Airport hub guide
Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta NBO: the complete layover guide
Six terminal units around a 1970s ring, lounges that never close, a national park beyond the fence, and a city you need an eTA to visit. Here is how to handle a layover at JKIA.
Layover verdict Fine for 2 to 6 hour layovers because everything is walkable and several lounges run all night, weak for overnights because JKIA has no rest zones and comfortable gate seating is scarce.
Best lounge play The Aspire Lounge in Terminal 1B and the Turkish Airlines Star Alliance Lounge in 1E both run 24 hours and take Priority Pass, and day passes across the airport cost 32 to 42 US dollars for everyone else.
The one thing to know Staying airside in international transit needs no visa, but stepping outside the airport for any reason means a Kenya eTA, applied for online before you arrive.
Last reviewed 21 May 2026
Quick facts
JKIA at a glance
| Terminals | 6 units: 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E around the original ring, plus Terminal 2 for low cost and regional carriers |
| Airside transit between terminals | Terminal 1 units connect on foot in under 10 minutes; Kenya Airports Authority runs an airside shuttle; no landside shuttle between terminals |
| Free wifi | Yes, on the official airport network after a short registration |
| Sleep friendliness | Poor. No rest zones or sleep pods; a few padded benches near some gates |
| Lounge count | 9, including two Kenya Airways lounges in 1A and independents in 1B, 1E and Terminal 2 |
| Nearest in terminal hotel | None inside the terminals; Crowne Plaza and Four Points by Sheraton sit about 5 minutes away with free shuttles and day rooms |
Orientation
How JKIA is laid out
JKIA is one big circle. The original 1970s terminal wraps around a central ring and is sliced into units 1A through 1E, with Terminal 2 standing apart as a separate building for low cost and regional carriers.
Terminal 1A is the Kenya Airways house and takes its international flights plus SkyTeam partners. Terminals 1B and 1C handle international departures for most other airlines. Terminal 1D is domestic. Terminal 1E processes international arrivals. None of these units are large, which is the airport's one genuine kindness: you can cover the whole Terminal 1 ring on foot in minutes.
Transfers are mostly a walking exercise. The Terminal 1 units sit close enough that moving between them takes under 10 minutes, and Kenya Airports Authority operates an airside shuttle for connecting passengers. The walk over to Terminal 2 is longer but still roughly 10 minutes. There is no rail link and no landside shuttle, so once you exit immigration your feet are the transfer system.
Inside, manage your expectations. Much of Terminal 1 dates from the 1970s and feels it, with low ceilings, narrow corridors and limited seating at the gates. The free wifi works after a quick registration. For a comfortable chair and a meal during a long wait, the 24 hour lounges are the reliable answer, priced within reach of most travelers.
Getting into Nairobi is faster than its reputation suggests, with a catch. The city center sits about 18 kilometers away. On the Nairobi Expressway, the toll road that opened in 2022, the ride takes 15 to 20 minutes off peak for a toll of roughly 240 shillings. Old Mombasa Road underneath it is free and slow, 30 to 60 minutes on a normal day and worse at rush hour. Official airport taxis charge a fixed 2,500 to 3,000 Kenyan shillings to the center, while Uber and Bolt usually run 800 to 1,500 shillings plus the toll. The catch is paperwork: leaving the airport means clearing immigration, and for most nationalities that means a Kenya eTA arranged in advance.
Timing honesty: the airport is compact enough that a same terminal connection of 60 minutes is workable when your inbound lands on time. Give any connection that changes units 90 minutes, mostly for queues rather than distance. On separate tickets you check in again from zero, so plan 3 hours. A dash to Nairobi National Park, which genuinely borders the airport, needs at least 6 hours, a booked driver, and your eTA approved before you fly.
Terminal by terminal
What each terminal gives you
Terminal 1A
The Kenya Airways terminal and the most modern corner of the airport. International KQ and SkyTeam flights leave from here, and both Kenya Airways lounges sit on Level 2: Pride, above Gate 17, for business class and SkyTeam Elite Plus, and Simba alongside it. Both sell day passes at around 40 US dollars, the going rate for hot food and a quiet seat if your itinerary keeps you on this side of the ring.
