KLM is continuing non-stop flights to Kigali at least until August 10, 2026. Flights to Entebbe were scheduled to resume in early July, then mid-July, then late July; finally, according to the KLM website, flights to Entebbe will resume on August 10, 2026. KLM flights to Entebbe have been suspended since June 1, 2026, due to the Ebola outbreak. US authorities require anyone who does not hold a US passport to quarantine outside the US for 21 days before traveling there, which creates a logistical headache for flight crews.
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Starting August 1st, RwandAir will increase service on the Kigali–Paris CDG–Brussels route from three to four flights per week, with an additional flight on Sundays. For the time being, this schedule is set to continue through the winter season. Regarding the Kigali–Paris CDG route, passenger numbers stood at 28,749 in 2025 (a 16.1% decrease compared to 2024). This decline is due to competition and the fact that RwandAir is no longer permitted to fly over the DRC. The airline suspended the Kigali–Brazzaville route—likely the most popular destination from CDG—while flight times for the Kigali–Douala and Kigali–Libreville routes are longer, resulting in a loss of passengers.
2025 was also a challenging year, marked by flight cancellations and reduced frequencies due to aircraft issues (heavy reliance on wet-leasing from Hi Fly, Gullivair, and Maleth Aero) and snowy weather in early 2025. There were 287 flights in 2025 compared to 319 in 2024 (see statistical bulletins: 2025 [p. 12] and 2024). In French sorry
https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/defa ... n_2025.pdf
https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/sites/defa ... 4_vweb.pdf
A return to growth is likely in 2026, driven by the launch of the Kigali–Zanzibar route and the reopening of the Kigali–Mombasa route. Additionally, Air France's decision to discontinue its CDG–Bangui route should allow RwandAir to capture some of that traffic.
Interestingly, when booking a ticket on the RwandAir website for a destination in Europe or North America not served by RwandAir itself, some connecting flights are with... British Airways. RwandAir serves London Heathrow daily, carrying 118,760 passengers in 2025 (down 1% compared to 2024:
https://www.caa.co.uk/Documents/Downloa ... 25a1/17511). I am not sure if there are plans for a codeshare agreement or if it is strictly an interline arrangement, given that BA already has a codeshare with Kenya Airways in the region. However, British Airways does place its "BA" code on Nairobi–Kigali flights operated by Kenya Airways (BA7735/7) and Doha–Kigali flights operated by Qatar Airways (BA2350/1).
As for the future, a codeshare agreement with BA would be another great thing (if it's the case). RwandAir announced a codeshare agreement last month with EgyptAir, which serves Kigali three times a week (
https://www.rwandair.com/media-center/n ... rtnership/). There have been agreements with Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways following the COVID-19 pandemic, and with Ethiopian Airlines since 2010 (
https://corporate.ethiopianairlines.com ... code-share). However, codeshare agreements with Brussels Airlines (
https://press.brusselsairlines.com/rwan ... artnership), Proflight Zambia (
https://www.rwandair.com/fr/media-cente ... or-joburg/), PrecisionAir Tanzania (
https://allafrica.com/stories/200711160857.html), and South African Airways (
https://www.africanaviation.org/saa-sig ... -rwandair/) appear to have ended. Most of these were agreements signed between 13 and 19 years ago.
https://issuu.com/landmarine/docs/rwand ... ugust_2026. RwandAir's network including codeshares (August 2026). There are overlapping codeshare destinations with Qatar and Turkish in Europe (Vienna, Paris, London Heathrow, Geneva, etc.) and North America (New York, Los Angeles, etc.).
Rwanda Aviation News (Drones, Air Force, Civil Aviation, Space, Air Balloon): https://www.facebook.com/RwandAn-Flyer-153177931456873
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