What percentage of Cape Town to Nairobi flights are direct?

In the trailing 90 days, approximately 6.2% of flights from Cape Town to Nairobi were direct. The majority of travelers on this route typically experience connecting flights. For those connecting, the median number of stopovers was 2. This suggests that direct options are less common for this particular route.

What's the flight time from Cape Town to Nairobi?

The typical direct flight from Cape Town to Nairobi has a median duration of 5 hours and 45 minutes. For flights with one stop, the median flight time increases significantly to 11 hours and 40 minutes. The route covers an approximate distance of 4100 kilometers. Travelers should account for longer travel times if their itinerary includes layovers.

Is it cheaper to fly direct or with a layover from Cape Town to Nairobi?

Historically, it has been cheaper to fly with a layover from Cape Town to Nairobi. Connecting flights had a median price of $505, while direct flights were considerably more expensive, with a median price of $704. This represents a premium of 39% for direct flights. Direct flights also constituted a smaller share of the available options, at 7.2% in the trailing 90 days.

Flights From Cape Town

To Nairobi

Cheap Flights from Cape Town to Nairobi

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Cape Town

RatePunk searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Nairobi

Prices updated 6 days ago

457 airlines compared

80%+ AI score for best value

Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Sep 7, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Cape Town to Nairobi

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Cape Town to Nairobi

2026-10-05 – 2026-10-09
CPT - Nairobi
91% AI deal score
$821
$486
Round trip
2026-10-12 – 2026-10-19
CPT - Nairobi
90% AI deal score
$796
$495
Round trip
2027-02-06 – 2027-02-14
CPT - Nairobi
89% AI deal score
$746
$503
Round trip
2026-10-10 – 2026-10-25
CPT - Nairobi
88% AI deal score
$720
$518
Round trip
2026-10-12 – 2026-10-18
CPT - Nairobi
88% AI deal score
$796
$553
Round trip
2026-09-14 – 2026-09-21
CPT - Nairobi
87% AI deal score
$754
$557
Round trip
2026-10-05 – 2026-10-18
CPT - Nairobi
86% AI deal score
$743
$559
Round trip
2026-09-12 – 2026-09-20
CPT - Nairobi
86% AI deal score
$748
$559
Round trip
2026-09-14 – 2026-09-18
CPT - Nairobi
88% AI deal score
$799
$561
Round trip
2026-10-05 – 2026-10-11
CPT - Nairobi
87% AI deal score
$797
$566
Round trip

Cape Town to Nairobi: Overview

Insights for flights from Cape Town to Nairobi

For travelers looking for cheap flights from Cape Town to Nairobi, fares typically range from $449–$722, with a median price of $551 over a 90-day period. Right now, current fares are significantly above the typical level, and about 12% of recent fares were classified as a good price. New deals appear almost daily for this route, offering frequent opportunities to find better prices.

When is the cheapest time to fly from Cape Town to Nairobi? The data indicates that November is the most affordable month, with a median fare of $364. Following closely are December, with a median of $385, and January, with a median of $424. Planning your trip during these months could result in more budget-friendly travel.

A typical journey from Cape Town to Nairobi takes approximately 13h 10m, including connections. Most itineraries for this route connect at least once, with only 6.2% of recent fares being direct flights from Cape Town to Nairobi. For connecting itineraries, the median number of stopovers is two, which contributes to the overall journey time.

The distance between Cape Town and Nairobi is approximately 4,100 kilometers. This makes the route a long-haul journey, meaning you can expect a substantial travel time due to the significant distance covered.

How much is a round trip from Cape Town to Nairobi

Regular price: $518 - $943

Prices for flights from Cape Town to Nairobi are currently within the regular range.

The regular price range for this route is between 518 USD and 943 USD. The current lowest deal is 556 USD with TAAG Angola Airlines, for travel from Nov 1 to Nov 8.

now $556

Low $518

High $943

The cheapest time to fly from Cape Town to Nairobi

The cheapest month to fly from CPT to NBO is November, with a median price of $364. The most expensive month is October, with a median price of $813. Prices are generally lower from January to December.

