Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA): Q1 2026 Airport Capacity Analysis

Introduction.

In the first quarter of 2026, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport—Kenya’s primary international gateway—recorded a total of 2,364,237 airline seats, translating to an average of approximately 26,269 daily seats. This performance underscores the airport’s continued role as a key regional hub in East Africa. January led the quarter with 887,852 seats, followed by February (747,459 seats) and March (728,926 seats), reflecting a gradual softening of capacity as the quarter progressed.

Daily capacity trends reveal that 4 January recorded the highest seat volume at 33,958 seats, closely followed by 2 January, indicative of strong early-year demand. In contrast, 17 February registered the lowest daily capacity at 14,900 seats, largely due to operational disruptions caused by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) strike. March operations also trended below the quarterly daily average, influenced by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which impacted key routes—particularly to the UAE and Qatar—resulting in reduced frequencies and cautious capacity deployment by airlines.

Network Structure and Market Segmentation.