Qatar Airways and Kenya Airways have reached a new strategic milestone in their cooperation with the launch of codeshare flights linking Africa, the Middle East and Asia. This expanded partnership, which already covers 19 destinations and is expected to grow further in the near future, illustrates the acceleration of South–South alliances in air transport and confirms the central role of Nairobi and Doha as major intercontinental hubs.
Qatar Airways and Kenya Airways have announced the official launch of codeshare flights, marking a major step forward in their strategic partnership aimed at strengthening connectivity between Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Under this agreement, Kenya Airways customers can now book codeshare flights between Nairobi and Doha, as well as onward connections to ten international destinations served via Hamad International Airport, one of the world’s most efficient aviation hubs.
This partnership will significantly enhance connectivity across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, expanding our flight offerings and opening up a world of new destinations for our customers
For its part, Qatar Airways now offers its passengers access to eight additional destinations across the Kenya Airways network, via its three daily flights operating between Doha and Nairobi. “We are pleased with the significant progress made in just a few months since the partnership initiated with Kenya Airways. This enhancement is a testament of the collaborative efforts which further strengthens our presence in Kenya and the African continent. The recent addition of a third daily flight to Nairobi also reflects the strong demand for reliable and seamless connectivity,” said Thierry Antinori, Chief Commercial Officer of Qatar Airways.
Accelerating African connectivity
This announcement is part of Qatar Airways’ strategy to consolidate its expansion across the African continent, where the airline already serves more than 30 destinations in a high-growth market. Through this partnership, passengers from more than 170 destinations worldwide on the Qatar Airways network now benefit from simplified access to key African cities operated by Kenya Airways, including Lilongwe (Malawi), Livingstone and Ndola (Zambia), Juba (South Sudan), Nampula (Mozambique) and Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe).
For Kenya Airways, whose Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta hub serves more than 40 destinations, this alliance represents a key lever to strengthen its international positioning and capture new passenger flows from East Africa.
“We are excited to embark on this new chapter of our partnership with Qatar Airways. This alliance will significantly enhance connectivity across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, expanding our offering and opening up the world to our customers. We are committed to providing easy access to multiple destinations, with improved connectivity and a seamless travel experience,” said Julius Thairu, Chief Commercial and Customer Officer of Kenya Airways.
Doha, a strategic hub towards Asia
Thanks to this cooperation, Kenya Airways passengers can now connect to ten key destinations in Asia and the Middle East via Doha, including Bahrain, Colombo, Islamabad, Karachi, Malé, Singapore and Tokyo Narita. Hamad International Airport, voted “Best Airport in the Middle East” for 11 consecutive years, is thus consolidating its position as a central platform linking Africa to major Asian markets.
Cooperation beyond passenger traffic
Beyond passenger transport, the partnership between the two airlines also covers strategic areas such as airport operations, premium lounges, sustainability initiatives, procurement, network development, air cargo, as well as aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul. Members of Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club loyalty programme will also be able to earn Avios on codeshare flights operated by Kenya Airways, further enhancing the value proposition for frequent travellers.
At a time when African air traffic is experiencing a strong recovery and demand for smooth intercontinental connections is accelerating, this alliance illustrates the growing importance of partnerships directly linking Africa to the Middle East, without transiting through traditional European hubs.
