[1] Founded in November 2000, Astral Aviation acquired its Air Operators Certificate (AoC) and Air Service License (ASL) from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority in January 2001, thus it started operations in the same year in the same month.

It was designated as a cargo airline by the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Public Works in November 2006.

[citation needed] It has one subsidiary operating in India based in New Delhi, Pradhaan Air Express, since October 2022.

Its second subsidiary will be Suid Cargo Airlines based in Johannesburg, which will operate to more than 20 destinations in Southern and Eastern Africa, is expected to be launched by September 2023.

[10][4] As of April 2024[update], the Astral Aviation fleet consists of the following aircraft:[citation needed] The airline previously operated the following aircraft (as of July 2023): The airline has won the "Africa All-Cargo Carrier of the Year" six consecutive times in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2023, and the "Best All-Cargo Airline in Africa" in February 2023, by STAT Times International Award for Excellence in Air Cargo during Air Cargo Africa 2023 event held at Johannesburg, South Africa, from 21 to 23 February 2023.