What percentage of Johannesburg to Nairobi flights are direct?

In the trailing 90 days, approximately 21.1% of flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi were direct. This indicates that a significant majority of travelers on this route typically experience at least one stopover. For flights with connections, the median number of stopovers observed was 2. Travelers should consider this when planning their journey and evaluating travel time.

How long does it take to fly from Johannesburg to Nairobi?

A direct flight from Johannesburg to Nairobi typically takes 4 hours and 5 minutes. This route covers an approximate distance of 2912 kilometers. For flights that include one stop, the median travel time increases significantly to 8 hours and 55 minutes. Travelers should account for these differences in duration when choosing between direct and connecting options.

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

Historically, it has been cheaper to fly with a layover from Johannesburg to Nairobi. Connecting flights had a median price of $456 across the trailing quarter. Direct flights, on the other hand, were typically more expensive, with a median price of $517. This represents a premium of 13% for direct flights. While direct flights made up 25.3% of the options, travelers looking for lower fares might consider routes with layovers.

Flights From Johannesburg

To Nairobi

Cheap Flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi

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Prices updated 2 days ago

405 airlines compared

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Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Jul 26, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Johannesburg to Nairobi

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Johannesburg to Nairobi

2026-08-27 – 2026-08-31
JNB - Nairobi
89% AI deal score
$514
$298
Round trip
2026-09-03 – 2026-09-07
JNB - Nairobi
86% AI deal score
$634
$300
Round trip
2026-11-12 – 2026-11-15
JNB - Nairobi
86% AI deal score
$443
$300
Round trip
2026-11-21 – 2026-11-30
JNB - Nairobi
86% AI deal score
$434
$300
Round trip
2026-09-17 – 2026-09-20
JNB - Nairobi
85% AI deal score
$633
$302
Round trip
2026-12-03 – 2026-12-06
JNB - Nairobi
87% AI deal score
$698
$302
Round trip
2026-09-13 – 2026-09-20
JNB - Nairobi
85% AI deal score
$615
$303
Round trip
2026-10-10 – 2026-10-19
JNB - Nairobi
88% AI deal score
$778
$303
Round trip
2026-09-10 – 2026-09-14
JNB - Nairobi
85% AI deal score
$629
$304
Round trip
2026-09-17 – 2026-09-27
JNB - Nairobi
90% AI deal score
$582
$304
Round trip

Johannesburg to Nairobi: Overview

Insights for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi

For cheap flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi, January stands out as the most affordable month, with a median fare of $219. Other cost-effective options include September, with a median fare of $386, and March, where prices average $391. Planning your trip during these months can lead to significant savings.

Fares for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi typically range from $440 to $1043, with a median of $595. Right now, current fares are near the typical level for this route. Approximately 35% of recent fares were classified as a good price, indicating that competitive deals are available if you monitor prices. New deals appear almost daily, making it beneficial to set up a price alert.

Most itineraries for this route involve connections, as only 21.1% of recent fares were for direct flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi. For connecting itineraries, travelers typically encounter 2 stopovers. This means you should expect to factor in additional travel time for layovers when planning your journey.

A typical journey from Johannesburg to Nairobi takes approximately 4h 5m including connections. While the non-stop flight time is also 4h 5m, the median connecting journey extends to 8h 55m. Given that most itineraries include connections, this longer duration is a more realistic expectation for your travel.

The distance between Johannesburg and Nairobi is 2912 kilometers, classifying this as a medium-haul flight. This distance typically translates to a journey that is too long for short regional hops but shorter than intercontinental travel, often involving a single stop or a direct flight.

How much is a round trip from Johannesburg to Nairobi

Regular price: $447 - $813

Prices for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for this route is typically between $447 and $813. The current lowest deal is $298 with TAAG Angola Airlines, for travel from Aug 27-Aug 31.

now $298

Low $447

High $813

The cheapest time to fly from Johannesburg to Nairobi

The cheapest month to fly from JNB to NBO is January, with a median price of $256. The most expensive month is December, with a median price of $1063. Prices are generally lower from January to October.

January

Cheapest

Flights from $256

December

Most Expensive

Flights from $1,063

Jan

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi

Kenya Airways

Last-minute flights going from Johannesburg to Nairobi

Mon, Jul 27

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$733

$379

One-way

Mon, Jul 27

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$661

$391

One-way

Tue, Jul 28

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$732

$381

One-way

Wed, Jul 29

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$730

$424

One-way

Mon, Aug 3

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$545

$381

One-way

Mon, Aug 3

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$564

$382

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi

9 nights

Oct 10 - Oct 19

$778 → $303

61%

3 nights

Oct 16 - Oct 19

$817 → $408

50%

5 nights

Oct 1 - Oct 6

$821 → $415

49%

4 nights

Oct 10 - Oct 14

$814 → $411

49%

Popular Airports to fly from Johannesburg to Nairobi

Johannesburg - Nairobi route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are near the typical level

Recent fares for Johannesburg to Nairobi are near the typical level at $298.

📅 Best time to fly

January is historically cheapest at $219

Historically, January offers the lowest median prices for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights average 4h 5m

Direct flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi typically take 4 hours and 5 minutes.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Connecting flights make up 78.9% of routes, with a median of 2 stopovers.

🏆 Airline highlight

Kenya Airways offers direct flights

Kenya Airways provides direct flight options on the Johannesburg to Nairobi route.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently (every 30 days)

Deals for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi appear frequently, about every 30 days.

Johannesburg main airports to depart from

O. R. Tambo International (JNB)

Cheapest

O. R. Tambo International is a primary departure point for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi.

📍 ~21 km from Johannesburg (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$301

Lanseria International (HLA)

Lanseria International offers an alternative departure option for your trip from Johannesburg to Nairobi.

📍 ~32 km from Johannesburg (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$784

Nairobi main airports to arrive at

Jomo Kenyatta International (NBO)

Cheapest

Jomo Kenyatta International is a primary arrival airport for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi.

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

💸 Flights from ~$301

Airports nearby Nairobi used as alternative

Kilimanjaro International (JRO)

Cheapest

Kilimanjaro International is a major international airport and a reliable alternative for international travelers.

📍 ~200 km from Nairobi (requires an international border crossing into Tanzania, approximately 4-5 hours by road).

💸 Flights from ~$321

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Nairobi

86% AI deal score

$1,684

$1,070

Save $614

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Nairobi

Historically, the optimal booking window for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi is typically 7-13 days before departure. During this period, the average price for a ticket is around $425. Booking within 0-6 days of departure sees a slight increase to an average of $447. Prices tend to be significantly higher when booking further out, with flights 28-59 days in advance averaging $800, and those booked 60+ days out averaging $714.

Across the trailing quarter, a good price for a flight from Johannesburg to Nairobi is considered to be $440 or less. The median price for this route over the same period was $595. Prices can go significantly higher, with 75% of tickets observed costing $1043 or more. Travelers aiming for a more economical trip should target prices at or below the $440 threshold.

Historically, January has been the cheapest month to fly from Johannesburg to Nairobi, with a median price of $219. Other historically inexpensive months include September, with a median price of $386, and March, with a median price of $391. These prices are considerably lower than the annual median price for the route, which stands at $595. Planning your trip during these months could lead to notable savings.

Related routes

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Flights to Nairobi from other cities

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Johannesburg to Nairobi: Overview

Insights for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi

How much is a round trip from Johannesburg to Nairobi

Regular price: $447 - $813

Prices for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for this route is typically between $447 and $813. The current lowest deal is $298 with TAAG Angola Airlines, for travel from Aug 27-Aug 31.

now $298

Low $447

High $813

The cheapest time to fly from Johannesburg to Nairobi

January

Cheapest

Flights from $256

December

Most Expensive

Flights from $1,063

Jan

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi

Kenya Airways

Last-minute flights going from Johannesburg to Nairobi

Mon, Jul 27

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$733

$379

One-way

Mon, Jul 27

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$661

$391

One-way

Tue, Jul 28

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$732

$381

One-way

Wed, Jul 29

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$730

$424

One-way

Mon, Aug 3

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$545

$381

One-way

Mon, Aug 3

⌛ Last-Minute

JNB - Nairobi

Johannesburg (JNB) - Nairobi (NBO)

Ethiopian Airlines

$564

$382

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi

9 nights

Oct 10 - Oct 19

$778 → $303

61%

3 nights

Oct 16 - Oct 19

$817 → $408

50%

5 nights

Oct 1 - Oct 6

$821 → $415

49%

4 nights

Oct 10 - Oct 14

$814 → $411

49%

Popular Airports to fly from Johannesburg to Nairobi