Two airports serve the city of Nairobi in Kenya, the Jomo KenyattaAirport (NBO) and Wilson Airport (WIL). Jomo Kenyatta Airport is an international airport serving Nairobi. The airport is named after Kenya’s first president/prime minster “Jomo Kenyatta”. The airport handles flights to destinations in over 50 countries. Wilson Airport is the second airport serving Nairobi, it handles domestic flights within Kenya. The airport is also used for flight training, missionary aviation operators to other African countries, and more. We summarize the airports with the information you need to make your next trip hassle free.
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Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) |
Wilson Airport (WIL) |
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Airport Maps | Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) Map | Wilson Airport (WIL) Map | |
Getting To The Airports From The City Centre |
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Distance from City Centre | 9 miles (15 kilometres) | 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) | |
Public Transport Operating Hours | 24-hours daily. | 24-hours daily. | |
Train |
N/A |
N/A |
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Airport Shuttle |
Some hotels offer shuttle services for their guest including the Safari Park Hotel & Casino. Intercontinental Hotel runs this service for $9-$10 per person or per family. |
Hotels offer shuttle services to their guest, you need to inquire the price by calling the hotel while booking for a room. Metro Shuttle Buses 24 or 15 runs from the airport to Kenya Cinema or Kencom opposite the Hilton Hotel. Fare: $1 |
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Private Transfer |
Private transfers are on demand. Zanzibar Airport Transfers, Marangu Luxury Shuttles, and Green Path Transfers. |
Zanzibar Airport Transfers |
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Bus |
Nairobi Matatu (33B&33UTW)runs every 5 minutes |
Nairobi MatatuBus lines |
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Taxi |
Around $40 - $50, |
Around $15 - $19, |
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Uber |
Available on demand Chapchap $5 - $7 |
Chapchap $2 - $4 |
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Which Airport Is Most Suitable For Me? |
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How Close to City Centre |
Jomo Kenyatta Airport(NBO) is 15 kilometres to the city centre in Nairobi. It takes around 35-50 minutes depending on traffic conditions on the roads to get to the city centre where all the attractions are. Jomo Kenyatta Airport is the main airport serving Nairobi and it handles some domestic and major international flights to over 50 countries. The airport has good public transport services to aid travellers get to various destinations around Nairobi and other parts of the country such as buses, shuttles, taxis, private transfers and car hire services. |
Wilson Airport is the secondary airport serving Nairobi and the closest at 4 kilometres. This airport handles mainly domestic flights to other parts of Kenya, some international business charter flights, missionaries to other parts of African and for general aviation purposes. It takes around 10 minutes to get to the city centre in Nairobi where all the major sights to see are located. WIL airport is also connected to other parts of Nairobi by buses, shuttles, private transfers, taxis and car hire services. |
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Cost Factor |
Jomo Kenyatta Airport is the primary hub for international transportation in Nairobi, Kenya. The airport handles over 7 million passengers travel through the airport yearly. Public transportation and taxi services at the airport are expensive than at Wilson Airport.Hotel cost in both NBO and WIL airports are almost comparable, while Car hire services cost the same. In terms of flight fares, NBO is cheaper for domestic travels than WIL, but very expensive for international flights. It is not as close to the city centre like Wilson Airport but it is well connected to different parts of Nairobi. Although, this airport is slightly more expensive than Wilson Airport, it is the best choice for getting into Kenya when you get a really good flight deal. Also, you get to avoid high scam rates like pickpocket using public transportation. Domestic flights are cheaper than Wilson airport. |
Wilson Airport is the secondary airport serving Nairobi, it handles domestic flights and over302,194 passengers annually. Low budget airlines operate from this airport with scheduled flights to other parts of Kenya. The airport is also used by , general aviation purposes, missionaries and some international business flights to other parts of Africa. At 4 km, WIL is closer to the city centre in Nairobi. This means it is not far from all the top attractions in the city and it takes about 10-20 minutes to get there. Cost of public transportation is cheaper than NBO airport. In terms of flight fares, WIL is more expensive compared to NBO for domestic travels. Choose this airport, if you want to use smaller airlines to other parts of Kenya for tourist activities.. |
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Airport Delays |
Avg Security & Immigration Delays: High Avg Flight Arrival Delays: 45 minutes. |
Avg Security & Immigration Delays: Low Avg Flight Arrival Delays: 10 minutes |
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Flight Fares | As the primary airport in Nairobi, some domestic flight fares are cheaper by 13%-40% compared to Wilson Airport, while most of it’s flight fares are higher by over 50%. | Wilson Airport flight fares are higher and comparable to that of Jomo Kenyatta Airportby over 15%. | |
Hotel Prices Per Day From (01-12-2018 to 02-12-2018) Searched on 23-11-2018 |
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Hotel |
Four Points By Sheraton Nairobi Airport(4-Stars) -$190 Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport(4-star) -$168 Heavenly Meadows(3.5-Stars) - $49.
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Weston Hotel (4-Stars)- $115 Tamarind Tree Hotel(4-Stars) - $175 Milele Hotel Nairobi (2.5-Star) - $66.
