By Eddah Waithaka
Dubai’s flydubai cemented its growing footprint in Africa on 16th October, as its inaugural flight to Nairobi touched down, connecting the East African hub to the UAE and expanding the carrier’s network on the continent to 12 destinations.
The arrival of flight FZ 1581 at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, greeted by a traditional water cannon salute, marks the start of a four-times-weekly service.
The move strengthens the bridge between the two economic centers and doubles down on flydubai’s commitment to the Kenyan market, coming just weeks after it boosted its Mombasa service to a daily flight.
The new route brings flydubai’s total operations in Kenya to 11 weekly flights, offering travelers more options and signaling strong confidence in the region’s travel and trade potential.
“The launch of our four-times-weekly service to Nairobi reflects our unwavering commitment to enhancing connectivity for our customers from the UAE, Kenya and beyond,” said Sudhir Sreedharan, Divisional Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at flydubai. “With 11 weekly flights to Kenya, we are excited to welcome more passengers on board.”
The airline now connects Dubai to 12 points across eight African countries, including Alexandria, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar.
This expansion positions flydubai as a key player in connecting underserved African markets to Dubai’s global aviation network.
Flight Details and BookingThe new service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.· From Dubai (DXB) to Nairobi (NBO): Departs 13:30, arrives 17:55 (local time).· From Nairobi (NBO) to Dubai (DXB): Departs 18:55, arrives 01:20 the next day (local time).
Return Business Class fares from Dubai start from AED 4,500, with Economy Class Lite fares beginning at AED 1,450. Travelers can book directly through flydubai.com, the airline’s mobile app, or its travel partners.
This strategic move intensifies competition in the African aviation sector and underscores flydubai’s bet on the continent’s rising economic power, driven by tourism, trade, and a young, mobile population.
