Airlink will operate the first-ever nonstop flights between Cape Town International Airport (CPT) and Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) in Zanzibar from October 3, 2026, with weekly Saturday service using its new Embraer E195-E2 flagship jets.
The Saturday-only schedule is specifically designed for leisure travellers to avoid disruptive overnight or pre-dawn departures. Simple Flying reports the route covers 2,325 miles (3,742 km) with a scheduled flying time of just over six hours — one of the longest E195-E2 routes in Africa. The aircraft seats 124 passengers in a 2×2 configuration with no middle seats.
Airlink's official website flyairlink.com, confirmed the October 3 Saturday-only launch with bookings open. The Cape Town–Zanzibar service is Airlink's second Zanzibar route, complementing its year-round twice-weekly Johannesburg–Zanzibar service that launched June 3, 2026. CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht cited Zanzibar's "flourishing economy" across tourism, spice trade, and offshore energy exploration as drivers of growing travel demand. Airways Magazine and BizCommunity independently confirm the first-ever nonstop nature of the CPT–ZNZ link and the October 3 launch date.
Sources
- FlyAirlink.com — Airlink Launches Non-Stop Cape Town to Zanzibar Flights (official)
- ATTA — Airlink Launches Johannesburg–Zanzibar With Cape Town Route to Follow in October
- Airways Magazine — Airlink to Introduce Cape Town Zanzibar Flights
- BizCommunity — Airlink Launches First Direct Cape Town-Zanzibar Flights
Sources & references (4)
Things to do at each end of the route
Top-rated tours & experiences in Cape Town and Zanzibar.