Terminals 1B and 1C
The departure units for most non SkyTeam international airlines, and the busiest stretch of the old ring. The prize here is the Aspire Lounge in 1B, opposite Gate 11: open 24 hours and on Priority Pass, but small enough that it fills when an evening departure bank hits. Arrive early or carry a backup plan.
Terminal 1D
The domestic unit. Flights to Mombasa, Kisumu and the rest of Kenya leave from here. Connecting from an international arrival to a domestic departure means clearing immigration first, so budget more time than the short walk suggests and have that eTA ready.
Terminal 1E
The international arrivals unit, and home to the strongest independent lounge at the airport: the Turkish Airlines Star Alliance Lounge, open around the clock, reachable from the international departure units, listed on Priority Pass, with day passes at around 42 US dollars. Card holders and Star Alliance flyers should start here.
Terminal 2
The budget building, set apart from the ring and roughly a 10 minute walk away. Low cost and regional carriers operate here and facilities are thin. The Mara Lounge sells day passes at around 32 US dollars and is the one comfort upgrade in the building. If your connection involves Terminal 2, treat it as a separate airport that happens to share runways.
Your layover, planned
The NBO guides
JKIA layover guide, hour by hour
What 3, 5 and 8 hours actually buy you at NBO, and when a run into Nairobi or the national park next door is realistic.
Every NBO lounge and how to get in
The full lounge table: Pride, Simba, Aspire, Turkish Airlines Star Alliance and Mara, with access methods, day pass prices and hours.
Sleeping at JKIA
The honest sleep map: which benches exist, why a 24 hour lounge beats all of them, and what a Crowne Plaza or Four Points day room costs in practice.
Priority Pass at NBO
Which JKIA lounges take Priority Pass, when they hit capacity, and how to play a 1am departure when the small rooms fill up.
NBO transit and connection guide
Connection timing advice, the airside shuttle, the eTA question, and the international to domestic walk explained.
Check lounge access for NBO
At least six lounges operate across JKIA and most sell entry to any traveler regardless of airline or cabin. Compare current access options, prices and hours before you fly.
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FAQ
JKIA layover questions
Can I sleep overnight at Nairobi airport?
You can stay airside overnight and plenty of passengers on late connections do, but JKIA has no rest zones or sleep pods and padded benches are scarce. The realistic plan is a 24 hour lounge if you have access, or a room at Crowne Plaza or Four Points by Sheraton, both about 5 minutes away by free shuttle with day rates available.
How do I transfer between terminals at NBO?
The Terminal 1 units sit on the same ring and connect on foot in under 10 minutes, and Kenya Airports Authority operates an airside shuttle for connecting passengers. There is no landside shuttle or rail link, so the walk to Terminal 2 takes roughly 10 minutes on foot.
Is wifi free at JKIA?
Yes. The airport provides free wifi on its official network after a short registration. The 24 hour lounges run their own networks if the public signal struggles at your gate.
Do I need a visa or eTA for a layover in Nairobi?
If you stay airside in international transit with a confirmed onward ticket, you are exempt from the Kenya eTA. The moment you pass immigration to leave the airport you need one, either the transit eTA at around 30 US dollars valid for 72 hours or the standard eTA. Rules, fees and exemptions change; verify before travel.
How far is JKIA from Nairobi city center?
About 18 kilometers. Via the Nairobi Expressway toll road the ride takes 15 to 20 minutes off peak, while old Mombasa Road can take an hour or more at rush hour. Official airport taxis charge a fixed 2,500 to 3,000 Kenyan shillings to the center, and Uber or Bolt usually cost less.
Which terminal is Kenya Airways at NBO?
Kenya Airways operates international flights from Terminal 1A and domestic flights from Terminal 1D. Its Pride and Simba lounges both sit on Level 2 of Terminal 1A, with day passes sold at the door.
Nearby
Related airports
Addis Ababa (ADD)
The Ethiopian Airlines hub and the other big connector for East Africa traffic.
Entebbe (EBB)
Uganda's lakeside gateway, about an hour from Nairobi by air and one of the most common short hops out of JKIA.
Dar es Salaam (DAR)
Tanzania's main international airport and a frequent onward connection for coast and Zanzibar traffic routed through Nairobi.
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