(Last updated March 2024)

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. There are two main sections to this article: Mainstream airlines and charter airlines.

1. Mainstream airlines: The three main airports in Zimbabwe are located 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 a mainstream airline such as fastjet or Air Zimbabwe.

2. Charter airlines: If you’re flying into a national park or small town, you’ll probably need to use a charter airline.

Top tip: Are you flying into Victoria Falls and you want to add a Hwange National Park safari to your holiday? You could 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.

Also see our article on international flights to Zimbabwe for information on regional and global flight routes to places like Cape Town, Kruger and Johannesburg and further afield.

1. Mainstream airlines for internal flights within Zimbabwe

• fastjet: multi-award-winning African airline that connects Harare, Victoria Falls and Bulawayo (plus regional international 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).
  • How to pay: 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.
  • Destinations: See fastjet’s latest 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. Plus you can enjoy the experience on flying on some almost classic aircraft!
  • How to pay: 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.
  • Destinations: See Air Zimbabwe’s latest route map here.
• Airlink: Although Airlink doesn’t actually have direct flights between destinations within 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.
  • • How to pay: Booking and payment can be made through their website or app; major credit cards are accepted. (I recently had no problem booking a flight with Airlink online from the UK.)
    • Destinations: View Airlink’s latest route map here.

Note: There are two airports in Harare, and the above mainstream airlines depart from the primary Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare (HRE). Within Harare International Airport you might need to walk from the international terminal to the domestic terminal (about a 5-minute walk).

Keep on reading to find out about the charter airlines within Zimbabwe…

2. Charter airlines for internal flights within 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 across southern Africa.

Some of them have regular scheduled flights to specific destinations, others operate on an on-demand basis.

Top Tip: Many of these charter flights use 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 International airport, it’s probably best to spend a few days seeing the Harare sights, and then go to Charles Prince Airport to fly to your safari destination. We’ve put together 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 within Zimbabwe and Botswana, as well as further afield, including safari camps.
• Safari Logistics Service (Run by African Bush Camps): Flights to Victoria Falls, Hwange, Bumi Hills/Matusadona, Somalisa Hwange and Mana Pools.
• Wilderness Air (Run by Wilderness Safaris): 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.
• Falcon Air: Flights to most destinations within Zimbabwe and sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Harare to Kariba scheduled flights: Starting from 6th June 2024, there will be two flights per week, on Thursdays and Mondays with Falcon Air.

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 from 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’re pushed for time).

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

• Coach and bus travel in Zimbabwe – Private bus and shuttle companies offer affordable, clean and reliable connections around Zimbabwe. Read the post for destinations and routes
• Flights to Zimbabwe from South Africa and the rest of the world
• Transport within Zimbabwe – This is an overview of the transport options available in Zimbabwe
• Driving in Zimbabwe – Investigate the option of hiring a car and self-driving around Zimbabwe

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

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

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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.