Showing 5 Kenya Airways Flights from Addis Ababa - Starting at Just ₹35,423

  About Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia and is one of the most important cities in Africa. It is also the largest city in Ethiopia. The city is also considered as the political capital of Africa since it houses the headquarters of the African Union and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. It is situated in the foothills of Entoto Mountains and is one of the five highest capital cities of the world. Ethiopia is known for producing the best coffee in the world, and there's nothing better than actually flying to the country to try some. The city has a rich economic, scientific and political history and several museums that showcase these findings. In fact, you will also come across a museum that solely focuses on telling people how politics can make bad history. Not to mention, it is also a great place to go on a shopping spree for Ethiopian products, lots of coffee grounds and souvenirs. While Addis Ababa is not a popular vacation destination, a lot of travellers usually explore the city when they have a long layover. If you do not have any time constraints as such, you can definitely explore the city and be amazed at how it has progressed.

Best Time to Visit Addis Ababa

Ethiopia is called the Cradle of Mankind and is one of the best places to visit in Africa. January to March is a high season in Ethiopia. The temperature ranges from 10 to 24 degree Celsius with slight rainfalls. It doesn't rain as much in Addis Ababa, but it does in the other cities. Summer is the perfect time for you to spot wildlife like giraffes, wolves and ibex. You can also attend events like Timkat and Leddet in summer. Hiking in the Bale or Simien mountains is one of the only things that you will not be allowed to do in summer. Since this is high season, make sure you book your flight tickets to Addis Ababa in advance and book your hotels in Addis Ababa several weeks in advance. The prices begin to surge since the city welcomes a lot of tourists in this season.

April to September is a low tourist season in Addis Ababa since this is when the monsoon begins. The city can get pretty hot, sticky and uncomfortable in monsoon. While you might get cheap flight tickets to Addis Ababa in monsoon owing to the dip in tourism, it is best to postpone your trip. However, if you still visit the city in monsoon, you will be allowed to go sightseeing at certain parks like the Omo and Mago Valley, but the major attractions remain shut. The temperature ranges from 12 to 25 degree Celsius during summer. October to December is also summer in Addis Ababa, and the temperature ranges from 10 to 20 degree Celsius. However, it is still a shoulder season in the city where only a few tourists will be seen. The weather remains cooler as compared to the high season. October to December is also an ideal time to go hiking in the Simien mountains. You might come across some excellent flight deals to Addis Ababa online during the shoulder season. If you plan to visit any time between October and December, ensure that you make the most of this deal. You will also get great discounts at the hotel you will be staying in, or maybe you pick one that comes with a lot of offers.

Places to Visit in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa has a lot of museums that narrate the sad story of its past. The 'Red Terror' Martyrs Memorial Museum is one of those museums that will shake you. It recalls the terrible incidents that have taken place in the city and give you a perspective in life. The National Museum is yet another popular tourist attraction that you can visit. St George Cathedral and Museum and Holy Trinity Cathedral are few of the other popular spots in the city that you cannot miss. Head over to Merkato if you want to go on a shopping spree. Fair warning: It will be crowded so be prepared for it. You can also visit the Lion of Judah Monument that holds a lot of significant positions in the city. The Derg Monument is a reminder to the people of Addis Ababa about the pain and struggles that they went through during the communist rule. You can also roam around the Addis Ababa University and be amazed at the beautiful campus. You can also climb up the Entoto Mountain and catch the panoramic view of the city from up here. It can get pretty overwhelming. However, make sure that you are hiking up the hill during the right season. It is not safe to hike in the mountains during monsoon. You can also visit the Addis Ababa Museum, which was founded in 1986. The city has a lot of museums and historical landmarks that you cannot miss.

Things to do in Addis Ababa

You can catch the magnificent view of the entire city from Mount Entoto. Hiking in the forest of Eucalyptus trees sure does count as quite an adventure. You can also sign for a sightseeing tour covering all the museums in the city. Mercato is Africa's biggest open-air market, and you will buy everything from handmade baskets to spices at the market. It also has a separate section where shopkeepers sell second-hand items. Head over to Tomoca Coffee for the most refreshing cup of freshly brewed Ethiopian coffee in different flavours. You can also order for Macchiato, which is equally excellent. The Red Terror Martyrs Memorial Museum is a great place to learn more about Ethiopia's tragic past. If you want to go on a shopping spree for traditional clothes, you can try the Shiro Meda; it is near the US Embassy in Addis Ababa. The restaurants in the city have a very active dance and music scene along with delicious food. Make sure you do try some of that. You can also check out the statue of Emperor Menelik II, who was the founder of Addis Ababa.

Lagar Railway Station is yet another tourist attraction that you cannot miss. It is the first-ever railway station in the city, and its unique architecture is what makes it special. Medhane Alem Church at Bole District is one of the biggest Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Churches, and it is breathtakingly beautiful. Head over to check out the Tiglachin (Dreg) Monument, which stands as a reminder that Ethiopia was victorious over all of its invaders. You can also sign up for a food tour in the city and get to know more about the culinary speciality here.

