Emirates Airline has launched a third daily flight between Dubai and Nairobi, expanding capacity on one of its key African routes and strengthening links between East Africa and global markets.
The new service, operating under flight EK717, landed for the first time at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Wednesday, increasing Emirates’ frequency on the Dubai–Nairobi route to 21 weekly flights.
The airline said the additional schedule is designed to improve global connectivity for both passengers and cargo, while supporting Kenya’s tourism and trade ambitions.
The early-morning departure from Dubai enables smoother onward connections to major destinations in Europe and North America, including London and Paris, while also improving travel options for tourists heading to safari destinations and coastal resorts across Kenya.
Emirates Country Manager for Kenya, Christophe Leloup, said the expanded service reflects the airline’s long-standing presence in the market and confidence in Kenya’s growing role as a regional aviation hub.
The airline first began operations to Nairobi in 1995 and says it has since carried more than six million passengers on the route, connecting Kenya to over 138 global destinations via its Dubai hub.
The new frequency also strengthens Emirates’ interline partnership with Kenya Airways, which allows passengers to connect to regional destinations including Rwanda, Tanzania and Mozambique.
In addition to passenger benefits, the added flight introduces significant cargo capacity, with an estimated 280 tonnes of weekly uplift supporting exports such as flowers and fresh produce, which rely heavily on rapid air transport to reach European markets.
Emirates SkyCargo now moves more than 1,100 tonnes of goods in and out of Kenya each week, including existing freighter operations.
The expansion comes amid broader efforts by Kenya and the United Arab Emirates to deepen economic ties following the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement earlier this year, aimed at strengthening trade, investment and aviation cooperation.
Authorities in Kenya say improved air connectivity is central to their target of attracting five million international tourists annually by 2030, with airlines like Emirates playing a key role in linking the country to key source markets.
