Kenya Airways (KQ) and Delta Air Lines (DL) have expanded their codeshare agreement by including Kenya Airways’ nonstop Nairobi to New York service, effective August 5.

This is the only nonstop flight from East Africa to America.

The expanded partnership also offers customers additional travel options within the US and increased flying opportunities within Africa, increasing customers' travel options to more than 31 destinations in Africa and 57 cities across the US and Canada, according to a KQ press statement.

Frequent flyer customers of Kenya Airways’ Asante Rewards or Delta’s SkyMiles programme will also earn miles on the services.

Commenting on the expanded codeshare, Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways Group MD and CEO said: “The expansion of the codeshare is historic as it not only allows KQ to expand its footprint in the US, but also significant because it provides seamless connectivity on a single ticket for those travelling for business, leisure or studies into the US while giving seamless connectivity to those visiting Africa through JFK and KQ’s hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi.”

Alain Bellemare, Delta’s President, International added: “At a time when we are seeing unprecedented demand for travel between North America and Africa, expanding our strategic partnership with Kenya Airways offers our customers more travel options as well as supporting our priority to deepen our presence across the African continent.”

KQ currently offers daily flights from Nairobi to the US via John F Kennedy International Airport in New York. Delta has been operating nonstop services between Africa to the United States since 2006. Delta currently operates flights from Accra; Dakar; Cape Town and Johannesburg; and Lagos.