Should I book one big itinerary or individual flights?

Book individual flights. When you book a multi-city itinerary through a third-party site for regional Africa, a delay on the first leg often leads to the entire ticket being cancelled. If you book them separately, you maintain control over your connections.

Are there budget airlines in East Africa?

Technically yes, but they are unreliable. Stick to established carriers like Kenya Airways or RwandAir for inter-country travel to avoid massive delays or sudden cancellations.

Booking Multi-City Flights in East Africa

Avoid relying on a single major carrier for your entire route; instead, book your long-haul international flight into a major hub like Nairobi or Addis Ababa and use regional budget carriers or point-to-point tickets for individual segments. Always build in at least 6 hours of buffer time between independent tickets to account for frequent regional flight delays.

Use an Open-Jaw Search for International Legs. Use Google Flights or Skyscanner to search for 'Multi-city' tickets. Fly into one hub (e.g., NBO - Nairobi) and out of another (e.g., DAR - Dar es Salaam). This is almost always cheaper than two separate one-way long-haul tickets.
Identify Regional Carriers. For hopping between countries, use specific regional airlines: Kenya Airways, Precision Air (Tanzania), Uganda Airlines, and RwandAir. Avoid trying to book these through global aggregators; go directly to the airline's website for better rebooking support.
Check the 'Hidden' Hubs. Addis Ababa (ADD) is the most connected hub in East Africa thanks to Ethiopian Airlines. If you are struggling to find a connection, route through Addis; it is often cheaper and more reliable than flying via Dubai or Doha.
Verify Luggage Policies. Regional carriers often have smaller weight limits (typically 15kg-20kg for checked bags) than international carriers. Check your ticket's baggage allowance carefully, as excess baggage fees at the gate are expensive.

Should I book one big itinerary or individual flights?: Book individual flights. When you book a multi-city itinerary through a third-party site for regional Africa, a delay on the first leg often leads to the entire ticket being cancelled. If you book them separately, you maintain control over your connections.
Are there budget airlines in East Africa?: Technically yes, but they are unreliable. Stick to established carriers like Kenya Airways or RwandAir for inter-country travel to avoid massive delays or sudden cancellations.