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Car Hire Prices Per Week (01-12-2018 to 07-12-2018) |
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Car Hire | $254.84 - $890.35 | $254.84 - $890.35 | |
Car Hire Companies |
Avis, Budget, EUROPCAR NAZ Car Rental, and Sixt. |
Avis, Budget, EUROPCAR NAZ Car Rental, and Sixt. |
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Online car hire | |||
Airport Facilities |
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Shopping and Dining | The Jomo Kenyatta Airport has many places to seat, for relaxation and shopping such as Medical Services, Pharmacy, Amaica, Massai Cafe, Hardee's, The Karibu Cafe (Arrivals), The Safari Coffee Shop (Domestic Departures), The Kwaheri Snack Bar (Gate 4), The Pub (Landside), The Kenchic Inn (Arrivals). | N/A | |
Lounges | Mt Kenya Lounge, Mara Lounge, Aspire Lounge, Turkish Airlines Lounge, Kq Domestic Lounge, Simba, Pride. | N/A | |
Wi-Fi Services | Free unlimited Wi-Fi available. | N/A | |
Transfer in and Around The Airport | The airport has two terminal buildings T1 and T2. Terminal 1 is divided into five parts, 1A, IB, 1C1D and 1E. Terminal 2 is for low budget airlines, it easy to move around the airport on foot but there are also free airport shuttles. | Wilson airport has a single terminal building. | |
Currency Exchange & ATM cash Points | EcoBank, Equity Bank and others exchange currencies. There are ATM cash points around the arrival hall, departure hall and throughout the airport. | N/A | |
Important phone numbers | NBO Airport: +254 20 822 111 and +254 722 205 061/2/3/4/5/6/7/8. | WIL Airport: +254 20 501 941, 0724256837, and 0724255343. | |
Major Operating Airlines |
Kenya Airways, China Southern, Precision Air, Air Mauritius,British Airways, Brussels Airline, South African airways, Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Condor Airline, Emirates, Air Arabia, Rwanda Air, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Air Mozambique, Lufthansa, Egypt Air, Saudi Arabian Airline, Etihad Airways, Jambo Jet, Fly 540, African Express Airways, Fast Jet, East African Safari Air, Fly Sax, Jubba Airways, Air France, Alitalia, Daallo Airlines, KLM, LAM Mozambique Airlines, Malawian Airlines, Oman Air, Royal Air Maroc, Turkish Airlines, Saudia and more. |
Airkenya Express, Fly-SAX, Safarilink, and Silverstone Air. | |
Major Connecting Destinations |
Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, Antananarivo, Bamako, Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Bangui, Blantyre, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Cape Town, Cotounou, Dakar–Diass, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Douala, Dubai–International, Dzaoudzi, Entebbe, Freetown–Lungi, Guangzhou, Harare, Johannesburg–OR Tambo, Juba, Khartoum, Kigali, Kilimanjaro, Kinshasa–N'djili, Kisumu, Lagos, Libreville, Lilongwe, Livingstone, London–Heathrow, Luanda, Lubumbashi, Lusaka, Mahé, Malindi, Maputo, Mauritius, Mogadishu[28], Mombasa, Monrovia, Moroni, Mumbai, Nampula, Ndola, New York–JFK, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Victoria Falls, Yaoundé, Zanzibar, Muscat, Frankfurt, Lilongwe, Doha, Casablanca, N'Djamena, Zürich, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Dubai–International, London–Heathrow, Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Sharjah and many more. |
Amboseli, Kilimanjaro, Lewa Downs, Lamu, Malindi, Maasai Mara, Meru, Nanyuki, Samburu, Ukunda/Diani Beach, Kitale, Lake Baringo, Lodwar, Wajir, Kilaguni, Kiwayu, Naivasha, and Samburu. | |
Tourist Info Centres | For tourist information, travellers can ask the front desk at the airport for more information or their hotel managers and tour representatives. | N/A | |
Official website | https://www.kaa.go.ke/airports/ our-airports/jomo-kenyatta-international/ |
There are two airports serving Nairobi, Kenya. The Jomo Kenyatta Airport which is the main international hub in Kenya and Wilson Airport, the busiest airport by aircraft movement and handles domestic flights
You can get to the city centre using the Matatu bus line (33B & 34), private transfers, taxi, and Uber fromJomo Kenyatta Airport with departures every 5 minutes. It takes 35-50 minutes for the journey and costs less than a dollar but $1-$5 should take care of you.
There are beautiful places and hotels to stay close to the airport or in the city centre which have good and quality services. At NBO, the following hotels are the best for travellers, Four Points By Sheraton Nairobi Airport(4-Stars) -$190, Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport(4-star) -$168, and Heavenly Meadows(3.5-Stars) - $49.At WIL, the Weston Hotel (4-Stars)- $115, Tamarind Tree Hotel(4-Stars) - $175, and Milele Hotel Nairobi (2.5-Star) - $66.
Travellers can enjoy some of the best things to see and do around the Nairobi Airportsuch as embarking on safari trips like the Gracepatt Ecotours Kenya, Tazama Africa Holidays, Guided Nairobi City Tours, African Heritage House, Kenyatta International Conference Center, Safarilinks Africa, Nairobi railway museum, Nai Nami (Our Streets, Our Stories), Explorer Kenya, and many more.
For Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/nbo-jomo-kenyatta-airport-terminal-map.html
For Wilson Airport (WIL) Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/wil-wilson-airport-terminal-map.html