Booking early, keeping travel dates flexible and taking advantage of airline offers can help domestic travellers manage travel costs as demand for popular Kenyan destinations remains strong.
Kenyans planning to travel during the August school holidays and other peak travel periods could save themselves from higher fares and limited flight options by booking their trips earlier.
As demand increases around school holidays, weekends, public holidays and peak tourism seasons, seats on popular domestic routes tend to fill up quickly, leaving travellers who book at the last minute with fewer choices.
Recent year-on-year data from online travel agency CheapOair shows that while travellers globally remain keen to fly in 2026, many are delaying their booking decisions and planning trips closer to their departure dates.
According to the data, 62 percent of travellers are booking trips within 0–30 days of departure, pointing to a growing preference for short-term travel planning.
Search activity has also increased across major travel segments, with domestic weekend travel searches rising by 16.2 percent, international family travel searches by 16.3 percent and international group travel searches by 11.5percent.
However, the increase in searches has not translated into a similar rise in bookings, suggesting travellers are spending more time comparing options and waiting for better prices before committing.
A similar tendency to delay booking is being observed in Kenya’s domestic aviation market, particularly ahead of school holidays, long weekends and other peak travel periods.
fly748.com Head of Scheduled Services, George Oduor, said passengers who already know their travel dates should consider securing their flights early rather than relying on the possibility of cheaper last-minute fares.
“The biggest advantage of booking early is choice. You have more options when it comes to fares, flight times and seat availability, and you are less likely to be caught out when demand increases,” Oduor said.
He cautioned travellers against assuming that waiting until the last minute will automatically result in cheaper tickets.
“Searching and comparing fares is important, but travellers should not assume that waiting until the last minute will always produce a cheaper ticket. Airfares are influenced by demand and seat availability. If you already know your travel dates, particularly for a holiday or weekend trip, it is often better to secure your seat early rather than risk higher fares or limited availability,” Oduor explained.
The advice comes as domestic air travel continues to become an increasingly attractive option for Kenyans travelling for leisure, business and family occasions, particularly on popular coastal routes such as Mombasa and Ukunda/Diani.
Early planning
For families, Oduor said planning around the school and public holiday calendar can make a significant difference.
“For Kenyan families, the calendar is one of the most useful tools when planning travel. If you know you will be travelling during a school holiday, long weekend or festive period, start looking early. Even when travelling at short notice, being flexible with your departure time or travel date can give you more options,” he said.
fly748.com continues to position domestic air travel as an accessible and practical option for Kenyan travellers, operating scheduled flights from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Terminal 2, to Mombasa and Ukunda/Diani.
The airline has also used promotional fares and limited-time offers to encourage more Kenyans to consider flying for domestic travel. In the last week of July, for example, fly748.com offered a limited 10% discount on air tickets, giving travellers an opportunity to reduce their travel costs by booking during the promotional period.
As domestic travel demand grows, fly748.com aims to expand its offering and connect more travellers to destinations across Kenya while maintaining its focus on safety, reliability and accessible air travel.
