Air Tanzania will launch its first-ever flights to Russia this summer, opening direct air connections between Tanzania and Moscow for the first time in the airline’s history.

The announcement was made by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the St Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026, where she confirmed the carrier’s plans to begin operations from July 2.

Three Weekly Flights Between Moscow And Tanzania

The new route will connect Moscow with Dar es Salaam via Zanzibar and will operate three times per week.

Flights are scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

According to current plans, the seasonal program will run from July 2 until October 24, 2026.

The launch marks Air Tanzania’s first entry into the Russian market, as the airline has never previously operated flights to the country.

Zanzibar Continues Growing As A Key Destination For Russians

The inclusion of Zanzibar as an intermediate stop highlights the island’s growing importance as one of Africa’s most popular destinations for Russian travelers.

Tanzania has seen increasing interest from Russian tourists in recent years, particularly for beach holidays, safari tourism and winter sun destinations.

Tanzania Wants To Double Russian Tourism Growth

President Samia Suluhu Hassan said Tanzania hopes to significantly increase arrivals from Russia over the coming years.

The government aims to attract around 500,000 Russian tourists annually by 2030 before eventually increasing that figure to one million visitors.

The new flights are expected to strengthen tourism links, improve business connectivity and make Tanzania more accessible to Russian travelers seeking direct connections to East Africa.