British Airways Direct Flights to Zanzibar from London Gatwick (2027): Schedule, Fares & How to Book

British Airways direct flights to Zanzibar: the short answer

British Airways launches direct London Gatwick–Zanzibar flights on 29 May 2027 — flight BA2163, Boeing 777, three times weekly via Kilimanjaro, with fares from £849 return. It is BA's first Tanzania service in 13 years and the UK's first-ever direct route to Zanzibar. Bookings are open now for the summer 2027 season, ending 31 October.

How the new BA route actually works (the triangle routing)

BA2163 is a triangle routing: London Gatwick → Kilimanjaro → Zanzibar → London Gatwick, all under one flight number on a Boeing 777-200ER. The same aircraft lands in Kilimanjaro, turns in about an hour, and continues to Zanzibar.

What that means for you depends on your destination:

- Zanzibar-bound: stay on the aircraft during the Kilimanjaro stop — you don't change planes, clear Tanzanian immigration at your first port of entry, or re-check bags. It is a direct flight with one scheduled stop, not a connection.

- Kilimanjaro-bound: fly to JRO and step off; the aircraft continues to Zanzibar without you.

- Coming home: the return leg is simpler — Zanzibar to Gatwick is a true nonstop, no Kilimanjaro stop.

Three cabins are scheduled: Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller.

The full BA2163 schedule (summer 2027)

All times local, three times a week from 29 May to 31 October 2027 (schedules checked 20 October 2026):

Outbound: London Gatwick → Kilimanjaro — departs 09:05, arrives 20:20 (local) — Monday, Thursday, Saturday

Kilimanjaro → Zanzibar — departs 21:20, arrives 22:25 (local) — Monday, Thursday, Saturday

Return: Zanzibar → London Gatwick — departs 00:25 (after midnight), arrives 07:55 (local) — Tuesday, Friday, Sunday

Notes: the Zanzibar departure at 00:25 means the return leaves just after midnight — arrive at the airport the evening before your return date. Total journey time London–Zanzibar is about 11h 20m including the one-hour Kilimanjaro turn; the home leg is roughly 7h 30m. Zanzibar is only two hours ahead of the UK, so there is effectively no jet lag to recover from.

What the direct flight costs vs 1-stop alternatives

BA announced lead-in fares from £849 return including taxes and fees (announcement pricing, September 2026 — live fares will vary by date). Against that, here is what the connecting market charges right now on London–Zanzibar, tracked on the day of writing (KAYAK, fares checked 20 October 2026):

British Airways BA2163 — direct (one aircraft, JRO stop outbound) — from £849 return (announced fare) — ~11h 20m out, ~7h 30m back

Ethiopian Air — 1 stop via Addis Ababa — from £676 return — ~13h 40m

Etihad Airways — 1 stop via Abu Dhabi — from £670 return — ~14h 20m

Oman Air — 1 stop via Muscat — from £683 return — ~15h 50m

RwandAir — 1 stop via Kigali — from £687 return — ~14h 40m

KLM — 1 stop via Amsterdam — the shorter 1-stop journey — ~11h 15m

Overall, KAYAK's London–Zanzibar returns typically run £697–£1,009, with a 12-month average of £812 — anything below £697 counts as a good deal (fares checked 20 October 2026). The cheapest tracked recent return was £662 (2 stops). The BA direct will cost more than the cheapest 1-stop on most dates — you are paying for no connection risk, a daytime 09:05 departure from London, and a nonstop return.

Timing matters: March is the cheapest month to fly to Zanzibar (£677 average return); July (£1,077) and December (£982) are the most expensive. Booking around 16 weeks before departure saves roughly 6% versus last-minute, and Monday departures average about 8% cheaper than Saturday ones (KAYAK, fares checked 20 October 2026).

The twin-centre trick competitors don't spell out: safari + beach, no backtracking

BA2163 is really two products in one, and booking them together is the smartest way to use it:

- Safari first, beach after: fly LGW → Kilimanjaro, spend 5–7 days on the northern safari circuit (Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire), then hop Kilimanjaro → Zanzibar (about an hour, or a short domestic connection) for the beach, and fly home ZNZ → LGW nonstop.

- Beach only: fly out and stay on the aircraft through Kilimanjaro, land in Zanzibar at 22:25 the same evening, and come home nonstop.

The service is timed for the peak safari months (June–October, the Great Migration season) and the UK school holidays — which is exactly why booking early matters: three weekly flights is not much capacity for a route that has had no direct competition at all.

6 booking tips for BA2163

1. Book early — capacity is tiny. Three flights a week for five months is limited supply for the UK's first direct Zanzibar route; the £849 lead-in fares are date-specific and will go first.

