Seattle to Nairobi (SEA–NBO) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

US passport holders need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Kenya. Apply at etakenya.go.ke at least 72 hours before travel. The eTA costs $30 (single entry) or $50 (transit) and allows stays up to 90 days per visit within a 3-month validity window. Upload a passport scan, a recent photo, proof of accommodation, and a return ticket. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of entry with at least 2 blank pages. Kenya phased out the older eVisa system in late 2024.

The eTA replaced Kenya's previous visa regime with a simpler online process. At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi or Moi International Airport (MBA) in Mombasa, present your printed or digital eTA confirmation at immigration. Biometrics are captured. Yellow fever vaccination is required if arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Kenya itself has yellow fever risk zones, so the vaccine is worth getting regardless. Safari parks operate year-round: the Masai Mara is famous for the wildebeest migration (July to October), while Amboseli offers Kilimanjaro views and Tsavo is Kenya's largest park.

Direct flights from New York JFK to Nairobi run about 15 hours on Kenya Airways. Other US cities connect through European or Middle Eastern hubs: London (about 8 hours 30 minutes to NBO), Amsterdam (about 8 hours), or Dubai (about 5 hours). Kenya uses the Kenyan shilling (KES), trading at roughly 129 KES per $1. M-Pesa mobile money is the dominant payment method and is accepted at shops, restaurants, taxis, and even market stalls. Tourists can register for M-Pesa with a local Safaricom SIM card. Card payments work at hotels and larger restaurants. Matatus (minibuses) are the main urban transport at KES 50 to KES 100 ($0.40 to $0.80) per ride in Nairobi.

Link Light Rail runs from downtown Seattle (Westlake station) to the airport in 38 minutes ($3.50 peak). Trains run every 6–12 minutes during peak hours from 5am to 1am. Ride-shares run $30–50 from downtown; SR-99 and I-5 can be heavily congested southbound during afternoon rush (3–7pm).

Sound Transit 574 express bus serves Tacoma ($2.50–4). Sounder commuter rail connects Tacoma to the airport area via a shuttle.