Skyward Airline, , is a private airline operating in

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

. It serves local destinations, from its two operations bases at

Wilson Airport Wilson Airport is an airport in Nairobi, Kenya. It has flights to many regional airports in Kenya while Nairobi's main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, serves domestic and many international destinations. Location Wilson Airport ...

for passengers and

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is an international airport serving Nairobi, the capital and largest city of Kenya. The other three important international airports in Kenya include Kisumu International Airport, Moi International Airport a ...

for cargo. Both airports are located in

Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...

, the Kenyan capital city.

Location

The airline maintains its headquarters at Wilson Airport, within Nairobi, Kenya's largest city and the country's capital. Wilson Airport is located approximately , by road, southwest of the city centre. The airline maintains a private building at Wilson Airport, for the exclusive use of Skyward Airline staff and clients. The building is "equipped with a modern cafeteria", among other amenities.

History

Skyward Express was established in 2013, by two pilots; one of whom serves as the chairman of the airline, while the other serves as its managing director. Skyward Express inherited some equipment and some routes from the defunct Skyward International Aviation. On April 2025, Skyward Express announced that they are rebranding to Skyward Airlines.

Overview

With the cessation of service by Skyward International Aviation, Skyward Airlines began commercial operations in 2013. Initially, the airline offered passenger charter and cargo service between Nairobi, Kenya, and destinations in neighboring

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

. These services included the shipment of

miraa Khat (''Catha edulis''), also known as Bushman's tea, especially in South Africa, is a flowering plant native to eastern and southeastern Africa. It has a history of cultivation originating in the Harar area (present day eastern Ethiopia) and ...

from Nairobi to Somalia. With the acquisition of more aircraft, the airline has expanded and diversified its passenger and cargo service to include more destinations and frequencies to oil-rich northwestern Kenyan counties and coastal tourist attractions.

Destinations

As of April 2021, Skyward Airlines scheduled services to the following destinations: *Kenya **

(Passenger Hub)

(Cargo Hub) **

Eldoret Eldoret is a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. It serves as the capital of Uasin Gishu County. Located in western Kenya and lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about at the Eldoret International Air ...

Eldoret International Airport Eldoret Airport is an international airport in Kenya. Location Eldoret Airport, , is located in the city of Eldoret, in Uasin Gishu County, in midwestern Kenya, close to the international border with Uganda. Its location is approximately , by ...

** Lodwar:

Lodwar Airport Lodwar Airport is an airport in Kenya. Location Lodwar Airport is located in Turkana County, in the town of Lodwar, in the northwestern part of the Republic of Kenya. Its location is approximately , by air, northwest of Nairobi International A ...

Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital status in 1907. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...

Moi International Airport Moi International Airport is an international airport in Mombasa, the second-largest city in Kenya. In 2020, the airport was heralded as the "Best Airport in Africa" (with under 2 million passengers annually) by Airports Council International ...

Malindi Malindi is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Sabaki River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa. The population of Malindi was 119,859 as of the 2019 census. It is the largest urban centr ...

Malindi Airport Malindi Airport is an airport in Kenya. Location It is located west of the central business district of the town of Malindi, in Kilifi County, in southeastern Kenya, at the Indian Ocean coast. This is about , by road and about , by air, north ...

Lamu Lamu or Lamu Town is a small town on Lamu Island, which in turn is a part of the Lamu Archipelago in Kenya. Situated by road northeast of Mombasa that ends at Mokowe Jetty, from where the sea channel has to be crossed to reach Lamu Isla ...

: Lamu Airport ** Ukunda:

Ukunda Airport Diani Airport is a small airfield near Diani Beach in Kwale County, Kenya. The airport serves the local areas of Diani, Ukunda, Tiwi and Msambweni. Services The airport started operating Air Kenya services to and from Nairobi's Wilson ai ...

Kakamega Kakamega is a town in western Kenya lying about 30 km north of the Equator. It is the headquarters of Kakamega County that has a population of 1,867,579 (2019 census). The town has an urban population of 107,227 (2019 census). Kakamega ...

: Kakamega Airstrip **

Kitale Kitale is a town in the north west of Kenya, in the former Rift Valley province, between Mount Elgon and the Cherangany Hills. It has an elevation of around . Its population was as of 2019. It is the location of Kitale Airport. The National ...

Kitale Airport Kitale Airport is an airport in Kitale, Kenya. Location Kitale Airport is located in the town of Kitale, Trans-Nzoia County, in northwestern Kenya, close to the International border with the Republic of Uganda. Its location is approximately ...

Migori Luo people, Migori county 044, also known as Suna-Migori, is a multi-ethnic municipal town which acts as the capital of Migori County, Kenya. The town is located 63 kilometers south of Kisii, Kenya, Kisii town and 22 km north of the T ...

Migori Airport Migori Airport is an airstrip in Migori, Kenya. References * Kenya Airports Authority * Kenya Civil Aviation Authority * List of airports in Kenya The following is a list of airports and air bases in Kenya, sorted by location. __TOC__ Lis ...

Fleet

As of April 2025, Skyward Express maintained the following aircraft:

Accidents and incidents

* On July 21, 2021, a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 registered as 5Y-GRS crash-landed at

El Wak, Kenya El Wak, also Elwak, is a town in Kenya, on the international border with Somalia. The name El Wak translates into "the well of God". There are about 50 wells spread across the town, each approximately 60 feet deep with interconnected underground ...

when its landing gear collapsed.

References

External links

Official Website
{{coord, 01, 19, 22, S, 36, 48, 27, E, display=title Airlines established in 2013 Airlines of Kenya Nairobi 2013 establishments in Kenya