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BA adds two new interesting destinations plus increased frequencies to popular destinations
In recent years, many of BA’s new destinations have been underwhelming US cities, which are great for business but not really holiday destinations. Now British Airways is expanding its network with the addition of two new destinations in Tanzania – Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar which will launch in May 2027.
Flights will operate three times a week from London Gatwick, landing in Kilimanjaro, before going on to Zanzibar. The new routes commence on 29 May and will run through the summer season until 31 October, timed for UK school holidays and the peak safari season. Although I am not a fan of Gatwick in general, I do think the BA lounges there are much better than Heathrow since there is no separate Concorde Room (unless you are GGL!).
| Sector | Day | Flight no | Departure time (local) | Arrival time (local) |
| LGW-JRO | Mon / Thu / Sat | BA2163 | 09:05 | 20:20 |
| JRO-ZNZ | Mon / Thu / Sat | BA2163 | 21:20 | 22:25 |
| ZNZ-LGW | Tue / Fri / Sun | BA2163 | 00:25 | 07:55 |
The flight will operate on a triangle routing and be flown on a B777 aircraft, with three cabins – Club World (business class), World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and World Traveller (economy). Sadly, since it is Gatwick, it looks like it will not have Club Suites.
The route will operate from 29 May to 31 October 2027.
They don’t seem available to book for cash or Avios at the time of publishing but they were previously showing Avios prices as
- Club World off-peak – 198,000 Avios + £599 return
- Club World peak – 220,000 Avios + £599 return
Which seems pretty high compared to flying with Qatar at 130,000 Avios return, even if it is via Doha.
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Kilimanjaro Airport is the gateway to Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit which includes the Serengeti Wildlife Park, where visitors can witness the Great Migration; UNESCO World Heritage Ngorongoro Crater, home to the Big 5; Tarangire National Park, best known for its huge elephant herds; and Lake Manyara National Park.
It’s also the gateway for travellers embarking on climbs of Africa’s highest peak.
Zanzibar, Tanzania
You could make this a two-centre holiday after your safari and head to Zanzibar to relax. The area is famous for its white sandy beaches, marine life and rich history and cultural heritage. Visitors can explore the UNESCO-listed streets of Stone Town, discover the islands’ famous spice plantations, dive or snorkel among colourful coral reefs, and unwind in beachfront resorts overlooking the waters of the Indian Ocean. With its relaxed pace of life, the ‘Spice Island’ offers the ideal setting to recharge and reset.
Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Chief Planning and Strategy Officer said: “We’re excited to be launching flights to two exceptional new destinations that showcase the very best of Tanzania. From the vast plains of the Serengeti and the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro to the turquoise waters and white-sand beaches of Zanzibar, these new routes strengthen our footprint in East Africa and open the door to some of the world’s most extraordinary travel experiences.
“Alongside these new routes, we are strengthening our wider long-haul network, adding capacity to a number of popular destinations across Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean. By increasing frequencies and extending seasonal services, we’re giving customers more choice and flexibility, while deepening London’s connectivity to key destinations around the world.”
Additional Changes for Summer 2027
If you are hunting for Avios seats, it is worth having a look through the changes for additional frequencies and jumping in now to look for new availablity.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina will move to a daily non-stop service, with an onward tag to Santiago, Chile. Customers will benefit from the only non-stop flights between London and Buenos Aires, as well as the convenience of daily services to Santiago, providing more choice and flexibility across South America.
- There will be an increase in seat capacity to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as the daily service moves to a dedicated route, without onward routes.
- London Heathrow to San José, Costa Rica, becomes a year-round service, at three per week.
- London Heathrow to Cape Town, South Africa increases its summer frequency, up from seven per week to 10 per week.
- London Heathrow to Las Vegas increases from 13 per week, to 14 per week.
- London Gatwick to Barbados, which launches this October, will continue for the summer 2027 season, including onward legs to Grenada, Guyana and Tobago.
- London Gatwick to St Lucia continues to operate as a direct service, at four per week for summer 2027.
- British Airways has also recently announced two new long-haul destinations which are launching soon. London Gatwick to Colombo, Sri Lanka, will commence on 23 October, and flights from London Heathrow to Melbourne via Kuala Lumpur will begin on 9 January.
You can check prices and availability on the BA website here.
Etihad announces new Heathrow lounge as premier of new lounge style
Etihad Airways has unveiled the next generation of its lounges, beginning with a new London Heathrow Lounge in summer 2027 and marking the start of a wider expansion of Etihad lounges worldwide.
The Heathrow lounge will be the first to introduce Etihad’s new Beyond Borders design for lounges.
Each lounge will feature dedicated spaces for Business and First guests, alongside private suites for guests travelling in The Residence.
Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “Our new lounges are an important part of the Etihad experience and London Heathrow marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. It will be the first lounge to bring our new design language fully to life on the ground, creating a space that feels uniquely Etihad and distinctly connected to Abu Dhabi.
“The thinking behind Beyond Borders is that our guests should increasingly recognise the same Etihad identity wherever they are in their journey. That doesn’t mean every space or every aircraft needs to be identical, but there should be a clear connection through our design, hospitality, dining, wellbeing and service.
“London is the beginning. As we expand our lounge network, we have an opportunity to create a more consistent premium experience on the ground while continuing to bring the warmth and character of Abu Dhabi to our guests around the world.”
The idea is to have lounges with a similar feel in each place, with local elements to distinguish them.
They have not released much detail yet except some renderings, but it looks very smart with a separate Residence area of the lounge which features a very sexy bathroom! Etihad have really upped their game in recent years, and the latest improvements will hopefully continue to propel them to rival Qatar’s experience.
Earn Avios on ferry trips
