Information on Kenya Airways Flights

From its hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, Kenya Airways offers flights to a network of 45 domestic, regional and international destinations, making it one of the dominant airlines of East Africa.

From my base in Cape Town I have found it a convenient option for accessing East Africa, thanks to the direct flight into Nairobi and a morning arrival that gives me easy access to a range of beach and safari destinations in the region.

Long-haul routes are usually served by its fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Local and regional routes are covered by a fleet of Embraer E190 aircraft. The carrier has also introduced an Airbus A330-300 on selected routes. Use this complete guide to Kenya Airways for more expert tips.

Cabin classes and service on Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways offers 2 cabin choices: Premier World, which is its business class product, and Economy. There is no First Class or Premium Economy on offer, which makes choosing your class of travel fairly straightforward.

Of course, booking the more expensive Premier World cabin brings with it more comfortable seating and extended legroom, as well as a range of perks from priority check-in to lounge access. But even if your budget only stretches to Economy, there is a choice of fare classes and seat options on offer, and ways to access some of those other perks, too.

I’ve found Economy class with Kenya Airways to be largely a positive experience. While the cabin décor and seating have felt tired on some of the older aircraft, it’s the exception rather than the norm. It’s also made up for by wonderfully friendly cabin crew who often go out of their way to help passengers feel comfortable.

One downside I have found flying Kenya Airways is that in-flight entertainment is not consistent, and what you get depends on the aircraft. Shorter local and regional flights on Embraer E190s don’t offer entertainment and some of the older Boeing 787 aircraft also don’t have seat-back screens fitted. Newer 787s and the Dreamliner fleet include personal screens and a reasonable entertainment system, along with in-seat USB power.

Economy class seat options on Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways offers a choice of seats in Economy. Standard seating is what you get with a base fare, and seat selection is charged for ahead of online check-in (which opens 36 hours before departure). Economy class legroom is in line with industry standards at 31 to 32 inches, depending on the aircraft. It’s the smallest on the Embraer E190.

Extra Legroom seats in the emergency aisles and bulkhead rows come at an extra cost, which varies according to the route. Kenya Airways also offers the Economy Max option, allowing you to block out up to 2 neighboring seats and ensuring you enjoy a row to yourself to stretch out. This option can only be reserved during online check-in up until 3 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Lastly, Kenya Airways also offers an Economy Comfort seat option on its 787 Dreamliner aircraft. It’s not a true Premium Economy product but it does offer a more comfortable seat with solid armrests, additional legroom (an extra 3 inches) and dedicated overhead luggage space. And, because it’s at the front of the Economy cabin you’ll also be the first to disembark.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed about flying with Kenya Airways is the generous luggage allowance. Most Premier World and Economy class tickets include 2 32-kilogram (70.5-pound) checked bags free of charge. Additional luggage can also be added on at reservation or using the Manage Booking function online.

Fare classes on Kenya Airways

Beyond the choice of seats, booking an Economy class fare on Kenya Airways offers 3 options.

Economy Standard is the simplest fare and offers the best price, but at a cost: Refunds and rebooking will incur considerable penalties – up to around 35% of the fare. You will also only accrue 75% of your loyalty points (more on loyalty below). The rebooking and refund penalties on Economy Flex are a little lower and you’ll earn 100% of your loyalty base points.

If my travel plans are a little up in the air I usually opt for the Economy Super Flex fare. It’s a little more expensive, but refunds and rebooking are allowed free of charge, and I earn 125% of base loyalty points on the booking.

Premier World comes in 2 fare classes. Business Lite levies a penalty for refunds and rebooking but it’s minimal compared to the total fare so it’s usually a safe bet. The main downside with this fare is you’ll only earn 100% of loyalty base points and checked baggage is charged.

With the Priority Boarding fare you’ll earn up to 200% of your base points and there are no penalties for refund or rebooking. Lounge access and priority lane benefits are offered for both fares.

Onboard dining

Kenya Airways fares include in-flight catering that ranges from a simple snack and beverage (both alcoholic and soft drinks on offer) to a hot meal with a choice of main dishes depending on route and departure time.

The food on Kenya Airways isn’t going to win any awards, but on most flights I’ve found it in line with what you’d expect for an economy class product – a hot dish, bread roll and side salad or fruit. On shorter regional routes it’s simpler – perhaps just a bag of (delicious) local cashew nuts and a beverage service.

In line with the higher fare, Premier World meal service is more impressive with proper dishware and a wider choice of meals and drinks. But perhaps the biggest perk is that you’ll get your meal first, ahead of the rest of Economy, which is more important than you might think.

On a recent flight from Cape Town to Nairobi, dinner in the Economy cabin was served long after midnight. It’s why I often opt to skip dinner if I’m in Economy on this shorter overnight flight – to get some extra sleep.

Kenya Airways makes allowances for a wide range of religious and special diets. Special meals are free of charge but must be pre-ordered. I usually do this at the time of booking, but it can be done later online under Manage Booking.

Check-in and airport services for Kenya Airways

At most airports, and certainly at the Nairobi hub, Premier World customers enjoy priority check-in, which really speeds up the process. At Jomo Kenyatta there is also a priority lane through security and immigration for Premier World customers.

Premier World passengers also get lounge access at most airports – look for the dedicated Kenya Airways lounge or one serving SkyTeam carriers. At Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya Airways offers 2 dedicated lounges. Simba Lounge has a full bar, buffet and shower facilities, plus a good view of the runway. The Asante Lounge near Gate 6 is smaller and with limited views. You can also access these lounges for a fee.

Few travelers flying in or out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport realize that you can enjoy the priority lanes at check-in, immigration and security even if you’re not flying Premier World. Simply book a meet-and-greet service – I used Tradewinds on my last visit – and they’ll whisk you past the lines. There’s a cost involved, but it’s worth the spend if you want to speed through the airport.

Kenya Airways and the Asante loyalty program

Kenya Airways is a member of the SkyTeam alliance and you can earn and spend points in the Asante loyalty program on both Kenya Airways and alliance partners.

In my opinion, it’s only worth joining if you’re not already a member of another SkyTeam loyalty program. I already have miles accrued with Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue program, so I chose to consolidate points on that account rather than open yet another membership. But if you aren’t already a member elsewhere, it’s worth joining for your first flight with Kenya Airways, as you can use your Asante benefits for future SkyTeam bookings.

The rewards, though small, start from the moment you enroll with Asante. Free Asante membership begins on Ruby tier where you’ll get a 10% discount on additional checked luggage and lounge access. Once you’ve earned 20,000 tier points (or flown 15 legs) you’ll earn 50% bonus points on flights, receive additional checked baggage, enjoy free seat selection and get a 25% discount on lounge access.

After 40,000 tier points you’ll reach Gold status. Here the bonus rises to 75%, you enjoy complimentary lounge access for yourself and a guest and get to use the SkyPriority lanes in the airports.

The top tier is Platinum, achieved after 65,000 tier points or 60 legs on Kenya Airways or alliance partners. For this you get 100% bonus points on bookings, all of the benefits of Gold membership and a 24/7 Platinum customer-care line.