British Airways will launch service between London Gatwick (LGW) and Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Tanzania from May 29, 2027, operating three times per week on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays under flight number BA2163, with the season running through October 31, 2027, according to the airline's official press release.
The route uses a triangular routing: BA2163 departs Gatwick at 09:05, arrives Kilimanjaro at 20:20 local time, continues to Zanzibar (ZNZ), and returns nonstop from Zanzibar to Gatwick. Kilimanjaro is not served northbound. The aircraft is a Boeing 777, operated in three cabins: Club World (business class), World Traveller Plus (premium economy), and World Traveller (economy). Return fares start from £849 including taxes, per BA.
Kilimanjaro is one of two new Tanzanian destinations British Airways is adding simultaneously. The airline described the launch as its return to Tanzania after approximately 15 years. The Kilimanjaro stop gives access to Tanzania's northern safari circuit, including the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire, and Lake Manyara national parks, as well as mountain treks. The seasonal schedule is timed to cover UK school holidays and the peak East African wildlife season.
Chief Planning and Strategy Officer Neil Chernoff confirmed the launch in the official press release, citing the Serengeti's Great Migration and Mount Kilimanjaro as headline experiences.
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