KAMPALA, Uganda — Kenyan low-cost carrier Jambojet is set to resume flights to Uganda on October 1, 2026, reopening its connection between Uganda and Kenya after suspending operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The airline will operate daily flights between Entebbe International Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, providing passengers with seven flights a week. Jambojet will also establish two offices in Uganda, located in Kampala and Entebbe, as part of its return to the market.
Jambojet Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Karanja Ndegwa who was speaking during stakeholders breakfast meeting at Sheraton hotel in Kampala, said the airline first entered the Ugandan market in 2018 but suspended operations following the outbreak of COVID-19. He said the return is intended to provide customers with a reliable, safe and affordable air travel option while strengthening business, tourism and people-to-people connections between Uganda and Kenya.
According to Ndegwa, fares will start from $170, with the airline seeking to make air travel more accessible while growing the market rather than simply competing for existing passengers.
He said there is significant potential for travel between the two countries, driven by business, family visits and tourism. Kenyan travellers can use the service to access Uganda’s attractions, including its gorilla and chimpanzee tourism, while Ugandans can more easily travel to Kenya’s coastal destinations and other tourist sites.
Jambojet will initially operate one flight a day, with the airline expected to review the frequency and capacity depending on passenger demand. Ndegwa thanked the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, the Uganda Tourism Board and the Uganda Association of Travel Agents for their cooperation in facilitating the airline’s return, stressing the importance of partnerships in expanding air connectivity.
Uganda Tourism Board Board Chairperson Pearl Hoareau Kakooza welcomed Jambojet’s return, describing the development as an important boost to Uganda’s air connectivity and tourism sector.
Kakooza said improved air connectivity plays a major role in facilitating investment, trade and tourism, noting that Uganda and Kenya have strong historical, economic and social ties and are among each other’s important source markets. She said the new connection would create opportunities for travel agents in both countries to develop tourism packages targeting travellers from Uganda and Kenya.
Kakooza highlighted Uganda’s tourism attractions, including the source of the River Nile, mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, cultural heritage, sports tourism, coffee tourism and agri-tourism, as opportunities that can be marketed to Kenyan travellers.
She also pointed to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, as a major opportunity for the new air connection to support sports tourism.
The flights are expected to facilitate travel for football fans, players, sponsors and other visitors moving between the three host countries during the tournament.
Kakooza, however, said the growth in regional travel should continue beyond AFCON 2027, arguing that increased exposure to air travel could encourage more people to continue travelling within the region after the tournament.
She also encouraged Jambojet to consider introducing domestic flights within Uganda as part of its future expansion strategy, citing what she described as a strong appetite for domestic air travel.
Kakooza further urged Ugandans and Kenyans to take advantage of the improved connectivity to explore each other’s countries, saying increased regional and intra-African travel would strengthen cultural, social and economic ties.
She said Uganda’s diverse cultural heritage, wildlife, agriculture and tourism products provide numerous opportunities for Kenyan visitors, while Ugandans can benefit from easier access to Kenya’s tourism destinations.
Jambojet’s return is therefore expected to strengthen the movement of people and goods between Uganda and Kenya while giving travellers another option for regional air transport.
The airline’s initial daily service will provide a direct link between Entebbe and Nairobi, with future capacity expected to be adjusted according to demand.
Jambojet said its focus will be on reliability, safety and affordability as it seeks to rebuild its presence in Uganda and contribute to the expansion of the regional aviation and tourism market.
