British Airways launches new routes to bucket-list holiday spots 14 years after last flights
LOOKING for your next big holiday? Look no further as British Airways has revealed a major update to its summer 2027 schedule with flights to TWO East African destinations.
British Airways (BA) has announced that it will be launching new flights to Tanzania from May 29, 2027 – which last took off 14 years ago.
The flights will take off from London Gatwick Airport and head to Kilimanjaro before heading onto Zanzibar.
The flights will then continue for the season, until October 31.
In Kilimanjaro, you can obviously visit the famous mountain, which is Africa’s highest peak and the world’s highest free-standing mountain.
It takes about 45 minutes from the airport to reach Moshi – the gateway town.
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The National Park is home to rainforest, as well as an arctic summit.
In the region, there’s also Tanzania’s loved Northern Safari Circuit to explore, which is one of the continent’s most famous wildlife routes.
It includes the Serengeti Wildlife Park, where the Great Migration is found, as well as UNESCO World Heritage Ngorongoro Crater, which is home to the Big 5.
Or head to Tarangire National Park as well, which is well-known for its elephant herds.
Meanwhile, Zanzibar is famous for its white, sandy coast that’s home to an abundance of marine life including dolphins and sea turtles.
There’s also the UNESCO-listed streets of Stone Town to explore, with hand-carved wooden doors and coral-stone buildings.
Across the island, there are a number of spice plantations, giving visitors the chance to sample fresh vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Flights will take off three times a week from London Gatwick, landing in Kilimanjaro, before going on to Zanzibar.
Flights from London Gatwick to Kilimanjaro International Airport and then onwards to Zanzibar, will take off on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The flights will depart at 9:05am and land in Kilimanjaro at 8:20pm,before then taking off to Zanzibar at 9:20pm and landing there at 10:25pm.
Return flights from Zanzibar back to London Gatwick, will take place on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing at 12:25am and landing at 7:55am.
Flights will cost from £849 return.
Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Chief Planning and Strategy Officer 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.”
In addition to the Tanzania flights, BA is increasing its capacity to Latin America by 25 per cent.
There will also be new non-stop flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina and onward service to Santiago, Chile.
Additional seats have been added to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as well, and flights to San José, Costa Rica, will become year-round.
Las Vegas in America and Cape Town in South Africa will also gain additional flights.
