Kenya’s budget airline Jambojet led African carriers in 2024 for the highest seat occupancy, achieving an average load factor of 80.4 percent across its flights. This metric, which measures the proportion of seats sold to paying passengers, is a key indicator of an airline’s efficiency and profitability.
The performance marks a slight improvement from 80.2 percent in 2023, allowing Jambojet to surpass competitors such as Air Mauritius, whose load factor declined to 79.8 percent from 82.9 percent, according to the Africa Airlines Association (Afraa).
“The highest average passenger load factors in 2024 among the top five Airlines were Jambojet at 80.4 percent, Air Mauritius at 79.8 percent, Nouvelair Tunisie at 78.4 percent, Royal Air Maroc at 77 percent and Kenya Airways at 75 percent,” Afraa said in its 2025 annual report released Monday.
In the previous year, Jambojet had ranked third behind Safair and Air Mauritius. Safair did not submit data for 2024 and was therefore excluded from the rankings.
The latest report, which included figures from 23 airlines, highlights the growing appeal of low-cost carriers across Africa, where high ticket prices and limited route options have historically constrained travel.
Jambojet commands approximately 52 percent of Kenya’s domestic air travel market, a share that reflects the country’s rising demand for affordable and accessible flights. The airline operates as a subsidiary of Kenya Airways and is based in Nairobi, serving both local and regional destinations.
Domestically, Jambojet flies to Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Malindi, Lamu, and Diani, while its regional network covers Zanzibar and Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 2024, the airline transported 1.257 million passengers, up 3.9 percent from the 1.209 million it carried in 2023. More than 98 percent of travelers were on domestic routes, while regional services carried 23,000 passengers, an increase from 15,000 the previous year.
Overall, Africa’s airline sector saw a decline in load factors, falling to 75 percent from 76.1 percent in 2023, even as the global average rose to 83.5 percent from 82 percent, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Jambojet’s strong performance translated into higher revenues, placing it among the few African airlines reporting net positive operating profits in 2024, based on Afraa disclosures.
Its parent, Kenya Airways, recorded a tax loss of Sh3.9 billion during the year, largely due to foreign exchange losses. Across the continent, only Kenya Airways, Ethiopian, and Skyward posted net positive earnings alongside Jambojet in 2024.
