Both domestic and international flights in Kenya are set to be hit with an air ticket levy, following a bill recently signed by the country’s president, William Ruto.
- Kenya has introduced an air ticket levy for domestic and international flights under the Air Passenger Service Charge Amendment Bill signed by President William Ruto.
- Passengers will be required to pay KSh 600 for domestic flights and KSh 6,500 or $50 for international flights.
- Funds collected from this levy will support institutions such as the Tourism Fund, Kenya Meteorological Service Authority, and Kenya Airports Authority.
- Kenya Airways reported a significant profit turnaround in 2024 after over a decade of annual losses.
The air levy results from the Air Passenger Service Charge (Amendment) Bill, 2025, signed into law by President William Ruto on the 15th of October, 2025.
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As reported by Tuko, Kenya’s National Assembly Majority Leader, Kimani Ichung’wah, the Kikuyu Member of Parliament (MP) sponsored the bill.
The bill ensures that those planning to hop on a domestic flight via an air ticket will be required to pay KSh 600, and KSh 6,500 for those taking an international flight.
“Subject to this act, there shall be paid by every person who purchases a ticket for an external or internal journey an air passenger service charge of 50 USD or the equivalent in specified currency or in Kenya shillings for an external journey; and KSh 600 for an internal journey,” the bill reads partly.
The bill also entails that the charges may be subject to occasional revisions by the Cabinet Secretary via a Gazette notice.
The Tourism Fund, Kenya Meteorological Service Authority, Kenya Airports Authority, and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority are all eligible to receive a portion of the funds collected from the levy according to a change to the Air Passenger Service Levy Act (Cap. 475).
The allocation of the monies will be determined by the Cabinet Secretary and published in the Gazette.
Prior to the aviation report from 2024, Kenya Airways had failed to be cost-effective, recording annual losses for a little over a decade.
In March, Kenya Airways reported a pretax profit of 5.53 billion shillings ($42.82 million) last year, a significant turnaround from the 22.86 billion shilling loss recorded in the previous year.
This strong financial performance denotes that the airline may finally be on the mend after running at a loss since 2013.
The new bill may ensure another avenue for increased pre-tax profit, while also generating capital for other primary industries in the country.
This move follows a major aviation deal Kenya recently inked with Senegal.
Senegal and Kenya’s new aviation deal
Senegal and Kenya signed a deal permitting visa-free travel for citizens of both nations, fostering diplomatic ties.
The agreement provides for visa-free trips lasting 90 days, which benefits tourism, business, and cultural interaction.
The signing of the deal was observed by Kenyan President William Ruto and Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
This historic agreement would allow visa-free travel for 90 days, giving people from both countries unprecedented convenience and flexibility when organizing visits.
