Opinion

● Following a six-year hiatus, the regional low-cost carrier returns to Entebbe, offering daily passenger and cargo services starting 1st October 2026.

● Daily flights resume on 1st October 2026, expanding travel, tourism and trade opportunities across East Africa

Jambojet, East Africa’s leading low-cost carrier, has announced its return to the Nairobi–Entebbe route. The return to Uganda marks a significant milestone in Jambojet’s regional growth strategy and reinforces the airline’s commitment to providing affordable, reliable and convenient air travel across East Africa. The route is expected to strengthen connectivity between Kenya and Uganda while supporting increased business travel, tourism and cross-border trade.

Speaking on the airline’s return to the Ugandan market, Jambojet Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Mr. Karanja Ndegwa said the resumption of flights reflects the airline’s broader ambition to make air travel more accessible while strengthening regional integration.

“Our return to Uganda is a strategic step forward in our mission to strengthen regional connectivity. We see significant opportunities to support business, tourism and trade between Kenya and Uganda while providing travellers with affordable, reliable and convenient flying experience that Jambojet is known for,” said Ndegwa.

“Making flying accessible across East Africa and beyond remains central to our mission. Uganda is an important market for Jambojet, and we are excited to reconnect the two destinations, while creating greater opportunities for travellers to connect to other destinations across our network,” he added.

One-way fares will start from approximately KES 22,950.In addition to passenger services, Jambojet will introduce cargo and parcel services on the route, providing additional capacity to support the movement of goods between Uganda and Kenya and contribute to growing regional trade. The route is therefore positioned as more than a passenger connection; it will serve as an important link between two of East Africa’s major economies, supporting the movement of people, goods and tourism traffic across the region.

Strengthening Travel and Tourism Connections

The Nairobi–Entebbe air corridor continues to experience strong recovery and demand, with an estimated 300,000 passengers projected to travel between Kenya and Uganda in 2026. Jambojet’s daily service will provide greater choice and flexibility for travellers between the two countries while also creating convenient onward connections for Ugandan passengers seeking to explore Kenya’s popular coastal destinations, including Mombasa, Diani, Malindi and Lamu.

Jambojet Engages Ugandan Stakeholders Ahead of Route

Ahead of the October launch, Jambojet, in partnership with The Uganda Association of Travel Agents (TUGATA), hosted a stakeholder engagement breakfast at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, bringing together representatives from government, travel, trade, tourism, corporate organisations and the media. The engagement provided an opportunity for Jambojet to formally share its plans for the Ugandan market while engaging key stakeholders on opportunities for collaboration around the restored Nairobi– Entebbe connection.

“We are delighted to welcome Jambojet back to Uganda. The resumption of this service comes at an opportune time, as we continue to strengthen travel, trade and tourism opportunities across the region. We look forward to working closely with Jambojet to promote the route and create more opportunities for travellers to discover and connect with both destinations,” said Ms Pearl Hoareau Kakooza, Vice Chairperson, TUGATA and Chairperson Uganda Tourism Board.

Building on a Strong Year of Growth Jambojet’s return to Uganda comes during a significant period of growth for the airline. In April 2026, the airline expanded its active fleet to 11 aircraft, strengthening its capacity to serve its growing network and also celebrated its 10 millionth passenger. The airline also recorded an On-Time Performance (OTP) of 86.45% in July 2026, ranking it among the leading airlines for operational punctuality in Africa and globally. Jambojet first entered the Ugandan market in 2018 as part of its regional expansion strategy. Its regional operations were subsequently affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the airline to focus on strengthening its domestic network in Kenya. The return to Entebbe therefore marks a new chapter in the airline’s growth journey and reinforces its ambition to make affordable air travel more accessible across East Africa.