November

Cheapest

Flights from $364

October

Most Expensive

Flights from $813

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Cape Town to Nairobi

Kenya Airways

Last-minute flights going from Cape Town to Nairobi

Tue, Sep 1

⌛ Last-Minute

CPT - Nairobi

Cape Town (CPT) - Nairobi (NBO)

Airfreight Express

$818

$692

One-way

Wed, Sep 2

⌛ Last-Minute

CPT - Nairobi

Cape Town (CPT) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$813

$706

One-way

Thu, Sep 3

⌛ Last-Minute

CPT - Nairobi

Cape Town (CPT) - Nairobi (NBO)

TAAG Angola Airlines

$753

$667

One-way

Fri, Sep 4

⌛ Last-Minute

CPT - Nairobi

Cape Town (CPT) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$888

$744

One-way

Fri, Sep 4

⌛ Last-Minute

CPT - Nairobi

Cape Town (CPT) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$813

$744

One-way

Sun, Sep 6

⌛ Last-Minute

CPT - Nairobi

Cape Town (CPT) - Nairobi (NBO)

Air Tanzania

$828

$719

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Cape Town to Nairobi

4 nights

Sep 14 - Sep 18

$832 → $506

39%

7 nights

Oct 12 - Oct 19

$798 → $490

39%

3 nights

Oct 1 - Oct 4

$828 → $564

32%

8 nights

Feb 6 - Feb 14

$743 → $500

33%

Popular Airports to fly from Cape Town to Nairobi

Cape Town - Nairobi route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares from Cape Town to Nairobi are above the typical level for the route.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in November for the best prices

Historically, November, December, and January offer the lowest median prices for this route.

⏱️ Flight duration

Median flight time is 13h 10m

The median flight duration from Cape Town to Nairobi is 13 hours and 10 minutes.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Connecting flights make up the majority of options, with a median of 2 stopovers.

🏆 Airline highlight

Kenya Airways offers direct flights

Kenya Airways is one airline that offers direct flights on the Cape Town to Nairobi route.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently

Deals for flights from Cape Town to Nairobi appear frequently, with many options available.

Cape Town main airports to depart from

Cape Town International (CPT)

Cheapest

Cape Town International Airport is a convenient departure point for flights to Nairobi.

📍 ~17 km from city center (reachable by car or bus)

💸 Flights from ~$490

Nairobi main airports to arrive at

Jomo Kenyatta International (NBO)

Cheapest

Jomo Kenyatta International is a convenient arrival airport for flights from Cape Town to Nairobi.

📍 ~12 km from city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$490

Airports nearby Nairobi used as alternative

Kilimanjaro International (JRO)

Cheapest

Kilimanjaro International is a major international airport, offering a high-capacity alternative for international travelers.

📍 ~210 km from Nairobi (requires an international border crossing into Tanzania, approximately 4-5 hours by road).

💸 Flights from ~$413

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Nairobi

$1,732

Save $169

TAAG Angola Airlines

Business Class

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Nairobi

Historically, the optimal booking window for flights from Cape Town to Nairobi is typically 14-27 days before departure. During this period, the average price was around $498. Prices tend to be higher for bookings made very close to departure, with flights booked 0-6 days out averaging $569. Conversely, booking more than 60 days in advance also saw higher average prices, reaching approximately $583.

Across the trailing quarter, a good price for a flight from Cape Town to Nairobi was considered to be $449 or less. The median price for this route was $551. Prices can vary, with 75% of tickets historically costing $722 or less. Travelers aiming for a more economical fare should target prices at or below the good price threshold.

Historically, November has been the cheapest month to fly from Cape Town to Nairobi, with a median price of $364. December also offered competitive prices, with a median of $385. The annual median price for this route was $551, indicating that these months offer significant savings compared to the yearly average. January, despite being one of the cheaper months at $424, was also identified as the most expensive month in the trailing 270 days.

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Cape Town to Nairobi: Overview

Insights for flights from Cape Town to Nairobi

How much is a round trip from Cape Town to Nairobi

Regular price: $518 - $943

Prices for flights from Cape Town to Nairobi are currently within the regular range.

The regular price range for this route is between 518 USD and 943 USD. The current lowest deal is 556 USD with TAAG Angola Airlines, for travel from Nov 1 to Nov 8.

now $556

Low $518

High $943

The cheapest time to fly from Cape Town to Nairobi

November

Cheapest

Flights from $364

October

Most Expensive

Flights from $813

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec