Kenya Airways and JetBlue Just Made US Connections Easier: Which Cities Now Link to Nairobi

Getting from a US city to Nairobi has usually meant a connection through Europe or the Gulf. That changed on March 5, 2026, when Kenya Airways signed a codeshare agreement with JetBlue. The deal puts Kenya Airways’ “KQ” flight code on ten JetBlue routes out of New York’s JFK airport, feeding directly into Kenya Airways’ own nonstop service to Nairobi.

If you live in Atlanta, Phoenix, or Orlando and have been pricing out a Kenya trip, this changes how you book. Here is exactly what the codeshare covers, which ten cities connect, and what still requires some planning on your end.

What the Kenya Airways-JetBlue Codeshare Actually Changes

A codeshare lets one airline sell seats on a flight operated by a different airline, using its own flight number. Under this agreement, Kenya Airways places its code on JetBlue-operated flights arriving at JFK from ten US cities. Passengers can book a single itinerary, for example Atlanta to JFK to Nairobi, entirely through Kenya Airways, even though JetBlue flies the domestic leg.

That single booking is the real benefit. You get one ticket, one check-in process, and baggage checked through to Nairobi instead of separate reservations that leave you responsible for re-checking bags and clearing security twice.

The Ten JetBlue Cities Now Linked to Nairobi

Kenya Airways’ code now appears on JetBlue flights from these ten US cities into JFK, where travelers connect to the Nairobi service.

Distances and flight times are approximate great-circle figures for planning purposes. Actual schedules and routing vary, so confirm exact connection times when you book.

Nairobi-JFK: The Route This Deal Builds On

The codeshare only works because Kenya Airways already flies its own nonstop service between JFK and Nairobi. That route launched in 2018 using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and still operates four times a week. It remains one of the longest nonstop routes linking the US directly to East Africa.

Because the Nairobi leg only runs four times weekly, your JetBlue connection date needs to line up with one of those departures. This is the detail most first-time bookers miss, so check the Kenya Airways schedule for that week before locking in a domestic flight.

How the Single Check-In and Baggage Transfer Works

Before this codeshare, a traveler flying from, say, Fort Lauderdale had two real options. Book two separate tickets and manage the connection alone, or fly a longer routing through a European hub on one airline. Neither was ideal for anyone starting a safari trip already carrying camera gear and duffel bags.

Now, booking through Kenya Airways as a single itinerary means your bag gets tagged at your home airport and checked through to Nairobi. You still walk from the JetBlue terminal to the Kenya Airways departure area at JFK, since the two airlines use different terminals. But you do it without your luggage and without a second security line. Build in at least two to three hours between the JetBlue arrival and the Kenya Airways departure to cover the terminal transfer comfortably.

City-by-City: Which Connection Makes Sense for Your Trip

Not every one of the ten cities offers the same value. A few practical notes if you are choosing where to start your trip.

• Raleigh-Durham, Atlanta, and Chicago sit closest to JFK, so the domestic leg barely eats into your travel day. These are the easiest adds if you already live near one.
• Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix mean a genuinely long day of flying before you even reach the Nairobi leg. If your schedule allows it, consider a JFK layover of a full day rather than a tight same-day connection.
• San Juan stands out because it connects Puerto Rico directly into the Nairobi route for the first time without a mainland US stop beyond JFK. Worth noting for travelers based there or in the wider Caribbean diaspora.
• Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach give South Florida three separate on-ramps into this route, useful if you are booking around family schedules rather than a single home airport.

What “Unilateral” Codeshare Means (and What It Doesn’t)

This agreement runs one direction only. Kenya Airways places its code on JetBlue’s domestic flights, but JetBlue does not currently place its code on Kenya Airways’ international routes. In practice, that mostly affects how the itinerary appears when you search fares, not how the trip runs on the ground. You can still book the whole journey as one ticket through Kenya Airways’ own booking channels.

It also does not create shared frequent flyer earning between the two programs automatically. Check each program’s current partner list before assuming you will earn Kenya Airways miles on the JetBlue segment, since that detail can change independently of the codeshare itself.

Visa and Entry Requirements Before You Book

A smoother flight connection does not remove Kenya’s entry paperwork. Every visitor needs an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before departure, applied for online in advance rather than on arrival.

Apply directly through the official portal. Third-party sites charge markups for the same free-to-apply-through-government service, and Kenya Airways will not process the eTA for you at check-in.

Explorer Notes

Ask for your boarding passes for both legs at your home airport if the agent can issue them. Some JetBlue counters can print the Kenya Airways boarding pass immediately since the itinerary is one reservation, which saves a stop at JFK.

If your connection window is under three hours, request an aisle seat near the front of the JetBlue aircraft. It shaves several minutes off deplaning time, which matters more than it sounds like when you are walking between terminals at JFK.

Pack anything you cannot afford to lose, medication, chargers, a change of clothes, in your carry-on rather than checked luggage. Through-checked bags on a two-airline itinerary are reliable most of the time, but a long trip is the wrong time to test that.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which US cities now connect to Nairobi through this codeshare? Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Orlando, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, San Juan, Raleigh-Durham, and West Palm Beach, all connecting through JFK onto Kenya Airways’ Nairobi service.

Do I need to check in separately with JetBlue and Kenya Airways? No. Booking the itinerary as one ticket through Kenya Airways means a single check-in and baggage checked through to Nairobi, though you still walk between terminals at JFK.

How often does Kenya Airways fly nonstop from JFK to Nairobi? Four times a week, using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on a flight of roughly 14-15 hours.

Does JetBlue also place its code on Kenya Airways flights? Not yet. The agreement is unilateral, meaning only Kenya Airways’ code appears on the JetBlue segments for now.

Do I still need a Kenya eTA if I am just connecting through Nairobi? Yes, if Nairobi is your final destination. Apply through etakenya.go.ke before you fly, since it is not issued on arrival.

Once your flights are booked, the next decision is what to see once you land. Our Tour Packages page lists itineraries built around Nairobi arrivals, and a partner operator can match dates to whichever of these ten cities you are flying from.

What to Read Next

• Planning the connection onward from Nairobi? See our Nairobi to Masai Mara flight guide.
• Need your entry paperwork sorted before you book? Read our Kenya visa requirements guide.
• Curious about Kenya Airways’ other 2026 route news? Check our Kenya Airways Boeing 777 Heathrow restore guide.

Further reading

• Magical Kenya (Kenya Tourism Board)
• Kenya Wildlife Service

More safari planning resources

• Kenya tour packages from Valley Safaris
• Kenya eTA and eVisa guide on Touring Insights
• Compare Kenya safari packages on FindMySafari
• Nairobi to Maasai Mara route guide from Valley Safaris