Slashed by as much as $1,918 (38%); plus, how to tack the destination onto a London trip for just $388.
If you’re going on safari in Africa, there’s a good chance that you’re going to be flying through Nairobi. Good News: Business Class fares from the U.S. to Nairobi have historically run $5,000 to $8,000 on major carriers, but over the last ten months prices have plunged.
On the Los Angeles – Nairobi route, Air France, Delta, and KLM recently published a $3,141 round-trip fare. On Oct. 1, 2015, the fare was $5,060, a drop of $1,919 (38%).
As always, the fares may not last or be restricted to certain U.S. departure cities and/or carriers. The bigger picture: Discounted Business Class fares have landed in Nairobi.
Lowest-Fare Departure Cities
SkyTeam and Star Alliance carriers have offered the lower fares, $3,100 to $3,600, primarily from six U.S. gateways: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. From five other cites—Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, New York, and Seattle—the cost is $800 to $1,200 more.
Oneworld (American and British Airways) fares to Nairobi usually start at $4,400+ ($4,000 with the BA AARP discount) from Boston, Chicago, and Dallas.
Like to Upgrade to First?
What you need to know:
Oneworld: British Airways offers mileage upgrades from low Business Class fares to First Class to London and on the onward connection to Nairobi.
[aside headline="Trend Watch" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]The drop in fares to Nairobi reflects the decline in many international Business Class fares in the past year, a trend started by Delta on European routes in 2012. See recent fare trends for Tel Aviv here, India here, and for New Zealand here.[/aside]
On Washington, DC- Nairobi, the lowest Business Class fare is $4,007 using the AARP discount and requires 81,000 points low season and 90,000 miles in peak season round-trip to upgrade. The lowest published First Class fare on this route is $7,889, giving you a good return on miles.
Second Destination for a Small Fee
On the Washington, DC – Nairobi (via London) route, BA’s lowest Business Class fare ($4,007 with AARP discount) allows a free stopover in London (both outbound and return), however that increases the ticket taxes $388.
Another Way to Look at it: Nairobi for $388
BA’s Business Class fare Washington, DC – London is $3,948 (with AARP discount), so another way to look at the two possible stopovers in London is to say you are getting Nairobi for $388 more.
Screenshot: BA Business Class fare to Nairobi $4,007 from BritishAirways.com
Business Class fare with stopovers in London: $4,395
Business Class fare to London: $3,948
