FLYING 2 TIMES DAILY, DISCOVER MUMBAI WITH KENYA AIRWAYS

The enchanting Mumbai awaits! Popular for both leisure and business, Mumbai is a rare gem. Business men/women travel for trade, students for school, families for reconnections or medical assistance, and tourists for the many wonders it has to offer. 

From as low as $430 and with 14 weekly flights available between Nairobi and Mumbai, Kenya Airways has made travel easier and convenient. KQ now has two (2) daily flights operating on the Boeing B737-8. This means there is ample capacity for both cargo and passengers.

The best thing is, the flight schedule also allows for seamless onward connections to and from other destinations like Johannesburg (JNB), Lagos (LOS), Monrovia (ROB)  and Freetown (FNA)

Flight Schedule:

MUMBAI TO NAIROBI
 DayFlight NoDepartArrive
BOM-NBODailyKQ20302:4006:35
BOM-NBODailyKQ20506:4510:30
NAIROBI TO MUMBAI
 DayFlight NoDepartArrive
NBO-BOMDailyKQ20216:4501:30+1
NBO-BOMDailyKQ20420:5005:35+1

So next time you want to travel to or from Mumbai, choose comfort, convenience and authentic African hospitality on Kenya Airways.

Enjoy The Convenience Of One Ticket To Jeddah From Kenya Airways Network.

Travelling to and from the Gulf just got easier with Kenya Airways! KQ has partnered with Saudia Airlines (SV) to facilitate seamless travel for guests looking for a convenient option as they explore Jeddah for leisure or business.

With just one ticket, guests can now travel to Jeddah from Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret and Mogadishu with a connection through Dubai. On the other hand, travelers from Jeddah can fly to Nairobi as well as Accra and Entebe via Nairobi. Travelers from other parts of KQ’s Africa network can also enjoy the same seamless connectivity as this partnership provides a gateway into and out of the Gulf region and serves as a critical connection to Africa for the Gulf. This partnership affirms KQs commitment to connecting people, cultures and markets by providing guests with more connectivity options, itinerary flexibilityand affordable rates.

The Different Ways to Earn Kenya Airways Asante Rewards Points

In June 2023, over 46 years since its formation, Kenya Airways rolled out Asante Rewards, its much-anticipated loyalty program. Prior to that, Kenya Airways customers were invited to join Air-France-KLM’s Flying Blue frequent flyer program as part of their long-standing partnership.

Asante Rewards was designed with the African market and dynamics in mind. It was created after several years of research and customer feedback to offer loyal passengers more rewards and exclusive benefits. While Asante is not as extensive as programs from other legacy carriers, there are several ways to earn reward points, including flying and non-flying activities. So, let us explore how the loyalty program works.

Earning Asante Reward points

Customers have a chance to earn both reward and tier points. As a SkyTeam member, Kenya Airways allows members to earn points on its own flights or when traveling with some of its alliance partners. Reward points are redeemable for flights and added benefits, while tier points help with progression from one tier to another.

Asante Rewards members can earn points each time they travel on Kenya Airways-operated flights. The carrier breaks it down into three simple steps – fly, earn, and redeem. The more you fly, the faster you move between tiers and unlock additional benefits. Asante members can receive points on all qualifying Kenya Airways fares and products. However, the number of points earned depends on the passenger’s destination, fare type, and travel class.

 The Nairobi-based carrier offers two classes of travel – economy and business, with four booking classes in economy and three in business. Each booking class offers a different percentage of earnings, with Economy Best Buy as the lowest and Business Super Flex as the highest. The highest amount to be earned on domestic flights is 1,000 points at a rate of 200%.

For travel between Kenya and other African countries, passengers can earn up to 8,000 points depending on travel class and the destination. For example, Economy Standard passengers flying to South Africa can earn up to 1,500 points, while Business Super Flex customers flying to Senegal, Liberia, or Sierra Leone can earn as much as 8,000 points.

 Kenya Airways’ intercontinental routes have the highest earnings potential. A passenger flying to or from the US can earn 16,000 Asante Rewards Points when traveling in the most elite class. However, the Kenyan carrier only flies to New York (JFK) in the US.

