What Are the International Airports in Tanzania?

Tanzania’s International Airport

Tanzania has two international airports, one outside the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam (airport code: DAR), and the other near Arusha (and Mount Kilimanjaro) called Kilimanjaro International Airport (airport code: JRO). Charter flights and some international operators fly directly to Zanzibar Island (airport code: ZNZ).

Getting to Tanzania

If you’re planning to visit Northern Tanzania, the best airport to arrive at is Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA). KLM has daily flights from Amsterdam. Ethiopian and Kenya Airways also fly into KIA. If you’re planning to visit Zanzibar or southern and western Tanzania, you’ll want to fly to the capital, Dar es Salaam. European carriers that fly into Dar es Salaam include British Airways, KLM, and Swissair (which codeshares with Delta). Regional flights to Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, and parts of northern Tanzania regularly fly from Nairobi (Kenya Airways, Air Kenya) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines). Air Tanzania has several flights per week to Entebbe (Uganda), Mombasa, and Nairobi.

Brussels Airlines

Recently, Brussels Airlines has officially launched direct flights to Tanzania, marking a significant milestone for the country’s tourism and aviation sectors. The inaugural flight landed at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) carrying 248 passengers, enhancing connectivity between Europe and Tanzania and making it easier than ever for travelers to experience Tanzania’s world-class safaris, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the pristine beaches of Zanzibar.

Common international airlines that operate (or have recently operated) flights to KIA include:

• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines — via Amsterdam (often seasonal or several times weekly, depending on demand)
• Qatar Airways — via Doha (some seasons/routes vary)
• Turkish Airlines — via Istanbul (often seasonal)
• Ethiopian Airlines — via Addis Ababa (very frequent and reliable hub connection)
• Kenya Airways — via Nairobi (regional connections and codeshares)
• Brussels Airlines — recently launching direct service (new market entry / seasonal operations)
• Condor — sometimes operates charter/seasonal flights from Europe

The advantage of flight is that it will save travellers the time and money they would otherwise need to expend on overland travel from Nairobi. A flight to Kilimanjaro is relatively easy to come by. Due to the fact that the border splits the body of Mount Kilimanjaro between Tanzania and Kenya, it is possible to access the mountain from Tanzania but not Kenya, since all the Routes to the summit begin in Tanzania. The most practical means of getting to Kilimanjaro is still via the Kilimanjaro International Airport located between Arusha and Moshi town.

Travellers will fly directly into Kilimanjaro International Airport, after which they will usually spend an evening in a hotel or Lodge in the town. Depending on which tour operator they elect to travel with, groups will then either fly or travel by safari vehicles to the safari if they stay in Arusha or drive to the Mount Kilimanjaro starting point if they stay in Moshi. One of the most popular means of getting to the Northern circuit excursions, like safari and Mount Kilimanjaro trekking, is through Safari ASAP, which runs tours in the towns of Arusha and Moshi. The journey to the Ngorongoro Crater takes approximately 3 hours from Arusha, after which it is another three or four hours before one reaches the famous national park of Tanzania, the Serengeti.

Arusha is situated in proximity to the numerous wildlife parks, the most well-known and beautiful of which is the Arusha National Park. Although some travellers elect to spend a night or two here, most continue to the town of Moshi, which is about an hour east of Arusha by vehicle and the starting point for most routes up the mountain. From Moshi, the looming form of Kilimanjaro is clearly visible, its mighty crest penetrating the clouds like a giant sphere.

For those climbers who have elected to make their summit attempt via the Marangu Route, it is possible to travel even further east to the town of Marangu, which is situated directly below the Marangu Park Gate. Conversely, those wishing to make use of the Rongai Trail will more than likely not pass through either Arusha or Moshi at all, but rather begin their climb from the Kenyan town of Loitikotok, or alternatively, transfer directly to the town of Rongai in Tanzania.

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