Jambojet Nairobi-Entebbe flights: schedule and bags

Jambojet resumed daily nonstop flights between Nairobi and Entebbe on October 1, 2026, returning to the Uganda route after a six-year break.

The new service is useful for a short East Africa trip, but Jambojet remains a point-to-point airline. Baggage, entry documents and an onward connection need to be planned as carefully as the flight itself.

*Original AI-generated OpenSim editorial image. The unbranded aircraft and composite landscape are illustrative and do not show the inaugural flight or an exact view from the route.*

The practical answer: Jambojet now flies daily between Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) and Entebbe International Airport (EBB). The launch timetable lists a 09:30 departure from Nairobi and an 11:40 return from Entebbe. Confirm the exact date in the airline's booking system because published schedules can change.

This guide was checked on October 2, 2026, after the first day of the resumed service.

The resumed route operates every day

Jambojet's current homepage promotes daily Entebbe flights from Nairobi. The airline's October 1 launch statement, reported by Nairobi Leo, gave these local times:

Kenya and Uganda both use East Africa Time, so there is no time-zone conversion between the two airports. The service uses a Dash 8-Q400 turboprop, according to current launch coverage.

Treat these as the announced schedule, not a promise that every flight will leave at that time. Search the travel date and check flight status again before setting out for the airport.

Jambojet uses Terminal 1A for international flights at JKIA

The Kenya Airports Authority airline directory places Jambojet international departures and arrivals at Terminal 1A. That is different from the airline's Kenyan domestic operation, which uses Terminal 1D.

Check the airport screens on the day of travel. A traveler connecting from Mombasa, Diani, Malindi, Lamu or Kisumu may have to collect bags, move from the domestic area and complete international check-in and exit formalities.

Kenya Airports Authority recommends checking in at least two hours before departure, while also telling passengers to follow their airline's own deadline. Build in additional time for an international document check rather than arriving at the counter cutoff.

The basic fare does not include a checked bag

Jambojet allows one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 10 kg and measuring no more than 55 by 35 by 25 cm. A larger item can be accepted only as checked baggage, with the applicable charge.

The airline's current baggage allowance says its standard ticket has no included checked-bag allowance. Smart Fare adds one checked bag up to 23 kg, standard seat selection and one date or time change, although any fare difference still applies.

Price the ticket and bags together. Jambojet says airport baggage costs more than baggage bought in advance, and an individual checked item cannot weigh more than 32 kg. The allowance shown on the issued booking remains the final reference.

Online check-in closes two hours before departure

Jambojet opens online check-in 30 hours before departure and closes it two hours before departure. The airline's airport counters close 40 minutes before the flight.

Those times are hard cutoffs, not recommended arrival targets. International travel adds passport, entry-document, baggage and security checks. If online check-in does not issue a usable boarding pass, go to the counter with enough time to resolve it.

Save the booking reference and boarding pass offline. A phone connection can fail at the terminal, and a screenshot is quicker to retrieve than an email buried in roaming data.

Entry rules depend on the traveler's passport

Kenyan nationals appear on Uganda's official visa-exempt country list. Other travelers should check the Ugandan immigration portal for their own nationality before booking. Uganda's single-entry tourist visa is applied for online and requires a passport with at least six months' validity, among other documents.

Travelers combining Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda may qualify for the East African Tourist Visa. It must be issued by the country of first entry, is limited to those three countries and has its own document requirements.

For the return to Kenya, the official Kenya eTA service lists Ugandan and other East African Community citizens among the exemptions. Other visitors may need an approved eTA before travel. Always check against the passport being used; a route between neighboring countries does not create an automatic exemption.

Entebbe Airport is outside central Kampala

Entebbe International Airport is in Entebbe, not central Kampala. Uganda's Civil Aviation Authority says the airport is connected to Kampala by a 42 km road and that the drive may take about 40 minutes in lighter traffic, with heavier morning and evening congestion.

For an airport taxi, the authority advises arriving passengers to use vehicles marked with a yellow Airport Taxi label and to note the vehicle's identification number. Public transport normally involves reaching Entebbe town before continuing toward Kampala, which is less convenient with heavy luggage or after a delay.

The midday arrival gives more ground-transport options than a late-night flight, but it can still run into city traffic. Confirm the pickup point and price before leaving the arrivals area.

Separate connections need more than the minimum

Jambojet describes its flights as point to point. Its FAQ tells passengers arranging their own international connection to allow at least two and a half hours, and says the airline is not liable for a missed onward flight even when both sectors are on Jambojet.

That minimum can be too thin when a traveler has separate tickets, checked bags, immigration or a terminal change. Public questions about 50-minute and same-day JKIA transfers repeatedly turn on whether the flights share one booking reference and whether bags are checked through.

