RwandAir began operations on 1st December 2002 as the new national carrier under the name Rwandair Express (passenger Air transportation as the core activity) for Rwanda with a concession to carry out airport ground handling (ancillary activity) at Kigali International airport, Kanombe. In March 2009, the airline registered a new trademark “RwandAir” which is its current operating name.

Operating from Kigali as its hub in the heart of Africa, RwandAir is one of the fastest growing airlines on the African continent. RwandAir's fleet now consists of 7 Next Generation Aircraft: four Boeing 737NG, two Bombardier CRJ-900 NextGen and one brand new Bombardier Q400NG that arrived in March 2014 introducing business class to the domestic route.

 RwandAir serves Kamembe (the only domestic destination), many regional cities such as Nairobi, Entebbe, Juba, Mombasa, Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, and Kilimanjaro. The airline also serves Johannesburg, Dubai, Lagos, Accra, Libreville and Brazzaville.

 Douala in Cameroon is RwandAir’s newest destination as of March 30th 2014. The airline was announced winner of the 2013 Award for the Best African Airline - Short Haul at the 9th Akwaaba Travel Market Fair in Lagos, Nigeria.