As the festive season approaches, Rwanda will be continuing to receive visitors travelling for holidays, family, and tourism. After arriving in the country, some of the travellers opt for charter flights as a convenient way to move to places within or around the region.

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According to officials in the aviation sector, the charter flight market is performing well. The New Times understands that the market is largely dominated by tourists and other international travellers, as well as VIPs and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The flights come at a hefty cost, with prices ranging from about $2,000 to over $17,000 (approximately Rwf2.9 million to Rwf24.6 million) per flight hour. This excludes additional charges such as airport handling, crew costs, and fuel fees.

A charter flight is a private, on-demand service in which an individual, group, or company rents an entire aircraft for a specific journey. Unlike scheduled commercial flights with fixed routes and timetables, charter flights offer greater control over the schedule, destination, and passengers. This makes them ideal for travellers seeking flexibility, privacy, or access to destinations not served by commercial airlines.

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For charter operations to take place at Kigali International Airport, the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA), the body responsible for overseeing and regulating aviation safety and security, has safety measures in place to ensure compliance with required standards.

Officials at Akagera Aviation, the local company operating in this space, say the demand for charter services is strong, particularly as Rwanda positions itself as a leading tourism hub.

"The charter flight market is performing exceptionally well. This has been the core of our operations since we launched in 2001, and we continue to see sustained demand today. As Rwanda continues its strategic push to position itself as a premier tourism hub, we are seeing a significant influx of visitors requiring our specialised services. The growth trajectory is very positive,” said Joseph Ndayishimije, Interim Managing Director of Akagera Aviation.

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"Following the vision shared by the Minister of State for Infrastructure, our goal is to expand beyond helicopter services. We are looking to scale our operations to include domestic fixed-wing flights connecting various regions across the country. The market is expanding rapidly—not just within Rwanda, but across the entire region, and we are well-positioned to capitalise on those opportunities,” he said.