Food and Restaurants in Addis Ababa

Ethiopian food is known for being spicy, and while it may not be as popular as European or Asian food worldwide, it is worth trying. If you are new to Ethiopian food, your first experience will be out of this world. Addis Ababa has a lot of restaurants that serve traditional Ethiopian food with music and dance. They also have a lot of restaurants that serve other cuisines from all over the world and cannot be missed. Totot is a restaurant that specialises in Ethiopian cuisine. Make sure you order the Kitfo here that melts in your mouth and is quite spicy. The restaurant is packed on weekends so make sure you reach the restaurant early, so you don't have to wait for a long time. Yod Abyssinia is yet another restaurant that reflects the country's food, dance and music culture. The decor of the place is unique, and it is also quite close to the airport. You can order the tibs, Shiro and Doro wat here along with kitfo. The Addis Ababa restaurant in Arada can be a little difficult to find, but it is completely worth it. A lot of locals believe that the food here tastes like homemade food.

How to reach Addis Ababa (Transportation)

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is about 6 km from the city centre. The flight connectivity to Addis Ababa from India is excellent. Ethiopian Airlines has direct flights to Addis Ababa from India. Egyptair, Kenya Airways and Emirates Airline also have flights to Addis Ababa with layovers at Cairo, Nairobi and Dubai. It might be difficult to get cheap flight tickets to Addis Ababa if you book at the last moment. If you book several weeks in advance, you might get exciting flight deals to Addis Ababa online that are worth exploring. It is quite convenient to get a cab or car rental service from the airport to your hotel. However, it is advisable to pre-book your cab online. You can also opt for an airport shuttle service that your hotel might offer. The airport also has premium lounges, restrooms and a lot of other services for the convenience of the passengers. The airport opened its first business class lounge in 2012, and they are also planning to add spas and another lounge soon.

  About Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways Ltd., or better known as Kenya Airways, is the national flag carrier of Kenya. The airline was founded in 1977 after the disbandment of the East African Airways. Kenya Airways' headquarters is in Embakasi, Nairobi and its hub is at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the international airport of Nairobi. The airline was initially owned by the Government of Kenya. However, with privatisation taking place, the airline became the first African flag carrier to transform into a private entity, in 1996 successfully. Currently, the airline follows a public-private partnership model with the Government of Kenya holding the largest share of about 48.9 per cent. Meanwhile, KQ Lenders Company 2017 Ltd., owns 38.1 per cent of the shares, followed by KLM, which holds a 7.8 per cent stake in the airline. The remaining shares of the company are held by private owners. Kenya Airways' shares are traded on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, Uganda Securities Exchange and Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange. In 2010, the airline became a part of the SkyTeam airline alliance. It is also a member of the African Airlines Association and has been part of the same since 1977.

Kenya Airways was established in 1977 by the government of Kenya following the subsequent dissolution of East African Airways. The airline leased two Boeing 707-321s from British Midland Airways to inaugurate operations. It served the international route of Nairobi-Frankfurt-London as its first operation. The carrier also started regional and domestic route functions by deploying aircraft that were formerly a part of East African Airways' fleet. These included one Douglas DC-9-52 and three Fokker F-27-200s. In the early years of the airline, Aer Lingus offered technical and management backing to enhance its operations. Following the airline's privatisation, Swissair became the first company to offer the airline with privatisation advice. In the financial year of 1993-94, Kenya Airways recorded its first profit since commercialisation. International Finance Corporation was brought into the picture in 1994 to help provide assistance in the transition of the airline's privatisation process. Following the privatisation, several major airline players such as Lufthansa, British Airways, South African Airways and KLM expressed interest in acquiring stakes in Kenya Airways.

Eventually, the privatisation of the company was awarded to the Dutch airline company KLM, which enabled restructuring of the debt model. The airline also purchased 26 per cent of the shares in Kenya Airways to become the largest shareholder. The airline was also listed in the stock exchange with shares floating about. Meanwhile, the Kenya Government continued to hold 23 percent of its stake in the airline. In 2013, the airline brought forth low-cost carrier Jambojet, a subsidiary, wholly owned by Kenya Airways. The company also introduced African Cargo Handling Limited as part of its subsidiaries. As of 2018, the former CEO of LOT Polish Airlines, Sebastian Mikosz, has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kenya Airways Group. The airline has also announced that they plan to start high-end flights to cater to luxury-tourism destinations across the Indian Ocean. They are also planning to collaborate with South African Airways for route-sharing and aircraft-maintenance. In 2005, the airline changed its livery from the four stripes that ran through the length of the fuselage to the company's slogan, Pride of Africa. Meanwhile, Kenya Airways' logo was also replaced with a stylised K and an encircled with a Q.

