Inaugural flight welcomed by the Minister of
Works and Transport; daily service reconnects
Kenya
and Uganda
Entebbe,
Uganda – 1 October 2026 – Jambojet, East Africa leading low-cost carrier, today
operated its inaugural flight from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport,
Nairobi, to Entebbe International Airport, officially restoring its daily
service between Kenya and Uganda.
The
flight was welcomed at Entebbe with a traditional water salute and a ceremony
attended by government officials, tourism bodies, travel trade partners,
corporate clients and the media. The Guest of Honour was Hon. Fred Byamukama,
Minister of Works and Transport. Jambojet was represented by its leadership
team, led by Board Director Mrs Patricia Ithau.
Jambojet
return comes as traffic through Entebbe reaches record levels. Entebbe
International Airport handled 2,486,893 international passengers in 2025, up
from 2,243,104 in 2024, 1,932,094 in 2023 and 1,574,405 in 2022. That is growth
of about 11% in a single year and nearly 58% since 2022.
August
2025 set the airport highest-ever monthly figure, with 243,089 international
passengers passing through. On cargo, the airport handled 69,595 metric tonnes
in 2025.
Strong
Demand Across East Africa
The
Kenya–Uganda corridor is one of the busiest in the region. Uganda is Kenya’s largest
regional source market, sending 234,556 visitors in 2025. That was 31% of all
arrivals from Africa and 8.7% more than the year before. Kenya aims to raise
arrivals from Uganda to 300,000 in 2026, a 27% increase, supported by better
air links between Nairobi and Entebbe. Across Kenya as a whole, the country
received an estimated 2.7 million international visitors in 2025. ATTA Speaking
at the event, the Guest of Honour, Hon. Fred Byamukama, Minister of Works andTransport
said;
“Air
connectivity is central to Uganda ambitions for trade, tourism and regional
integration.” The return of Jambojet to Entebbe gives our travelers, business
people and exporters more choice, more capacity and more affordable access to
Kenya and beyond. We welcome this investment and look forward to seeing the
route grow.”
Jambojet
will operate daily flights between Nairobi and Entebbe, with one-way fares
starting from KES 22,950 (approximately USD 170). Ugandan travelers can connect
through Nairobi to Kenya coast, including Mombasa, Diani, Malindi and Lamu. The
airline is also introducing commercial cargo services on the route to support
trade between the two countries.
Today is
about more than one flight. It is a commitment to Uganda and to the idea that
affordable air travel should connect East Africans. We return to Entebbe with a
larger fleet, a stronger network and a clear ambition to scale, and we are
grateful to the Government of Uganda and our partners for making this possible;
said Mrs Patricia Ithau, Director of the Jambojet Board.
A
Year of Growth
The
Entebbe launch comes during a strong year for Jambojet. The airline grew its
active fleet to 11aircraft in April 2026, welcomed its 10 millionth passenger
in June 2026, and recorded an On-Time Performance of 86.45% in July 2026. By
July 2026, Jambojet held an estimated 57% share of Kenya’s domestic aviation
market.Jambojet first flew to Entebbe in 2018. Its regional operations were
paused during the COVID-19pandemic, when the airline focused on its domestic
network in Kenya.