According to KQ, points will be reflected in a member’s account within 24 hours after a flight. Members are also allowed family pooling to accrue points faster, with each household account taking up to eight members. While children under 18 cannot hold individual accounts, anyone between 2 and 18 years can be enrolled in the household account.

Earning points with partners

Asante Rewards customers have an opportunity to earn through Kenya Airways’ airline and non-airline partners. Just like other loyalty programs, points can also be earned without flying. The carrier has two hotel partners: Pride Inn and Serena Hotels. Both hotels offer a chance to earn points as well as discounts on food, beverages, and accommodation.

Depending on the booking class, members can earn tier points and qualifying flights when traveling with Air France. This includes flights with the AF code operated by Air France, Kenya Airways or SkyTeam carriers (except KLM), and Air France Hop. It also includes Hop flights with airline numbers in the SkyTeam alliance. Frequent flyers can earn a minimum of 500 points for every sector flown.

Similarly, members can earn tier points and qualifying flights on KLM services to and from various destinations. This includes flights with the KL code, operated by KLM, Kenya Airways or other SkyTeam airlines (excluding Air France), and KLM Cityhopper. You can also earn points when traveling on KLM City Hopper flights with flight numbers from other SkyTeam members. Each sector offers at least 500 points.

With the ongoing partnership between the three carriers, customers who were part of other frequent flyer programs were welcomed to enroll in Asante Rewards. Kenya Airways provides status match, allowing Flying Blue members to retain their tier levels.

The various tiers and benefits

The amount of points to be earned also depends on the membership tier. Asante Rewards comprises four tiers: Ruby, Silver, Gold Elite Plus, and Platinum Elite Plus, with Ruby being the lowest. The bonus points have the following percentages:

Ruby: None

Silver Elite: 50%

Gold Elite Plus: 75%

Platinum Elite Plus: 100%

Kenya Airways grants 1,000 enrolment points in the Ruby tier after your first flight. Following that, 20,000 tier points or 15 sectors will be required to qualify for the Silver Tier, 40,000 points or 30 sectors for Gold, and 65,000 points or 60 sectors for Platinum. All sectors are for flights operated by KQ or its SkyTeam partners.

Each tier also provides different benefits, like preferred seating, extra baggage allowance, Sky Priority, elite Plus recognition, priority check-in, priority boarding, and lounge access. However, all members get dedicated phone line service and promotional airline discounts. Furthermore, points in all tiers expire after 24 months of inactivity.

From March 2024, Asante members with at least 7,000 points can redeem them for an award ticket to any domestic destination, while those with at least 9,000 points can acquire a ticket to any international destination. It is important to note that applicable charges, surcharges, and government charges still apply to Kenya Airways award tickets. Additionally, you cannot earn points when traveling with an award ticket.

Source: Simple Flying

KQ To Increase New York Flights To Nine Per Week During Summer

Kenya Airways (KQ) has increased its weekly flights to New York City in the United States from seven to nine in a bid to cater for travel demand and boost tourism during the summer.

In a statement on Thursday night, KQ announced that two additional flights would be introduced beginning June 15, 2024, to September 28, 2024.

The airline noted that the move came following a partnership with the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) which will be marked through a roadshow next week in New York, Boston, and Toronto cities in the US.

“KQ has partnered with the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) to strategically position Kenya as a tourist destination in North America through a trade roadshow. The roadshow, scheduled to take place from 19th-21st March 2024 in New York, Boston, and Toronto, aims to showcase Kenya and stimulate travel demand for the country,” read the statement.

“To complement the growing appetite for travel to Kenya, Kenya Airways has introduced two (2) additional flights on the New York route between 15th June 2024 to 28th September 2024, covering the summer peak season.”

Kenya Airways said the two new flights introduced would also offer travellers in New York an addition of two trips a day (morning and afternoon) on Thursday and Saturday only.

Similarly, following the introduction of a direct route between New York and Nairobi in 2018, KQ says the new schedule will also provide guests with a ‘unique, convenient same-day arrival flight option where one can depart from Nairobi in the morning and arrive in New York in the afternoon.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife projections, the new move will boost international tourist arrivals by 825,000 annually. In 2023, the ministry says international tourist arrivals into Kenya hit 1.75 million in 2023, up from 1.48 million recorded in 2022.

Source: Citizen Digital