“Best value safari we found anywhere, and it never felt budget. Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Zanzibar - flawless from start to finish.”
Booking flights to Tanzania is simpler than it looks once you know the main routes and airports. We arrange international flights for most of our travellers and have access to competitive fares - but if you prefer to book your own or use air miles, we’re happy to handle just your ground arrangements. This guide covers the best connections from every continent.
Tanzania has three main gateways. Choose based on where your trip starts:
There are two direct options from Europe: KLM flies daily from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam, and Turkish Airlines connects via Istanbul. Alternatively, fly to the East African hub of Nairobi (with British Airways, Air France, Swiss, Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines or Kenya Airways) and connect onward with Kenya Airways to any Tanzanian gateway. Kenya Airways is a traveller favourite, taking under nine hours overnight from London to Nairobi.
There are no direct flights from the Americas. From North America, the smoothest routes are a single stop in Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) or Amsterdam (KLM); New York to Dar es Salaam via Amsterdam takes around 21 hours. You can also route via Johannesburg with Delta or South African Airways. From South America, South African Airways links São Paulo to Johannesburg, then onward to Dar es Salaam in roughly 15 hours.
Kenya Airways offers direct links from Bangkok, Hanoi and Mumbai, with onward connections to Tanzania. Otherwise, the Gulf carriers - Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad and Oman Air - connect most of Asia and Australasia via their Middle East hubs. From Australia, Qatar Airways and Emirates are usually the most convenient, while South African Airways links Perth to Dar es Salaam via Johannesburg.
Many itineraries include short internal flights to reach remote parks such as the western or southern Serengeti. These are flown on small bush planes with strict baggage rules - usually around 15 kg in a soft duffel bag, no hard suitcases. Pack light and keep essentials in your hand luggage; see our safari packing list for details.
Live schedules for the northern gateway are published by Kilimanjaro Airport (KADCO).
Ready to turn this into a real journey? As a local, Arusha-based family team, we tailor every Tanzania safari and Kilimanjaro climb to your dates, budget and pace. Request a free, no-obligation quote or get in touch - we usually reply within 24 hours.
Talk to our local safari experts for a tailor-made itinerary that fits your dates and budget.
