British Airways flights will operate three times a week from London Gatwick, landing in Kilimanjaro before continuing to Zanzibar.
The new flights commence on May 29 and run through the summer season until October 31 and are timed for UK school holidays and the peak safari season. Prices start from £849 return, including taxes, fees and a hand baggage allowance.
Kilimanjaro Airport serves as the gateway to Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit, taking in the Serengeti and the Great Migration, the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park, as well as climbs of Mount Kilimanjaro itself.
Zanzibar is known for its beaches, coral reefs and the UNESCO-listed streets of Stone Town, alongside its spice plantations and beachfront resorts.
Alongside the Tanzania routes, British Airways has announced a 25% increase in capacity to Latin America, including new non-stop flights to Buenos Aires with onward service to Santiago, increased seats to Rio de Janeiro and a move to year-round flights to San José, Costa Rica. Additional flights will also run to Cape Town and Las Vegas. The enhanced summer schedule begins from the end of March 2027.
Neil Chernoff, Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, British Airways, said: “We’re excited to be launching flights to two exceptional new destinations that showcase the very best of Tanzania. From the vast plains of the Serengeti and the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro to the turquoise waters and white-sand beaches of Zanzibar, these new routes strengthen our footprint in East Africa and open the door to some of the world’s most extraordinary travel experiences.
“Alongside these new routes, we are strengthening our wider long-haul network, adding capacity to a number of popular destinations across Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean. By increasing frequencies and extending seasonal services, we’re giving customers more choice and flexibility, while deepening London’s connectivity to key destinations around the world.”
Virginia Messina, Group CEO, African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA), commented: “The African Travel and Tourism Association is delighted to see British Airways launching a new service connecting London with the key destinations of Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar next summer.
“This marks a real step change in connectivity to Tanzania, building on recent announcements from Air Tanzania, Brussels Airlines and KLM that are opening up these incredible destinations to European source markets.
“For our UK-based tour operator and travel agent members, greater connectivity provides more choice for their customers and creates exciting opportunities to develop new itineraries across Tanzania and neighbouring Kenya.
“It is particularly significant for families and other travellers who want to combine wildlife and coast. Making it easier to reach the Northern Safari Circuit and then travel onwards to Zanzibar removes some of the complexity from an East African holiday and gives the travel trade much greater flexibility in how they package and sell the region.
“It is also worth noting that Zanzibar has evolved to be a premium leisure destination that can stands independently from a safari. Traditionally it has been a draw for couples but also now for attracts families too. Also, it is slowly turning into a wellness destination so this route will facilitate travellers from the UK and Europe wishing for a wellness retreat.
“Improved air connectivity is fundamental to unlocking Africa’s tourism potential, so it is hugely encouraging to see airlines investing in greater access to destinations across the continent.”
