SkyTeam airline KLM is selling cheap flights to Zanzibar from various airports in Germany and Italy, as well as from Vienna. While €365 is a great price, the fact that luggage is included makes it even better!
With Air France and KLM, all tickets for flights departing before March 31, 2022, can be canceled free of charge. You will then first receive a voucher, which can be paid out to your bank account or credit card without having to pay any fees. You can read the rules again here.
You can find available dates at these prices until May 2022. Availability is the highest on Wednesdays.
You can depart from the following cities:
- Hamburg: €365
- Berlin: €366
- Nuremberg: €372
- Düsseldorf: €374
- Stuttgart: €380
- Vienna: €381
- Munich: €381
- Bremen: €381
- Hanover: €382
- Bologna: €384
- Venice: €388
- Milan: €390
- Rome: €396
- Frankfurt: €400
You would first fly to Amsterdam, from where KLM would take you to Zanzibar City onboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Search & Book
According to the fare rules, tickets are on sale until October 14, 2021 for trips between before December 16, 2021 or between January 3 and June 30. The minimum stay requirement is 4 days (or a Sunday). Furthermore, your stay cannot exceed 3 months. The economy class tickets have to be booked at least 5 days before departure. Stopovers are not permitted.
You can find all available dates on Google Flights. You should then book directly on KLM’s website.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:
Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.
Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.
Mileage
The short-haul flights to Amsterdam are issued in booking class L (sometimes X, especially from Italy), while the long-haul flights to Zanzibar are issued in booking class G. To give you an example, a round trip from Hamburg would get you:
- 5,124 Award Miles + 70 Tier Points on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- 3,310 Miles on CSA OK Plus
- 2,810 Miles on Aeromexico Club Premier
- 2,498 Miles on MEA Cedar Miles
- 2,498 RDM + 522 MQD on Delta SkyMiles
- 2,310 Miles on Aerolíneas Argentinas AerolíneasPlus
- 2,310 Miles on GOL Aéreos Smiles
- 2,046 Miles on Saudia Alfursan
- 2,046 Miles on Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles
- 2,046 Points on Malaysia Airlines Enrich
- 2,046 Miles on Korean Air Skypass
- 2,046 Miles on Garuda Indonesia GarudaMiles
- 2,046 Miles on Air Europa Suma
- 1,928 Award Miles on Etihad Guest
- 856 Award Miles + 30 XP on Flying Blue
Information & Tips for Zanzibar
The Zanzibar archipelago with its main island Unguja lies in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa and belongs to Tanzania. Zanzibar is especially known for its beautiful beaches and as an inexpensive alternative to the Maldives. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Stone Town with its buildings made of light coral limestone and mangrove wood in the 19th century is also worth a visit.
The Best Time to Visit
Zanzibar is relatively close to the equator and therefore the climate is tropical. Due to the south-west and north-east monsoon there are two rainy seasons per year between the end of March and the end of May and in November and December. Temperatures average 27 °C with maximums just above 30 °C and nightly temperatures not below 20 °C. During the two rainy seasons the humidity can be very unpleasant. Therefore, the ideal travel time is between the beginning of June and the end of September as well as in January and February. In general, however, you can visit Zanzibar all year round.
Immigration & Visa Requirements
With most EU passports (must be valid for at least 6 months on departure) a visa is required for Tanzania. You can apply for the visa either in advance at an embassy or as a Visa on Arrival for a fee of $50 when entering the country at the Zanzibar International Airport. The fee can only be paid by credit card.
Departure Charge
In addition, depending on the airline, an exit fee or tax may be payable on departure from Zanzibar International Airport. For some airlines the departure tax is already included in the airfare.
→ All Dealz for Zanzibar
Cover Picture: © Natalya Ovchinnikova - fotolia.com