How to survive a Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Airport layover

Last updated November 4th, 2023.

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I’ve spent whole days of my life at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport awaiting a connecting flight. So I’ve got one of Africa’s most important hub airports pretty much sussed. What can you expect from Kenya’s main international airport? How nice is Nairobi airport? I’ve got all the information you’ll ever need right here.

Where is Jomo Kenyatta Airport located?

As its three-letter code NBO suggests, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is located on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital. It lies southeast of Nairobi’s Central Business District, approximately 40 minutes (15 km / 9 miles) away by road, dependent on traffic.

Jomo Kenyatta is one of two airports in Nairobi. The second is Wilson Airport, which also lies south of the Central Business District. That said, it still takes around 40 minutes to travel between airports by road.

Wilson Airport is primarily used for domestic flights, while Jomo Kenyatta Airport is Nairobi’s international hub. However, you can catch flights to Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro International Airport (outside of Arusha) from Wilson Airport. For pretty much all other international flights, head to Jomo Kenyatta Airport.

Is Nairobi airport big?

Jomo Kenyatta International (JKIA) has a current capacity of around 2.5 million passengers a year. For comparison, nearly 81 million passengers passed through London’s Heathrow Airport in 2019 (a pre-pandemic record).

JKIA is designated a category one airport, one of just a handful in Africa. It’s able to handle flights from across the globe, including direct Kenya-US flights. Airlines operating regularly out of Jomo Kenyatta Airport include Kenya Airways, British Airways, Air France, Emirates, and Turkish Airlines.

Although relatively large, you don’t really need a Nairobi airport map to get around, with most gates just a five-minute walk from one another. You’re more than likely to find yourself in either terminal 1A or 1B.

They form part of a semi-circular building with terminals 1C-1E, although I think it feels more like one long straight building due to the way the interconnecting terminals are laid out internally. From terminal 1A, a dog-legged corridor (which looks a bit like a dead end) leads to terminal 1B. Terminal 2, for low-cost carriers, is in a separate building.

In my experience, terminal 1B is quieter (and nicer) than terminal 1A, and it’s fine to stay here even if you’re departing from terminal 1A. Both are open 24 hours a day. Both can also get a little hot during the middle of the day. Additionally, I’ve found mosquitos a bit of an issue in the past.

Facilities at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

It’s easy to find seating in terminal 1B, alongside sun lounger style chairs for sleeping. There are also various points for charging electronics via USB, three-pin UK-style plugs, and major international plug types. Head into terminal 1B from 1A, and you’ll find small nooks on the right-hand side which are perfect as work booths.

There’s the usual array of airport time-fillers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. These include a duty-free store, myriad souvenir stalls, a couple of bookshops, and a spa. There’s a transfer desk if you need more information or to check in for a connecting flight (this is normally now done from your departure airport), somewhere to buy a local SIM card, and an entire alleyway of ATMs for various banks. Almost all the stores accept Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards.

The food and drink options at Jomo Kenyatta are good too. I’d recommend the various Java Bean outlets for coffee, cake, and hot drinks. Meanwhile, Tembo does a great job of international fayre (pizza, pasta, burgers) at respectable prices. On my last visit to Tembo at Jomo Kenyatta airport I had a pizza and pint of Tusker lager for less than £10 ($12). However, there is no water fountain and there isn’t anywhere to fill up a water bottle, while any liquids you bring with you will likely be taken off you at security.

There’s good-speed free Wifi throughout the terminal buildings, and a pharmacy (terminal 1B) should you need one too.

Getting to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

The easiest way of getting to or from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is by taxi. It’s not the cheapest transport option, at around $40, but if there’s more than one person, taxis do start to look better value for money. Use an official taxi company. They have desks in the arrivals hall which take the stress out of paying and haggling outside.

The cheapest way of getting to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is by bus. Bus number 34 (also called 34J) runs from Nairobi bus station to the airport roughly every 20 minutes. But it only operates on weekdays, and between 6am and 9pm.

The journey by bus to Jomo Kenyatta airport takes about an hour, and costs the equivalent in Kenya Shillings of $0.50 (currently about 75KES). At the airport, you’ll find the bus stop for line 34 between terminals 1B and 1C.

There is also a train service between Nairobi and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, run by JKIA Express. However, since no rail line reaches the airport, it requires a journey from Nairobi central rail station to Embakasi Village train station, north of the airport.

This takes around 25 minutes. It’s then another 15 minutes by bus to the airport terminal building as you have to circle the runway. This makes the train to Nairobi airport frankly more hassle then it’s worth. It’s also more expensive (total cost around $1.50) than the bus direct from central Nairobi.

If you’re staying overnight in Nairobi, most higher-end hotels provide a hotel shuttle to and from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Shuttles are rarely included in the room price. They cost about the same as the taxi journey.

How to spend a layover at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

There are a very good range of hotels in central Nairobi and near Jomo Kenyatta Airport should you decide to break up your journey. The closest is the top-rated Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Airport. It basically sits beside the terminal buildings and close to the Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport. For some reason, the area immediately north of the airport has a ridiculous number of malls too.

If you’ve a connection time which doesn’t make it worthwhile leaving the airport, but you’re looking for a little peace and quiet, Jomo Kenyatta has its fair share of lounges. They cost anywhere from $40-100 depending on which you choose and during what time of day. The pricier peak period is generally evening into night.

For that money you’ll get the standard airport lounge experience of complimentary food and drink in relaxed surrounds. The Aspire Lounge is probably the best of the bunch. Open to passengers of all airlines, it has the advantage of being open 24 hours a day to walk-in customers. Stays at all lounges are usually limited to three hours before departure, although staff rarely check.

Layover tours from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

If you’re layover is during the day, I think it’s hard to resist the temptation to leave the airport entirely on a Jomo Kenyatta layover tour. To do so, you’ll first need to get a transit visa. They have to be arranged ahead of time, but can be done online (this is the official Kenya evisa website). Getting one grants you 72 hours in Kenya, assuming you’ve already got a connecting flight booked. You don’t need a transit visa to await a connection in the airport.

It usually takes only a few minutes to clear immigration, but remember you’ll need to go through security again when you return to the airport. You will also have to think about whether you’ll need anything from your checked in bags, since you won’t be picking them up for your transit.

With a layover of six hours, I can’t think of anywhere better to head than Nairobi National Park. It lies immediately south of Jomo Kenyatta Airport, so you won’t waste a lot of time travelling. It blends sightings of giraffe, lion, hippo, and more than 100 black rhino with the city skyline. The only large animal absent from the park is elephant.

With a bit longer, you can tag on a tour of Kenya’s famous Giraffe Centre. Alternatively, take in some of Nairobi’s hidden gems – one of my favourite things to do in Kenya before heading back to the airport.

What’s it like at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport?

If I’m going to spend time on a connection at any airport in Africa, I’m happy if its Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta. Rarely is it a struggle to find a seat, there’s free public wifi, and the food on offer is not only of descent quality but also well-priced. What’s more, a host of layover tours mean you can see everything from Nairobi’s markets to endangered species while awaiting your flight!