Airlink Begins Direct Johannesburg–Zanzibar Flights

Airlink launched direct service between Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport and Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport on 3 June 2026, with flights operating weekly. The route is the airline’s most significant Indian Ocean addition to date, connecting two of the continent’s most-visited travel regions with a nonstop leg of roughly two and a half hours.

Until now, travellers wanting to combine South Africa with Zanzibar had to route through Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, adding cost and hours to an already long journey. The new Airlink service removes that layover entirely. Travellers who book flights to South Africa as their main entry point can now tag Zanzibar onto the end of their itinerary as a straightforward separate booking — no overnight connection, no third airport.

Zanzibar in June sits in its long-dry-season window. The north and west coast beaches — including Nungwi and Kendwa — see calm, clear water and excellent visibility for snorkelling. Stone Town, the UNESCO-listed Swahili trading hub, is warm but manageable, and spice farm tours run daily without the humidity of the October rains. For visitors coming off a Kruger National Park safari or a road trip along the Garden Route, the contrast of a white-sand island is a natural close to a longer Africa circuit.

Airlink has been building its regional footprint steadily. Earlier this year the airline began service to Nacala in northern Mozambique, and a Cape Town–Zanzibar seasonal route is planned for later in 2026. The JHB–Zanzibar launch is the first departure point from the country’s busiest hub.

For travellers currently getting around South Africa on domestic Airlink legs — the carrier operates one of the country’s largest domestic networks — the Zanzibar route fits onto an existing booking without switching airlines or loyalty programmes.

Tickets are available directly through Airlink and major online travel agencies. We recommend checking the current weekly schedule before booking, as frequencies on new regional routes can change during the initial operating period. While you are planning the South Africa leg, browse tours and activities in Johannesburg to make the most of your time at OR Tambo’s home base before or after the Zanzibar hop.