New international flight for South Africa

South African airline Airlink has inaugurated its new year-round return service between Johannesburg and Zanzibar, and will soon add another flight to and from the Tanzanian island.

The airline noted that the destination has become so popular for tourists that it will add a third weekly return flight on the route from 15 December 2026 to 13 January 2027 for the peak summer holiday season.

Airlink CEO De Villiers Engelbrecht explained that Zanzibar is not only a tourist bucket-list destination, but rather a growing investment hub.

“Zanzibar’s flourishing economy, which includes its traditional spice trade but also manufacturing, fishing, marine tourism and offshore oil and gas exploration, is an increasingly powerful magnet for investment and trade,” he said.

Zanzibar also represents the first international destination serviced by Airlink’s new Embraer E195-E2 flagship passenger jets

The airline explains that these are modern, fuel-efficient aircraft that can accommodate up to 136 passengers in either aisle or window seats, as Airlink aircraft do not have middle seats.

From this week, Airlink flights between O.R. Tambo International Airport and Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport will operate twice-weekly at the following times:

Between 15 December 2026 and 13 January 2027, additional third weekly flights will operate at these times:

The flight times are local at the point of departure, with Zanzibar on East African Time (EAT), GMT+3, or one hour ahead of South African time.

Non-stop flights between Cape Town and Zanzibar

In October, Airlink will launch the first-ever non-stop Cape Town-Zanzibar route.

The route will be the airline’s second to the Indian Ocean island, with bookings aboard its new Embraer fleet already open for flights along the new route.

“The introduction of our new flagship aircraft, the E195-E2, with its innovative business class and comfortable economy seats, enables Airlink to bring destinations such as Zanzibar within convenient non-stop reach of Cape Town,” said Engelbrecht.

Airlink customers holding tickets for Cape Town-Johannesburg-Zanzibar flights will be able to switch their bookings to the non-stop direct flight at no extra charge through Airlink Reservations.

“Cape Town is also our second hub and a popular connecting point for long-haul, regional and local customers travelling with Airlink or any of our partner airlines from around the world,” noted Engelbrecht.

Direct flights from Cape Town to Zanzibar, which will have a flying time of just over six hours, will operate on Saturdays at the following times from 3 October 2026:

Airlink notes that the schedule is designed for leisure travellers to maximise their fun time on the island without disruptive middle-of-the-night or pre-dawn departures or arrivals.