British Airways is set to resume flights to Tanzania starting from May 2027, the airways announced in a statement over the weekend.
The seasonal service will begin on May 29, 2027, and operate through October 31, covering Tanzania’s peak safari season as well as the British summer holiday period, said the statement.
The launch marks British Airways’ return to Tanzania after more than a decade of service interruption. Its previous service connected London with Dar es Salaam, but the new operation is structured to link London Gatwick with Kilimanjaro Airport and Zanzibar, Tanzania’s autonomous region.
The weekly flights are expected to open new competitive front for African airlines that have built significant connecting traffic around the East African tourism market.
According to the statement, the British Airways will operate the route with a Boeing 777, flying from Gatwick to Kilimanjaro International Airport before continuing to Zanzibar and returning to London.
Flights will depart Gatwick on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with return fares starting at £849, including taxes and fees.
Kilimanjaro International Airport provides access to the Northern Safari Circuit including the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Mount Kilimanjaro while Zanzibar gives the carrier access to one of Africa’s fastest-growing Indian Ocean leisure destinations.
Tanzania recorded 2.29 million international tourist arrivals in 2025, up 7.1 percent from 2.14 million a year earlier.
Tourism earnings increased even faster, rising 13 percent to a record $4.41 billion, from about $3.90 billion in 2024. British travelers accounted for about 6 percent of visitors to mainland Tanzania in 2025 and approximately 7/7 percent of visitors to Zanzibar.
Among African carriers, Ethiopian Airlines operates Tanzania-bound passenger service through Addis Ababa, connecting its London services with Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and other East African destinations.
Kenya Airways similarly has been using Nairobi as a connecting hub, selling London itineraries onward to both Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro.
The Tanzanian flag carrier has already announced plans to begin its own services from London Gatwick to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar from July 2027, with at least three weekly flights planned.
MG/as/APA