Kenya Airways Plans Direct Beijing Flights from Nairobi

Kenya Airways is once again considering launching direct flights between Nairobi and Beijing, following a state visit to China by Kenyan President William Ruto. The renewed interest in non-stop service was highlighted in a joint statement issued on April 24, 2025, where both nations expressed willingness to explore direct air connectivity between their capitals based on market demand.

The statement emphasized the long-standing friendship and mutual commitment between Kenya and China, adding momentum to Kenya Airways’ past ambitions to expand its presence in East Asia. Julius Thairu, the airline’s chief commercial and customer officer, had previously signaled interest in launching direct flights to Beijing during a 2024 interview with China’s official news agency, Xinhua.

Currently, Kenya Airways operates three weekly flights to Guangzhou via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, with fifth freedom rights on the Bangkok–Guangzhou segment. These services are operated using Boeing 787-8 aircraft. The airline also maintains a codeshare partnership with China Southern Airlines, which flies three times weekly from Guangzhou to Nairobi via Changsha Huanghua using Boeing 787-9s.

Kenya Airways initially launched direct flights to Guangzhou in 2013 using Boeing 777-300ERs, though the routing has changed several times over the years. Between 2015 and 2017, flights were routed via Hanoi before reverting to the current Bangkok stopover.

A direct Nairobi–Beijing route would mark a significant upgrade in Kenya Airways’ China network and potentially boost trade and tourism between the two countries, reinforcing bilateral ties and improving East Africa’s air connectivity to northern Asia.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com