Internal flights in Zimbabwe: Full list of airlines and routes

(Last updated March 2024)

Internal flights in Zimbabwe

Internal flights in Zimbabwe: Full list of airlines and routes

Zimbabwe has many fantastic national parks and cities, but a number of them require a road transfer journey lasting at least four hours. Air travel is obviously the fastest and most convenient way to see as much of Zimbabwe as you can, although flights to national parks are more expensive than to the main towns. Here’s our quick-reference guide to internal flights in Zimbabwe.

The three main airports in Zimbabwe are in Harare, Victoria Falls and Bulawayo, however there are smaller airports in national parks and towns. If you’re flying to one of the three main airports, you will most likely use fastjet or Air Zimbabwe. If you’re flying directly into a national park, you’ll probably need to use a charter airline. Also see our article on international flights to Zimbabwe for more information on regional and global flight routes.

Top tip: Are you flying into Victoria Falls and you want to add a Hwange National Park safari to your holiday? Simply use a road shuttle service from Victoria Falls to Hwange. The road journey is around 2.5 hours. Simply ask your accommodation in either Victoria Falls or Hwange to advise you on this, or see our road transport article here.

Scheduled internal flights in Zimbabwe

If you are flying between Harare, Victoria Falls and Bulawayo, here are the main airlines that operate these internal flights.

  • fastjet: multi-award-winning African airline that connects Harare, Victoria Falls and Bulawayo (plus regional destinations). This is a great option that is much quicker than travelling by road, and has expanded its flight services in 2023. It also connects Zimbabwean destinations with Johannesburg and Kruger National Park in South Africa (Nelspruit Mpumalanga).
    • You can book and pay for your flights using credit and debit cards (Visa & Mastercard) via their website, App, fastjet travel shop or fastjet airport ticket sales desk. You can also pay with cash via any fastjet travel shop, fastjet airport ticket sales desk, or mobile money using tingg Stanbic via their website. There are ‘book now, pay later’ options which you can read about on their website.
    • See fastjet’s route map here.
  • Air Zimbabwe: local & regional flight connections between Harare, Victoria Falls and Bulawayo. Air Zimbabwe is the cheapest flight option in Zimbabwe, but with this comes a chance that your flight may be delayed by an hour or so. In the grand scheme of things, even if your flight is slightly delayed, the journey will still be shorter than travelling via road. The airline is the mainstay of many Zimbabwean business travellers, primarily because of its affordability and long history. The service on the whole is good, and snacks are served onboard.
    • Book and pay via telephone, online or in person with a debit card. Flights aren’t usually full, so don’t always need to book far in advance.
    • See Air Zimbabwe’s destinations here.
  • Airlink: Although Airlink doesn’t actually have direct flights between destinations in Zimbabwe, you could technically use them to fly between Zimbabwean destinations via Johannesburg. The extra layover in Johannesburg would indeed take up time, but it may still be faster than driving between Harare and Victoria Falls, for example. Airlink currently operates an expansive route network to more than 45 destinations in 15 African countries and to St Helena Island.
      • View Airlink’s route map here.
      • Booking and payment can be made through their website or app; major credit cards accepted.

The above internal flights depart from the main Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport of Harare (HRE), although you might need to walk from the international terminal to the domestic terminal (about a 5-minute walk).

Charter and scheduled flights to safari lodges and bespoke destinations in Zimbabwe

There are a number of charter airlines which specialise in smaller and national park destinations in Zimbabwe such as: Mana Pools, Kariba, Chiredzi, Mutare, Masvingo, Hwange, and southern Africa.

Some of them have regular scheduled flights to specific destinations, others operate on an on-demand basis. Bear in mind that many of these charter flights depart from Charles Prince Airport in Harare (FVCP), which is 32 km from the main Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport of Harare (HRE). The drive between the two airports can take up to an hour.

If you are arriving in Zimbabwe via Harare airport, it’s probably best to spend a few days seeing the Harare sights, and then fly from Charles Prince Airport to your safari destination. We also have a list of shuttle companies who can assist with road transfers here.

  • Executive Air: Flights to most destinations within Zimbabwe and southern Africa, especially safari camps.
  • Halsteds Aviation: Flights to most destinations within Zimbabwe and sub-Saharan Africa, especially safari camps.
  • Mack Air: Flights to most destinations withing Zimbabwe and Botswana, as well as further afield, including safari camps.
  • Safari Logistics Service (Run by African Bush Camps): Connections to Victoria Falls, Hwange, Bumi Hills/Matusadona, Somalisa Hwange and Mana Pools.
  • Wilderness Air (Run by Wilderness Safaris): Offers charter flights to most destinations within Zimbabwe and southern Africa, especially safari camps.
  • Grand Air Charters: Flights to most destinations within Zimbabwe and southern Africa, especially safari camps.

Zim view from air - from Great Zimbabwe Guide

Top tip: Remember that you can combine air and road travel. For example, if you want to get to Hwange National Park from Harare, you could fly Harare to Victoria Falls with FastJet/Air Zimbabwe, then get a road transfer or bus from Victoria Falls to Hwange National Park. Always ask your accommodation for transport options: they will know the most up-to-date suppliers, routes and prices.

Note: For local flights within Zimbabwe, you usually need to be at the airport around 1.5 hrs before your flight (1 hour if you are pushed for time).

Also see the following posts which give information on transport in Zimbabwe:

Check out our Zimbabwe travel quick reference guide for more articles.

Other articles you might like

Click on an image below to read the article. FAQs about visiting Zimbabwe | Weather in Zimbabwe | Flights to Zimbabwe | Transport in Zimbabwe

FAQs about visiting Zimbabwe, Africa

weather in zimbabwe africa

Flights to Zimbabwe Africa

Transport in Zimbabwe Africa

 

Follow Great Zimbabwe Guide on social media for even more Zimbabwe travel tips and inspiration: Facebook (@GreatZimbabweGuide) & Instagram(@GreatZimGuide). To ensure you don’t miss anything, sign up for email newsletters on our Contact page

Matusadona National Park Kariba Zimbabwe Elephant
Elephants in Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe

If you’re planning your Zimbabwe holiday (hooray!), I can recommend Go2Africa, Africa’s Leading Safari Company (and one of our affiliates). Go2Africa has been tailor-making safari holidays for thousands of clients from across the globe since 1998. You can research African destinations, accommodation, transport, and more. Even better, you can directly contact their safari specialists who can help you get the African experience that’s perfect for you. You can leave the internal flight booking to them!

Please do visit the Go2Africa website, or check out their Zimbabwe tours here.

Follow Beth (Travel Editor/Writer):

Beth is the founder and chief writer of Great Zimbabwe Guide Travel Blog. Practical Zimbabwe travel advice since 2010.