AirAsia X (AAX) has announced the launch of a direct flight service connecting Nairobi, Kenya, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, starting on November 15, 2024.

This new route marks AAX as the first Malaysian low-cost airline to provide direct flights to Nairobi.

This expansion into the East African market follows AirAsia's recognition as the World's Best Low-Cost Airline and the Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia for the 15th year running, as awarded by the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2024.

The new service aims to facilitate travel between Kenya and Malaysia, enhancing trade, tourism, and business interactions.

In addition to direct flights, passengers will benefit from Fly-Thru connections, linking Nairobi to over 130 destinations across Southeast Asia, Northern Asia, Central Asia, and Australia.

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Kenyan travellers will enjoy visa-free entry to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore, as well as visa-on-arrival access in Indonesia, making travel more convenient.

Kenya's High Commissioner-Designate to Malaysia, Ekitela Moru expressed his excitement about the new route, highlighting the potential for increased trade, investment, and tourism between the two nations.

YB Dato’ Sri Tiong King Sing, Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, praised the new route: “AirAsia X’s first foray into Nairobi is indeed a proud and celebratory occasion for us Malaysians. For more than two decades, the airline has effectively bridged the gap between Asia, Australia and beyond to Malaysia and now, we can look forward to receiving more travellers from Kenya to explore our beautiful destinations in Malaysia such as Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Penang, Langkawi and others, particularly as we envision welcoming 35.6 million tourists, generating target receipts of RM147. 1 billion for Visit Malaysia 2026.”

Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A emphasised this new route's strategic importance in supporting AAX's commitment to providing affordable travel and enhancing global connectivity.

“We are thrilled to announce a direct new route, bridging Malaysia and Kenya. This milestone, coming on the heels of our 15th consecutive win as Skytrax’s World’s Best Low-Cost Airline, embodies our mission to connect the world affordably. This new route not only opens up Asia to Africa but also has the potential to strengthen ties in tourism, business and trade between the two continents. It marks the beginning of a new journey into Africa, and while our roots are in Asia and Asean, our dream has always been to make Kuala Lumpur a global low cost carrier hub. This expansion brings us closer to that vision, giving us a solid footing to build global connections and opportunities," Fernandes stated.

Benyamin Ismail, CEO of AirAsia X, highlighted the potential of the new route.

“Embarking on this new adventure into Africa is truly exhilarating, particularly in light of our significant growth trajectory earlier this year. We anticipate carrying over 156,000 travellers annually on this route, which will strengthen ties and boost the tourism sectors in both Malaysia and Kenya. Furthermore, this route presents excellent connectivity opportunities to other key markets we serve, including Australia, China, South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. Travellers across the region can now journey more affordably to Kenya, with a convenient stopover in Kuala Lumpur. Both Malaysia and Kenya are vibrant nations, each home to millions of people and a rich tapestry of beautiful heritages and extraordinary sceneries. We look forward to further enriching the cultural and economic exchanges between these dynamic regions.”


They anticipate an annual passenger volume exceeding 156,000 for this route.

To celebrate the launch, AirAsia X is offering special promotional fares starting at USD 135 (approximately Sh17,347) for economy seats and USD 499 (approximately Sh64,121) for premium flatbeds.

These promotional rates are available through the AirAsia MOVE app until July 14, 2024, for travel between November 15, 2024 and October 8, 2025.

This new route not only opens up numerous travel opportunities but also strengthens the cultural and economic bonds between Kenya and Malaysia, further promoting global connectivity.