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Cheap flights to Kenya from the USA: Nairobi and safari season
What round trips to Nairobi cost from US cities on November 2, 2026, the New York nonstop, migration season, and the eTA and health insurance you need before you fly.
Kenya changed its entry rules this autumn. Since October 5, 2026, every tourist has needed Kenyan health insurance as well as the eTA, and the US Embassy says travelers who arrive without it may not be let in. On October 19 the State Department also raised Kenya to Level 3. Both are covered below, after the fares.
What fares to Nairobi cost
Nearly every trip lands at Jomo Kenyatta International (NBO) in Nairobi. These are the round trips from US cities in our travel partner's fare data on November 2, 2026, for travel between November 2026 and mid-2027.
| From | Lowest seen | Typical | Month of lowest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | $763 | too few fares | Dec 2026 |
| New York | $833 | $967 | Nov 2026 |
| Atlanta | $1,038 | $1,070 | Mar 2027 |
| Chicago | $1,113 | $1,360 | Nov 2026 |
| Los Angeles | $1,152 | too few fares | Nov 2026 |
Lowest seen is the cheapest round trip we found from each city; typical is the middle of all the fares we found from it, shown where there were at least three. These are recently found prices in our travel partner's fare data on November 2, 2026, for travel between November 2026 and mid-2027. They are not live quotes and they change daily.
Dallas had the single lowest fare, $763, but too few fares to show a typical price. New York had the most, and its typical fare, $967, is the better guide to what you'll pay. Atlanta's lowest and typical fares were only $32 apart, so changing dates from there made little difference in this data.
The New York nonstop
Kenya Airways runs the only nonstop between the US and Kenya, from New York (JFK). The flight leaves in the evening and reaches Nairobi the next morning, about fourteen and a half hours later on the schedule, and flight-tracking data showed it running about five times a week this autumn. Other trips connect, usually in Europe, Istanbul, the Gulf or Addis Ababa, and the cheapest fares in our data had one stop each way.
Before you fly: eTA, insurance and passport
US citizens need an approved Electronic Travel Authorization from the official site, etakenya.go.ke. The site lists fees from $30, with $100 more for immediate processing, and says applications are usually processed in three days but should go in at least two weeks before you travel. It also asks for a passport with at least six months of validity and a blank page. Look-alike sites charge more, so check the address before you pay.
The newer requirement is health insurance. Since October 5, 2026, tourists have had to buy a Kenyan policy, either during the eTA application or on the government's eCitizen insurance page. It costs up to $44 per person, and each traveler needs a separate policy. The US Embassy's notice of October 16 says airlines have been asked to check policies before boarding and that travelers who arrive without one may not be granted entry. Transit passengers are exempt.
Health
The CDC says Kenya doesn't require a yellow fever certificate if you fly in directly from the US. It does recommend the vaccine for travelers aged 9 months and older going anywhere outside Nairobi city, the former North Eastern Province and most of the coast, which puts a Masai Mara safari in the recommended zone. For malaria tablets, see the CDC's Kenya page and a travel clinic several weeks before you go.
What the advisory says
On October 19, 2026, the State Department moved Kenya from Level 2 to Level 3, "Reconsider travel". According to the US Embassy's post on the change, it was made "due to health risks". The same day, the CDC posted a Level 1 "practice usual precautions" notice on Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease in Kenya, saying Kenya's Ministry of Health has confirmed an imported case and other linked cases in Nairobi. Separately, the advisory lists places not to go: Nairobi's Eastleigh and Kibera neighborhoods; Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Lamu and Tana River counties, except Tsavo National Park; Kilifi north of highway C103 and the coast north of Malindi; and parts of the far northwest and the Ethiopian border. Neither the Masai Mara nor Amboseli is on that list, but Lamu, a well-known stop on the coast, is.
Before you book, read the embassy's alerts page. This year it has covered several protests in Nairobi and an aviation workers' strike that delayed departures from the main airport in late August.
Safari season and the rains
Kenya's main dry season runs from about late June to October and overlaps with the wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara. Magical Kenya, the national tourism board, puts the most dramatic part of the migration from July to October. Lodges for those months book up first, so secure the lodge before the flight.
The Kenya Meteorological Department calls March to May the long rains and October to December the short rains. Its outlook for late 2026 expects above-average rain in Nairobi and in Narok County, which includes the Mara, so a safari this November or December may be a wet one. The rainy months bring lower lodge prices, though some camps close.
From Nairobi to the parks
Small planes to the Masai Mara and other safari airstrips usually leave from Wilson Airport, across the city from the international airport. Leave a long gap between the two, or spend a night in Nairobi after the overnight flight from New York. By road, the Mara takes most of a day. Bush planes carry much smaller baggage allowances than long-haul flights, often in soft bags only, so check the limit before you pack.
If you'd rather have a specialist plan the parks, lodges and the flights between them, Go2Africa tailor-makes safaris in Kenya.
Quick answers
How much is a flight to Kenya from the USA?
In our travel partner's fare data on November 2, 2026, round trips to Nairobi started at $763 from Dallas and $833 from New York, where the typical fare was $967. Chicago and Los Angeles started at just over $1,100.
Is there a direct flight from the US to Kenya?
Yes. Kenya Airways flies nonstop from New York JFK to Nairobi, an overnight flight of about fourteen and a half hours that flight-tracking data showed running about five times a week this autumn. From other US cities you'll connect.
What do US citizens need to enter Kenya?
An approved eTA from etakenya.go.ke, a Kenyan health insurance policy for each traveler, which has been required since October 5, 2026, and a passport with at least six months of validity and a blank page.
When is the best time to go on safari in Kenya?
The dry season from about late June to October, when the wildebeest migration is usually in the Masai Mara. Kenya's tourism board puts the most dramatic part of it from July to October.
Is Kenya safe to visit?
The State Department raised Kenya to Level 3, "Reconsider travel", on October 19, 2026, citing health risks, and the CDC posted a Level 1 Ebola notice for Kenya the same day. It also says not to visit some areas, including Nairobi's Eastleigh and Kibera neighborhoods, Lamu County and the coast north of Malindi.
Before you book
- Pick your safari dates and lodge, then look for flights that fit them.
- Apply for the eTA on etakenya.go.ke at least two weeks before you fly.
- Buy Kenyan health insurance for every traveler, and keep the policy with your passport.
- Leave a long gap between landing at the international airport and any flight from Wilson.
- Check the bush-plane baggage limit before you pack.
Planning more of the region? Our guide to flights to South Africa covers the other big safari gateway, and our guide to cheap flights to Africa compares fares across the continent.
