Skyward Airlines has launched direct scheduled flights between Nairobi and Garissa, opening a new air link to northeastern Kenya and promising faster access for travellers, businesses, investors and tourists.
The service, launched on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, will operate four times a week; on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, from Wilson Airport.
The airline said fares will start from Sh9,000, with flights departing Nairobi at 11 am and arriving in Garissa at 11:50 am.
The 50-minute journey offers a significant reduction from road travel. Garissa Governor Nathif Jama Adam said residents previously spent about 12 hours travelling between Garissa and Nairobi, before road travel times gradually improved.
“Those days you used to take 12 hours to travel from Garissa to Nairobi. Now it would take you only 45 to 50 minutes,” he said.
Governor Nathif welcomed Skyward’s investment, saying Garissa had the capacity to support increased air services and calling for the development of a modern tourism circuit linking the county with other destinations.
The governor also maintained that the county was exploring tourism opportunities, including a proposed giraffe resort and attractions featuring reticulated giraffes and the endangered hirola antelope.
He said the county wanted to attract tourists, doctors, businesses and visitors from across the region.
Former Garissa Governor Ali Korane also welcomed the route, describing improved air connectivity as an opportunity to stimulate development and save families and businesses the burden of lengthy journeys.
The launch was also attended by Wajir East MP Aden Daud, Balambala MP Major (Rtd) Dekow Barrow Mohamed, Garissa Township MP Iman Dekow, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, Kenya Association of Air Operators chief executive officer Engineer Liz Aluvanze and Skyward Airlines chairman Captain Mohamed M. Abdi.
In a speech read on her behalf, State Department for Aviation and Aerospace Principal Secretary Teresia Mbaika said the new route would strengthen connections between Nairobi, Kenya’s economic hub, and Garissa, an important administrative and commercial centre in northeastern Kenya.
“Air connectivity is not merely about moving passengers from one destination to another. It is about bringing people, businesses, and communities closer together. It is about opening opportunities for economic growth, investment, trade, education, healthcare, tourism, and social development,” Mbaika said.
She said the government remained committed to expanding aviation infrastructure and integrating underserved destinations into the national transport network.
Skyward Airlines Chief Executive Officer Diana Nyambura said the route would help bridge Kenya’s connectivity gap and support inclusive growth.
“The launch of Garissa route is a significant milestone in our commitment to connecting every corner of Kenya.” She stated.
The airline said the service would also facilitate movement of goods and time-sensitive cargo between Nairobi and Garissa.
Skyward’s published network currently lists more than 20 destinations and advertises daily flights on several domestic routes, although Garissa was not yet listed on its main online destinations page when checked.
The new route therefore adds a dedicated four-times-weekly service to the airline’s expanding domestic network, providing Garissa residents with direct access to Nairobi and onward connections through Wilson Airport.