If missing the next flight would end the trip, leave a much larger buffer or stay overnight. A cheap self-connection is not protected simply because both flights use the same airport.

Mobile data for a Kenya-Uganda trip

For a trip mainly in Nairobi or elsewhere in Kenya, compare the live Kenya OpenSim eSIM. For time in Entebbe, Kampala or elsewhere in Uganda, use the Uganda OpenSim eSIM.

Travelers crossing between the two countries can also compare the Africa OpenSim eSIM. Its current coverage list includes both Kenya and Uganda, which can avoid switching plans at the border.

OpenSim's public catalog was checked on October 2. Confirm the chosen plan's allowance, validity, speed policy, hotspot support and top-up eligibility before paying. Not every plan can be topped up, and coverage outside the listed countries is not implied.

Install the eSIM on reliable Wi-Fi before departure, then follow the selected package's activation rule. Mobile data helps with flight alerts, maps, immigration confirmations and pickup messages; it does not replace travel documents or protect a separate ticket.

Ten questions about Jambojet Nairobi-Entebbe flights

Is Jambojet flying between Nairobi and Entebbe now?

Yes. Jambojet resumed the route on October 1, 2026 and advertises daily service. Check the specific date before travel because an operating route can still have a changed or canceled flight.

What time are the Jambojet Nairobi-Entebbe flights?

The launch timetable lists JM8522 from Nairobi at 09:30, arriving at 11:00, and JM8523 from Entebbe at 11:40, arriving at 13:30. All times are local, and both cities use East Africa Time.

Which JKIA terminal does Jambojet use for Entebbe?

Kenya Airports Authority lists Jambojet international flights at Terminal 1A. Domestic Jambojet flights use Terminal 1D, so confirm the terminal when connecting from another Kenyan city.

How much baggage is included on Jambojet?

Every passenger may take one cabin bag up to 10 kg and 55 by 35 by 25 cm. The standard fare does not include checked baggage; Smart Fare includes one checked bag up to 23 kg. Use the issued booking for the final allowance.

When can I check in online?

Online check-in normally runs from 30 hours until two hours before departure. Jambojet's airport counters close 40 minutes before departure, but an international passenger should arrive well before that cutoff.

Is a short separate-ticket connection at Nairobi safe?

It is risky. Jambojet recommends at least two and a half hours for an international connection it does not protect, but immigration, baggage collection, recheck and terminal movement can take longer. Leave a generous buffer or an overnight stop.

Do I need a visa to fly from Nairobi to Entebbe?

That depends on nationality. Kenyan nationals are on Uganda's visa-exempt list. Visa-required travelers should apply through Uganda's official online immigration portal and confirm the documents needed for their visa category.

Do I need a Kenya eTA for the flight back from Entebbe?

Many foreign visitors do, but Ugandan and other listed East African Community citizens are exempt. Check the official Kenya eTA eligibility page against the passport being used before the return flight.

How do I get from Entebbe Airport to Kampala?

The airport authority lists marked airport taxis and public transport via Entebbe town. Kampala is about 42 km away; road traffic can make the journey longer than the authority's roughly 40-minute normal estimate.

Can one OpenSim plan cover both Kenya and Uganda?

Yes, if the selected regional plan names both countries in its coverage list. The current Africa product includes Kenya and Uganda. A country plan covers only its named destination, so compare the itinerary before choosing.

Before booking

• Search the exact date and confirm both local times.
• Check Terminal 1A against the airport screens.
• Price checked baggage before choosing the lowest fare.
• Keep the cabin bag within 10 kg and the published dimensions.
• Finish online check-in before the two-hour cutoff.
• Verify Uganda and Kenya entry rules for the passport being used.
• Arrange the Entebbe pickup before leaving the arrivals area.
• Avoid a tight, unprotected connection at JKIA.
• Save travel documents, the booking reference and pickup details offline.
• Recheck flight status before leaving for the airport.

How this guide was checked

Jambojet's live homepage supports the daily Entebbe service. Its schedule, FAQ and baggage pages support the route, check-in, point-to-point and allowance details. Current launch-day reporting supports the October 1 restart, published times and aircraft type.

Kenya Airports Authority supports the Terminal 1A assignment and airport check-in guidance. Uganda's Civil Aviation Authority supports the Entebbe ground-transport advice. Uganda Immigration and Kenya's eTA service support the entry guidance.

Public traveler discussions were used to choose questions about bags, delay recovery, terminal transfers, separate tickets, entry documents and Kampala transport. They were not used as authority for airline, airport or immigration rules.

We will update this guide if Jambojet changes the route's frequency, timetable, terminal, baggage or check-in policy, or if either country changes its entry process.

*Airline, airport, immigration, traveler-question and OpenSim catalog sources were reviewed on October 2, 2026.*