that fly to each other. Hover, focus or tap a route to see it on the map.
Outline from Natural Earth (public domain). Positions are approximate.
Popular routes
Time in the air, an indicative fare range, who flies it and how often. Open a route for the airports and a step-by-step guide.
The fastest way to the coast
Several flights a day on Kenya Airways and Jambojet from JKIA.
Skipping the road and the Likoni ferry
Jambojet from JKIA; Safarilink and Skyward from Wilson Airport.
Getting to the Mara in under an hour and a half
Most Mara flights leave Wilson Airport between about 8 and 10 am.
Elephants and Kilimanjaro views without the road
Daily scheduled flights from Wilson Airport.
Reaching the north without a long drive
Scheduled flights from Wilson Airport.
The far north coast
Jambojet early morning from JKIA; Safarilink and Skyward daily from Wilson Airport.
Every fare on these pages is an indicative range for one adult, one way, taken from published sources and airline websites. Airlines change prices by the day, the season and the seat, so the figure you see at booking can be lower or higher. Use the range to plan, then confirm with the airline or your operator.
Fares last reviewed 24 October 2026
Before you book
Six things that save the most trouble, in the order you meet them.
Scheduled jets such as Kenya Airways and Jambojet use Jomo Kenyatta International (JKIA). Safari and regional airlines use Wilson Airport, about 17 km away. The airport is printed on your ticket, so check it before you plan the day.
Look at the price with a bag included. Allowances depend on the airline and the fare you buy, and extra weight is charged by the kilogram on safari flights.
Book on the airline’s own website, through a travel agent or let your safari operator reserve the seats. Book 2 to 3 weeks ahead where you can, and earlier for July to September and December to January.
Safari flights use small aircraft: take a soft-sided bag and keep to about 15 kg per person. Hard suitcases are often refused on the bush routes.
Arrive about 90 minutes before a scheduled jet. At Wilson Airport allow 60 to 90 minutes and go to your own airline’s building, where bags and passengers are weighed.
Keep your passport and your ticket or booking confirmation with you, not in checked luggage. Copies and screenshots of identity documents have been refused at the gate.
Where you will land
Nairobi has two airports and they are not interchangeable. Check which one your ticket names before you plan the day.
Kenya’s capital and the starting point for almost every trip. Two airports serve it: Jomo Kenyatta International for scheduled jets and Wilson Airport for small-aircraft safari and regional flights.
Nairobi’s main airport: international arrivals and the scheduled domestic jets (Kenya Airways and Jambojet).
Scheduled domestic flights on Kenya Airways and Jambojet leave from JKIA; Jambojet uses the domestic terminal.
If an international flight lands at JKIA and your onward safari flight leaves from Wilson Airport, the two airports are about 17 km apart by road. Leave a generous gap between landing and take-off (see Wilson Airport for typical road times).
The small airport on Lang’ata Road used by safari and regional airlines: Safarilink, AirKenya, Skyward and others.
Wilson Airport is about 17 km from JKIA by road. Off-peak the transfer takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes; in weekday rush hour (about 7 to 9 am and 5 to 7 pm) allow an hour or more, plus a toll gate. Published guides suggest leaving 2 hours between an international landing at JKIA and a Wilson departure outside rush hour, and 3 to 4 hours on weekday mornings.
There is no single departures terminal: each airline has its own check-in building along the access road. Tell your driver which airline you are flying, not just "Wilson".
Arrive at least 60 to 90 minutes before departure. Safari airlines require soft bags and set a luggage limit of about 15 kg per person.
Kenya’s port city and the gateway to the coast, served by Moi International Airport.
Mombasa’s airport: scheduled flights from Nairobi and onward coastal connections.
Moi International is about 30 km from Diani Beach. Allow 45 to 60 minutes by road to Diani, including the Likoni ferry.
A long white-sand beach south of Mombasa. Flights land at Ukunda Airstrip, a short drive from most hotels.
The airstrip for Diani Beach, a short drive from the hotels.
Most Diani hotels and camps are 10 to 25 minutes from Ukunda by road. Properties towards Galu Beach or Msambweni can take 30 to 40 minutes.
A relaxed resort town on the north coast with its own airport.
Malindi’s airport, served by Jambojet from Nairobi.
A car-free island town on the far north coast. Flights land at Manda Airport on the neighbouring island, and a short boat crossing completes the journey.
The airport for Lamu, on Manda Island. A short boat crossing takes you to Lamu town.
The runway is on Manda Island, not on Lamu Island itself. After landing you cross the channel by boat to reach Lamu town; ask your hotel to arrange the crossing when you book.
Kenya’s best-known reserve. Small aircraft land at one of several airstrips close to the lodge or camp where you stay.
One of the Mara airstrips used by AirKenya.
The Mara airstrip in the south-east of the reserve, used by AirKenya.
A Mara airstrip used by Safarilink.
A Mara airstrip used by Safarilink.
A Mara airstrip used by Safarilink.
A Mara airstrip used by Safarilink.
Elephant country in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, with its own airstrip.
The airstrip at Ol Tukai, inside the Amboseli ecosystem.
Dry, rugged country in the north beside the Ewaso Ng’iro River. A flight saves a long road journey.
The airstrip for Samburu National Reserve.
The high plateau of conservancies and ranches north of Mount Kenya. Nanyuki is the gateway town and has its own airport.
