BUSINESS

Kenya Airways Expands To 88 Cities Through Delta Air Lines Codeshare Deal

KALU MENGOAug 8, 2023824

Signing Ceremony Delta Air Lines KQ_code share

Perry Cantarutti, SVP Alliances Delta; Alain Bellemare, President International Delta join Peter Carter Executive Vice President External Affairs Delta and Allan Kilavuka, Group MD & CEO Kenya Airways during the partnership announcement as Julius Thairu, Chief Commercial & Customer Officer KQ, and Michael Joseph, chairman Kenya Airways, look on.

Kenya Airways PLC (KQ) and Delta Air Lines (DL) have expanded their strategic partnership with inclusion of Kenya Airways nonstop Nairobi to New York service effective 5^th August 2023. KQ currently operates a daily service connecting Nairobi to New York, the only nonstop flight from East Africa to America.

This offers customers additional travel options within the US and increased flying opportunities in Africa. It has increased travel options to more than 31 destinations in Africa and 57 cities across the US and Canada, giving KQ access to 88 more destinations.

Apart from enjoying the benefit of having the most direct route and wider connectivity options between KQ and DL operated flights, frequent flyer customers of Kenya Airways Asante Rewards or Delta’s SkyMiles programme will also earn miles on the services.

Commenting on the expanded codeshare, Mr Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways Plc Group MD and CEO said the partnership is significant as it will enhance connectivity between US and Africa and offer the KQ product directly through its American Partner. “Kenya Airways prides itself in connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa,” Mr Kilavuka says.

The expansion of the codeshare is historic as it not only allows KQ to expand its footprint in the US, but also significant because it provides seamless connectivity on a single ticket into the US while giving seamless connectivity to those visiting Africa through JFK and KQ’s hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.

Mr Alain Bellemare, Delta’s President International said: “At a time when we are seeing unprecedented demand for travel between North America and Africa, expanding our strategic partnership with Kenya Airways offers our customers more travel options as well as supports our priority to deepen our presence across the African continent.”.

KQ currently offers daily flights from Nairobi, Kenya, to the US via JFK Airport in New York. Delta has been operating nonstop service between Africa to the United States since 2006. Delta currently operates flights from Accra, Ghana; Dakar, Senegal; Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa; and Lagos, Nigeria.

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