2. Pick the direction deliberately. Outbound to Zanzibar stops at Kilimanjaro; the return is nonstop. If you hate stopovers, fly out to Kilimanjaro and back from Zanzibar instead — same flight number, no stop.

3. Monday departures are the sweet spot. KAYAK data shows Monday is the cheapest departure day on this route on average — and BA flies all three of its weekly departures on days that play well (Mon/Thu/Sat out).

4. Check Avios availability separately. BA's reward seats are bookable, but the inventory is split between Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar — a Zanzibar-only search can look thinner than the flight really is. Search both destinations.

5. Compare the 1-stop market before committing. Ethiopian via Addis Ababa (from £676 tracked) and Etihad via Abu Dhabi (from £670) set the price floor — price them against your BA dates honestly.

6. Position yourself to Gatwick cheaply. BA's service is Gatwick-only. If you fly from a UK region, a cheap domestic hop or the train down the night before beats a 1-stop itinerary from your home airport on journey time.

What else is coming to Zanzibar (the 2027 picture)

BA is not the only carrier moving on this route — useful to know if BA's dates or fares don't suit you:

- Air Tanzania plans its own direct London Gatwick–Kilimanjaro–Zanzibar service from July 2027, at least three times a week — plans only for now, not yet launched or bookable (announced May 2026 via the ATTA).
- TUI launches direct London Gatwick–Zanzibar flights with holiday packages twice a week from 3 November 2027 to 22 March 2028 — the winter season, where BA doesn't fly.
- British Airways is also the sole operator in the UK–Tanzania market today, and the fifth European carrier to serve Tanzania — meaning BA2163 faces no UK competition at launch.

Entry requirements for Zanzibar from the UK

Tanzania's rules are specific, so sort these before you fly (GOV.UK travel advice, updated 9 October 2026):

- Passport: valid at least six months beyond your arrival date, with at least one blank page.
- Visa: you must have a tourist visa. Apply for an e-visa before you travel, or get a single-entry visa on arrival at the port of entry (subject to immigration checks).
- Mandatory government insurance: all visitors must hold Tanzanian government-provided inbound travel insurance, even with a personal policy. If Zanzibar is your first port of entry, buy it from the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (online before travel or on arrival) — you can be refused entry without it.
- At the border: have your return or onward ticket ready to show. Yellow fever vaccination certificates are required only if arriving from a listed transmission-risk country.

Frequently asked questions

Are there direct flights from London to Zanzibar?
Yes — from 29 May 2027. British Airways flight BA2163 runs three times a week from London Gatwick as a triangle routing via Kilimanjaro (outbound) and returns nonstop from Zanzibar. It is the UK's first-ever direct route to Zanzibar.

How much are British Airways' direct flights to Zanzibar?
BA announced lead-in fares from £849 return including taxes and fees (September 2026 announcement). One-stop alternatives from London currently track from £670–£687 return (Ethiopian, Etihad, Oman Air, RwandAir) — typical returns run £697–£1,009 (KAYAK, fares checked 20 October 2026).

How long is the flight from London to Zanzibar?
About 11 hours 20 minutes outbound (09:05 departure, 22:25 arrival including the one-hour Kilimanjaro stop) and roughly 7 hours 30 minutes nonstop on the return leg.

Which days does BA fly to Zanzibar?
Monday, Thursday and Saturday from London Gatwick; returns depart Zanzibar on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.

Is the outbound flight nonstop?
No — the outbound stops at Kilimanjaro for about an hour, but it's the same aircraft and the same flight number, so Zanzibar-bound passengers stay on board. The return flight Zanzibar–Gatwick is a true nonstop.

Can I book BA2163 with Avios?
Yes, reward seats are bookable now. Availability is split between Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, so search both — Zanzibar-only searches can look thinner than the flight really is.

Do I need a visa for Zanzibar from the UK?
Yes. Apply for a Tanzanian e-visa before travel, or get a single-entry visa on arrival. You also need mandatory Tanzanian government inbound travel insurance (buy it for Zanzibar as your first port of entry), and your passport must be valid six months beyond arrival.

What if BA's dates or fares don't suit me?
Price the 1-stop alternatives — Ethiopian via Addis Ababa, Etihad via Abu Dhabi, KLM via Amsterdam — which currently track £670–£687 return. TUI launches direct Gatwick–Zanzibar packages for winter 2027/28, and Air Tanzania plans its own direct service from July 2027.

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How to book

BA2163 seats are on sale now through British Airways and every major travel agent. For an honest quote that compares the BA direct against the best 1-stop alternatives for your dates — or to build the safari-plus-beach twin-centre around it — WhatsApp us on +44 7403 624945 or call 020 8191 3106.