The airport for Nanyuki and the Laikipia conservancies.
A wildlife conservancy in the northern highlands, reached by its own airstrip.
The airstrip for Lewa conservancy.
A large national park in the south. Safari flights use the airstrip at Mtito Andei.
The airstrip Safarilink uses for Tsavo West.
Kenya’s lakeside city on Lake Victoria.
Kisumu’s airport, served by Jambojet from Nairobi.
A highland city in the western Rift Valley.
Eldoret’s airport, served by Jambojet from Nairobi.
Who flies
Scheduled jets serve the cities and the coast. Small-aircraft safari airlines serve the reserves, with tighter baggage limits.
Larger aircraft on fixed timetables from JKIA. A normal checked bag is usually part of the fare, but check the fare you buy.
Kenya’s national carrier. On the domestic network it flies Nairobi to Mombasa several times a day from JKIA.
The allowance depends on the fare you buy. Check it at booking.
Book on the airline’s own website or through a travel agent.
Kenya Airways website (opens in a new tab)A low-cost domestic airline with Nairobi (JKIA) and Mombasa as its hubs. Serves Mombasa, Diani (Ukunda), Malindi, Lamu, Kisumu and Eldoret.
About 20 kg checked is quoted for the Diani route. The allowance depends on the fare you buy, so check it at booking.
Book on the airline’s website. A 2026 guide advises booking 2 to 3 weeks ahead, and earlier for July to September and December to January.
Jambojet website (opens in a new tab)Flies from Wilson Airport to the coast (Mombasa, Malindi, Lamu, Ukunda) and to several towns in the west and north.
About 15 kg checked is quoted for the Diani route. Check the allowance when you book.
Book directly. Check the airline’s current network before you plan around it, as route lists change.
Small aircraft from Wilson Airport to the reserves, the coast and the lakes. Soft bags, tight limits and a weigh-in at check-in.
A safari airline based at Wilson Airport, flying to the Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Nanyuki, Lewa, Tsavo West and the coast.
15 kg per person in soft bags. Guides disagree on whether hand luggage counts inside the 15 kg, so ask your airline.
Book directly or through your safari operator. Check-in at Wilson opens at your airline’s own building about 45 to 60 minutes before departure.
A safari airline based at Wilson Airport, flying to the Mara, Amboseli, Samburu, Nanyuki and Lewa.
15 kg per person in soft bags. Pooling weight across a group is possible only if arranged in advance with the airline or your operator.
Book directly or through your safari operator.
Not only by air
The ways to cover Nairobi to Mombasa: what each takes, roughly what it costs and what to know. Flying is the fastest. It is not always the simplest or the cheapest.
| Way to travel | Time | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| FlyKenya Airways, Jambojet, Skyward Airlines (formerly Skyward Express) | About 1 h | KES 6,000–15,000one way, indicative | About one hour in the air; allow about 3 hours door to door. |
| Madaraka Express (SGR) train | About 4.5 to 5 hours | Published 2026 figures differ: roughly KES 1,000 to 1,500 economy and KES 3,000 to 4,500 first class. Confirm on the Kenya Railways booking channel. | Trains leave from Syokimau (about 20 km south of Nairobi centre) and arrive at Miritini outside Mombasa. Two departures a day (about 8:00 and 15:00) are consistently reported. Economy allows about 20 kg of luggage and first class about 30 kg, according to one source. |
| Drive | About 8 to 9 hours | Fuel and tolls | About 500 km. Plan for heavy lorry traffic on the main road. |
| Long-distance bus | 10 hours or more | The lowest-cost option | Comfortable coaches run overnight and by day, but the journey is long. |
Costs for the train, bus and car are also guides. Check the operator for today’s timetable and price.
The full Nairobi to Mombasa guideGood to know
Short answers to what travellers ask most. Still unsure? Ask us.
It depends on the airline. Scheduled jets (Kenya Airways and Jambojet) use Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Safari and regional airlines such as Safarilink, AirKenya and Skyward use Wilson Airport, about 17 km away. Check the airport named on your ticket, and allow a generous gap if you change between the two.
Safari airlines usually set about 15 kg per person in soft-sided bags, and they may refuse hard suitcases. Excess weight is charged by the kilogram and may travel on a later flight if the aircraft is full. Check your airline's rules when you book.
For scheduled jets, about 90 minutes before departure is a sensible target unless your airline says otherwise. At Wilson Airport, allow at least 60 minutes and up to 90, and go to your own airline's building. Bags and passengers are weighed.
Carry your original passport and your ticket or booking confirmation. Published guides report that copies and screenshots of identity documents have been refused at the gate.
No. They are indicative ranges taken from published sources and reviewed on the date shown. Real fares depend on the airline, the date, how early you book, and your bag options. Always confirm the price with the airline before you plan around it.
No. For example, the Madaraka Express train between Nairobi and Mombasa takes about 4.5 to 5 hours and costs far less than a flight, though you travel to and from stations outside the city centres. Flying saves the most time on bush routes like the Maasai Mara, where the road is long and slow.
Tell us where you want to go and when through the trip planner, and the team will advise on how to connect the places and whether a flight makes sense.
Bespoke safaris
Tell us where you would like to go and when, and the team will advise how to connect the places, whether to fly or drive, and what to book.
