Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
Nairobi, KenyaNBO / HKJK
International hub · 21 direct destinations · 1 runway · longest runway 13,507 ft
73 °F · CloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
Nairobi → Cape Town
NBO
NairobiJomo Kenyatta International Airport
NairobiJomo Kenyatta International AirportCPT
Cape TownCape Town International Airport
Cape TownCape Town International Airport- Distance
- 2,548 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~5h 40m
Cape Town is currently 1 hour behind Nairobi.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
Daily at most
On average around 1 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 1
- flights per day
- 1
- busiest month · Oct
- 6 hr 21 min
- measured flight time
- 12 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- 1Jan2026
- 1Feb
- 1Mar
- 1Apr
- 1May
- 1Jun
- 1Jul
- 1Aug
- 1Sep
- 1Oct2025
- 1Nov
- 1Dec
In March 2026 we saw less traffic at Nairobi in general than usual; compare that month with care.
Airlines
Who flies it
Kenya Airwaysall year
Rotana Jetnow and then
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in Nairobi. Most departures between 07:00 and 10:00.
- 00:00
- 01:00
- 02:00
- 03:00
- 04:00
- 05:00
- 06:00
- 07:00
- 08:00
- 09:00
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 12:00
- 13:00
- 14:00
- 15:00
- 16:00
- 17:00
- 18:00
- 19:00
- 20:00
- 21:00
- 22:00
- 23:00
Through the week
By weekday
- 0.5Mon
- 0.5Tue
- 1Wed
- 0.5Thu
- 0.4Fri
- 0.6Sat
- 0.6Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Boeing 737-800B73878%
- Embraer 190E19013%
- Boeing 787-8B7884%
- Bombardier Challenger 600CL601%
- Bombardier Global ExpressGLEX1%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 1 | 14 |
|
| February 2026 | 1 | 25 |
|
| March 2026 | 1 | 21 |
|
| April 2026 | 1 | 27 |
|
| May 2026 | 1 | 20 |
|
| June 2026 | 1 | 16 |
|
| July 2026 | 1 | 19 |
|
| August 2026 | 1 | 23 |
|
| September 2026 | 1 | 23 |
|
| October 2025 | 1 | 9 |
|
| November 2025 | 1 | 4 |
|
| December 2025 | 1 | 11 |
|
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on NBO-CPT - not a booking guarantee.
About this route
- International route: Nairobi and Cape Town are in different countries.
- The 10th longest observed direct route from NBO, out of 21.
- The opposite direction has also been observed as a direct connection.
- Direct destinations observed from Nairobi: 21.
- Direct destinations observed from Cape Town: 9.
The airports on this route
Cape Town International Airport
Cape Town, South AfricaCPT / FACT
Major airport · 9 direct destinations · 2 runways · longest runway 10,502 ft
68 °F · ClearSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
About the route from Nairobi to Cape Town
The observed direct connection between Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) covers approximately 2,548 mi. The estimated flight time is around 5h 40m. Kenya Airways and Rotana Jet have been observed on this connection in the available route data.
Frequently asked questions about this route
- How far is Nairobi from Cape Town by air?
- The great-circle distance between Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Cape Town International Airport is approximately 2,548 mi.
- How long is the flight from Nairobi to Cape Town?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 5h 40m. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from Nairobi to Cape Town?
- Yes, a direct connection between NBO and CPT has been observed in our route data.
- Which airlines have been observed on this route?
- In the available route data: Kenya Airways and Rotana Jet.
- How often is there a flight from Nairobi to Cape Town?
- On average around 1 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 212 observed flights. Mainly Kenya Airways, Rotana Jet. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between Nairobi and Cape Town?
- Cape Town is currently 1 hour behind Nairobi.
Where this data comes from
The route data comes from the flight archive (ADS-B, adsb.lol): which connections actually flew over the last twelve full months and who flew them, combined with our own airport, runway, and airline datasets. It is reference data about observed routes - not a current timetable and no claim about bookability.
The frequency and aircraft on this page come from the flight archive (ADS-B, 12 months, October 2025 to September 2026), summarized per route per month. We do not see every flight, so it is a floor, not a count.
Route data updated on October 11, 2026.