The US government has granted Kenya Airways (KQ) a permit to operate direct flights to America.

According to an order issued by the US Department of Transportation, the permit became effective on September 5.

In June the Department of Transportation had recommended that the airline should be granted the permit if there were no public objections.

The permit enables Kenya Airways to engage in scheduled and charter foreign air transportation of persons, property and mail from any point or points behind Kenya, via any point or points in Kenya and any intermediate points, to any point or points in the United States and beyond.

In February, Kenya was granted Category One status by the US government following an assessment audit by the Federal Aviation Administration and other US agencies.

Kenya Airways Commercial Director, Vincent Coste, said: “This approval by the Department of Transportation has been achieved thanks to the hard work of great individuals within all the departments of KQ.”

Recently, Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers CEO, Mike Macharia, said direct flights between Kenya and the US would boost tourism in the East African country.

“When direct flights between the two countries become a reality, we expect America to remain our number-one market.”

Last year, the US emerged as Kenya’s top source market after overtaking the UK, which, for years, had been the country’s leading market.

Tourist arrivals from the US rose to 97 883 in 2016, up from 84 759 in 2015. Arrivals from the UK were 96 404, down from 98 523 in 2015.