EK717 has arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for the first time. Photo: Emirates It's official: Emirates has finally launched its long-awaited third daily service between Dubai and Nairobi, increasing capacity on one of its key African routes and strengthening connections between Kenya, Europe, North America and the Middle East.
The inaugural flight, EK717, landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport today, July 1, 2026, shortly after 5:00 a.m. local time, bringing the airline's total to 21 weekly flights between Dubai and Nairobi.
Kenya Airport. Photo: Africadventures / Shutterstock.comThe new morning service is designed to improve onward connectivity for passengers traveling from major cities across Europe and North America via Dubai. Flight EK717 departs Dubai at 1:20 a.m. and arrives in Nairobi at 5:25 a.m., while the return service, EK718, leaves Nairobi at 7:10 a.m. and reaches Dubai at 1:15 p.m., providing convenient connections to destinations including London, Paris, Brussels, Madrid, Milan and Lisbon.
Safari park in Kenya. Photo: ShutterstockThe schedule also benefits travelers arriving in Kenya by allowing earlier access to safari destinations and coastal resorts, while business passengers can make same-day onward connections to major European commercial centers.
Christophe Leloup, Emirates' Country Manager led the delegation to welcome EK717. Photo: EmiratesThe inaugural flight was welcomed at the airport by Emirates executives alongside senior Kenyan and UAE government officials, including UAE Ambassador to Kenya Dr. Salim Ibrahim Bin Ahmed Mohammed Alnaqbi, aviation officials and tourism representatives.
With the launch of EK717, Emirates now offers 21 weekly flights on the Dubai-Nairobi route 2. Photo: EmiratesChristophe Leloup, Emirates' Country Manager for Kenya: "For three decades, Kenya has been one of Emirates' most important destinations in Africa, and this third daily service reflects both the strength of that relationship and our confidence in the country's future".
Emirates first began serving Nairobi in 1995 and has since carried more than six million passengers to and from Kenya, connecting the country to more than 138 destinations through its Dubai hub.
The additional frequency is expected to support Kenya's tourism ambitions, with the government targeting five million international visitors annually by 2030. Officials say improved air connectivity is essential to reaching that goal.
Beyond passenger travel, the new flight also expands cargo capacity by approximately 280 tonnes per week, benefitting Kenya's flower exporters and fresh produce industry by providing earlier departures to key European and Gulf markets. Combined with Emirates SkyCargo's three weekly freighter services, the airline now transports more than 1,100 tonnes of cargo to and from Kenya each week.
The expanded schedule also complements the interline partnership between Emirates and Kenya Airways, launched in 2023, which has already enabled more than 31,000 passengers to connect seamlessly across destinations including Rwanda, Mozambique and Kilimanjaro.
Also today, Emirates announced the start of high volumes of departures beginning with the July 3-5 weekend, recommending customers to plan ahead, allow extra time for traffic, parking, Immigration, security screening, and traveling between concourses.