Fleet size of Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways has a fleet size of 40 with only Boeing aircraft and about 15 Embraer 190AR. Much of the fleet's aircraft include Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-8. As per recent developments, four of the converted Boeing 737-300s were delivered by the parent company to Kenya Airways in 2013. Kenya Airways aims to use this aircraft and fly to African routes which are currently being served by Embraer 190s. The plan is to boost the cargo capacity for the airline. In 2011, the airline had nine Boeing 787 Dreamliners on order. The company had considered cancelling the aircraft order owing to the consistent delays in delivery dates. Following the handover of its first Boeing 787 took place in 2014, following which, the airline introduced the Nairobi-Paris route. Eventually, Kenya Airways managed to phase out its Boeing 777 aircraft by 2015. There were several losses and debts incurred due to which the airline had to take such a step. They leased the Boeing 777-300ER fleet to Turkish Airlines in 2016 as a means to pay off some of the debts.

Baggage Allowance

The baggage allowance on Kenya Airways is standard compared to the other international airlines. The passenger is allowed to carry 32 kg per piece of baggage for business class. The weight should not exceed the weight as mentioned by the airline. Kenya Airways allows the purchase of extra baggage on its website as well as the check-in counter. As for passengers travelling in economy class, the weight of baggage should not exceed 23 kg per piece of baggage. The airline does allow a maximum of two pieces of baggage to both business and economy class ticket holders. There are provisions to purchase extra baggage, but even with the additional purchase, there are some exceptions. Details of the same can be received at the airline's website. Frequent flyer members who have a membership with SkyTeam get additional perks in terms of baggage allowance. Passengers can carry three instead of two pieces of baggage with the same weight and dimensions as set by the airline. Hand baggage rules are slightly different as the airline does not allow more than specific dimensions that have been stated for varied aircraft.

In-flight services

Kenya Airways promises exquisite in-flight services for its business class and economy class cabins. When you travel to their business class, be assured that the experience is going to be every bit luxe as one can expect. The seats in the business class are extremely comfortable and even recline. The same can be expected from the economy class cabin too as the leather seats are comfortable and have enough leg room provisions. One can even upgrade the seats to a better one with more legroom. The Dreamliner has by far the best benefits and in-flight services compared to other Kenya Airways fleets. The airline's official website even has a map of the seating layout that prospective passengers can check out before they pick a seat.

Depending on the aircraft, the seating configuration and type of seats are mentioned. Other in-flight services and benefits include a dedicated entertainment deck installed at every seat. Passengers can get access to some of the most recent entertainment content such as movies, music, TV shows and more. Depending on whether it is a short/medium/long haul flight, the airline also provides complimentary in-flight meal service. You will be able to relish global cuisine while you travel from the airline's flight. The stewards and flight attendants provide exemplary hospitality and are very friendly. Passengers can approach them for any requirement. Blankets, pillows, noise-cancelling earphones and other such amenities can also be requested in the flight. The airline will provide the necessary kit to the passenger.

Popular routes and top cities for Kenya Airways

The initial years of Kenya Airways witnessed popular international route connectivity to destinations such as Addis Ababa, Cairo, Bombay, Frankfurt, London, Rome, Jeddah, Zurich, Seychelles, Copenhagen, Athens, Mauritius, Salisbury, Kampala, Karachi and more. Domestic routes of Kenya Airways included flights to Kisumu, Mumias, Mombasa and Malindi. In 1982, the airline also launched a direct non-stop flight between Nairobi and Bombay while using a Boeing 707-320Bs. Following the success and reception of the flights to European destinations, the airline further invested in boosting the said international route by accommodating an Airbus A310-200 that was leased from Condor. Owing to cost-cutting measures, the airline announced in 2012 that they will be suspending services to Rome and Muscat, following a tremendous drop of 50 per cent profit in the financial year 2011-12. Flight connections to Delhi were also terminated in 2014. Meanwhile, newer routes connecting to cities such as Livingstone, Zambia, Cape Town, Abuja, were added.

Currently, the airline serves about 53 destinations across 41 countries. Some of the destinations include Bangui, Douala, Moroni, Abidjan, Kisangani, Lubumbashi, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Paris, Accra, Mumbai, Rome, Malindi, Mombasa, Lilongwe, Port Louis, Maputo, Amsterdam, Mahe, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Geneva, Kilimanjaro, Bangkok, Dubai, London, New York City, Ndola, Hanoi and Victoria Falls.

Why travel by Kenya Airways?

Kenya Airways has expanded tremendously in the last few years, following some upgrades and addition of facilities. They have extended their domestic route connectivity by adding more cities and destinations. Similarly, the airline has also terminated some of its previous international routes to accommodate new connections. Booking a Kenya Airways flight online is quite easy as it is available on all travel portals. Even their official website caters to all flight booking, web check-in, flight status and other such facilities. Travellers can know more about Kenya Airways' flight schedules too on their website. The baggage allowance is standard as per global aviation protocols. However, with its great connectivity and in-flight services, Kenya Airways is the best airline to choose for travelling within the African continent.