Kenya Airways direct flights to Gatwick International Airport (LGW) is the latest route addition by the Kenyan carrier in the UK. KQ’s direct flights initially served travellers from its main hub, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
With the latest route addition, passengers flying from South East England to Kenya and vice versa will now find it easier. The Gatwick-bound KQ flights from Nairobi will commence in July 2025.
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Why is Kenya Airways Direct Flights to Gatwick Important?
KQ CEO Allan Kilavuka in a statement termed the recent development a step in the right direction for the airline. Kenya Airways direct flights to Gatwick align with its goals to grow trade between Kenya and the UK. Kilavuka was more elated about the convenience that the new route will offer passengers flying to or from Nairobi. He noted that the UK remains a strategic partner to Kenya in different sectors all of which boost the Kenyan economy. Among them are:
- Tourism
- Business
- Trade
KQ CEO Allan Kilavuka in a statement termed the recent development a step in the right direction for the airline. Kenya Airways direct flights to Gatwick align with its goals to grow trade between Kenya and the UK. Photo/The Informer
He added that this is just the start of many more direct flights from Nairobi to major airports in the UK. The Kenya Airways Group Managing Director revealed that the airline is focusing on a profitable expansion in the UK aviation market by giving passengers convenient travel options.
Gatwick International Airport is located in the Southeast of England and South of Central London. It mainly serves passengers from West Sussex, Croydon and Brighton. Currently, passengers from the Southeast flying to Kenya have to travel to Central London for a connecting flight from Heathrow to Nairobi.
On the contrary, Heathrow International Airport located in Central London is busier because it serves a wider region including:
- Greater London (Central London, Westminster, Chelsea, Camden and Kensington)
- Buckinghamshire
- Berkshire Surrey
- Windsor
- Bristol
- Bath
- Midlands (Coventry and Birmingham cities)
How Many Direct Nairobi to Gatwick Direct Flights?
There will be three weekly flights between JKIA and Gatwick International Airport starting July 2, 2025. They will be on Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday. Nairobi will operate a total of 10 weekly flights to London with the inclusion of Nairobi-Heathrow flights. Below is a representation of the flight schedule for Kenya Airways direct flights to Gatwick and Heathrow International Airports respectively.
A summary of Kenya Airways’ weekly direct flights to Heathrow International Airport and Gatwick International Airport.
| Flight Designation | Flight Number | Departure Day | Departure Time | Arrival to Gatwick/Heathrow |
| JKIA – Gatwick International Airport | KQ 108 | Wednesday | 23:45 Hrs | 06:55 Hrs |
| JKIA – Gatwick International Airport | KQ 108 | Friday | 23:40 Hrs | 06:50 Hrs |
| JKIA – Gatwick International Airport | KQ 108 | Sunday | 23:40 Hrs | 06:50 Hrs |
| JKIA – Heathrow International Airport | KQ 109 | Monday | 12:10 Hrs | 23:05 Hrs |
| JKIA – Heathrow International Airport | KQ 109 | Thursday | 11:00 Hrs | 21:55 Hrs |
| JKIA – Heathrow International Airport | KQ 109 | Saturday | 12:25 Hrs | 23:20 Hrs |
Do We Have Direct Flights from Kenya to UK?
London Heathrow International Airport Terminal 2. Kenya Airways has been operating direct flights from Nairobi, Kenya to LHR since 2013. The Kenyan national carrier has launched a second direct flight route from its hub in Nairobi to Gatwick in South London. Photo/Travel +Leisure
KQ currently has direct flights to the UK. One is Kenya Airways direct flights to Gatwick International Airport (starting July 2025) operating three weekly flights. The other is JKIA – Heathrow International Airport also operates three flights each week. KQ started direct flights from Nairobi to Heathrow in 2013. Passenger demand between Kenya and the UK has increased in the last 11 years.
More passengers flew to Kenya for business and tourism. Leisure and business tourism, particularly, increased post the COVID-19 pandemic that peaked in 2020 and 2021 leaving the travel industry in tatters. With the growing passenger demand in the Kenya – UK route; KQ pulled a masterstroke move in with a second route destination from Nairobi to the UK.
How Many Hours is the flight from Kenya to London?
A flight London-bound direct flight from JKIA to Heathrow takes 8hrs 55 minutes to nine hours maximum. Kenya Airways direct flights to Gatwick take an average of nine hours. There are no flights between Heathrow and Gatwick since they are both in London, just 40 minutes away apart by road.
