Prague to Zanzibar is a classic winter-sun escape, and for part of the year you can fly it non-stop — Smartwings runs seasonal charter flights straight to the island in about eight hours. Outside the charter season the route is one-stop — and in the fares we priced that meant Dubai, Cairo or Hurghada rather than Istanbul or Addis Ababa. This guide covers who flies it, fair fares in koruna, and when to book.
Route: Prague (PRG) → Zanzibar, Abeid Amani Karume International (ZNZ)
Distance: approximately 6,705 km (4,166 miles)
Non-stop flight time: about 8h 10m southbound on the seasonal charter
Direct flights: Yes, seasonally — Smartwings operates non-stop charter flights from Prague to Zanzibar over the winter holiday season. There is no year-round scheduled non-stop, so on other dates the route is one-stop. In the hundred cheapest fares we priced, flydubai via Dubai held the floor at 19,350 Kč and EgyptAir and Air Cairo together held 54 of the 100, via Cairo or Hurghada.
Fares from Prague to Zanzibar (CZK)
Zanzibar has two dry, sunny peaks — the European winter (December to February) and the northern summer (July to August) — and these are when both the charter flights and the connecting fares cost the most. The long rains in April and May are the quietest and cheapest time. The figures below are typical economy return fares in koruna; the seasonal non-stop and the one-stop routings sit in a similar band.
| Month | Demand |
|---|---|
| January | very high |
| February | high |
| March | medium |
| April | low (long rains) |
| May | low |
| June | medium |
| July | high (summer holidays) |
| August | high |
| September | medium |
| October | medium |
| November | medium-high |
| December | very high |
Reference points from our own deal tracking: nothing sold below 19 350 Kč return in the dates we could price. A strong fare lands around 19 350–20 550 Kč, a typical fair price is roughly 23 000 Kč, and anything under about 20 500 Kč is worth booking quickly. These are the one-stop fares; the Smartwings charter is sold separately and does not appear in the fare data we track.
Airlines on this route
Non-stop (about 8h 10m, seasonal charter):
- Smartwings — the Czech leisure carrier flies direct Prague → Zanzibar as a seasonal charter over the winter holiday season; there’s no year-round scheduled non-stop, so availability depends on the calendar.
One-stop (year-round, usually the cheapest off-season):
- flydubai via Dubai — the cheapest fares we priced, from 19,350 Kč and 34 of the hundred cheapest. The catch is time: its itineraries ran 14h 35m to nearly 32 hours depending on the Dubai layover.
- EgyptAir via Cairo — 34 of the hundred cheapest at 23,417–24,530 Kč, and quick with it: a consistent 11h 35m total.
- Air Cairo via Hurghada or Cairo — the best combination in our sample, 20,137 Kč and up at 11h 35m to 12h 20m. Nearly as cheap as flydubai and hours quicker.
- Condor via Frankfurt — the quickest of all at 11h 25m, from 20,663 Kč, though its fares reached 31,129 Kč.
- Turkish Airlines via Istanbul — frequent connections and a broad choice of dates to Zanzibar, but it did not appear among the hundred cheapest fares we priced.
- Qatar Airways via Doha — another Gulf routing, though unlike flydubai it did not turn up among the hundred cheapest fares we priced.
- Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa — a direct African hub connection, handy for onward safari plans; also absent from the cheapest hundred, so compare it rather than assuming it leads on price.
If your trip lands in the winter charter window, the Smartwings non-stop is the easiest option — roughly eight hours and no connection. The rest of the year, a single stop through Istanbul, Doha, Dubai or Addis Ababa is the way to go, and it’s frequently cheaper.
When to book & how to save
- Book 3–4 months ahead for the winter peak and the summer holidays, when both the charter and the connecting fares are highest and seats go early.
- Travel in the shoulder months (March, June, October) for warm, dry-ish weather at lower prices.
- Consider the long rains (April–May) for the cheapest fares if you don’t mind afternoon downpours — the island is quiet and green.
- Match your dates to the charter if you want the non-stop; it flies on set days over winter only, so a small shift can save you a connection.
- Check baggage and any visa on arrival: Tanzania requires a visa for most visitors, and the cheapest fares may not include a checked bag — compare the all-in cost.
Arriving in Zanzibar
You’ll land at Abeid Amani Karume International (ZNZ), about 6 km south of Stone Town. Most visitors take a taxi: Stone Town is around 15 minutes away for roughly 350–600 Kč, while the popular north and east coast beaches (Nungwi, Kendwa, Paje) are an hour or more and cost more accordingly. Airport taxis don’t use meters, so agree the fare before you set off, and many hotels can arrange a transfer that’s often smoother than haggling at the rank.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Prague to Zanzibar?
The seasonal Smartwings charter flies non-stop in about 8 hours 10 minutes. One-stop itineraries took 11h 25m to 31h 55m in the fares we priced, with a median of about 11h 45m — the connection length is what varies. The quickest were via Frankfurt (11h 25m) and Cairo or Hurghada (11h 35m); the long tail belongs to the cheapest flydubai fares, some of which sit most of a day in Dubai.
Are there direct flights from Prague to Zanzibar?
Yes, seasonally. Smartwings operates non-stop charter flights from Prague to Zanzibar over the winter holiday season. There’s no year-round scheduled direct, so on other dates you fly one-stop. In our fares that meant flydubai via Dubai for the lowest prices, and EgyptAir or Air Cairo via Cairo and Hurghada for the quickest journeys.
How much does it cost to fly from Prague to Zanzibar?
In the dates we could price, one-stop returns ran 19 350–31 129 Kč with a median near 23 000 Kč — nothing at all sold below 19,350. The cheapest were flydubai via Dubai; Air Cairo via Hurghada was close behind and hours quicker. The winter-sun peak and the July–August summer holidays sit at the top of the range.
What is the cheapest month to fly from Prague to Zanzibar?
April and May are usually the cheapest. Our sample covers August to January, so it cannot price either month — but treat any figure below about 19 000 Kč with suspicion, because nothing on the route sold under 19,350 in any month we could see. These are the long-rains months, so expect some downpours. March, June and October are good compromises between price and weather. Avoid December–February and the summer holidays.
Which airlines fly from Prague to Zanzibar?
Non-stop: Smartwings, as a seasonal winter charter — sold separately, so it does not show up in the fare data we track. One-stop, year-round, in the order our fares actually showed: flydubai via Dubai (the cheapest, and 34 of the hundred cheapest), EgyptAir via Cairo (another 34), Air Cairo via Hurghada or Cairo, and Condor via Frankfurt. Turkish Airlines (Istanbul), Qatar Airways (Doha) and Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa) also fly it but appeared at no price among the cheapest hundred.
Which airport do I fly into in Zanzibar?
You arrive at Abeid Amani Karume International (ZNZ), just south of Stone Town and the island’s only commercial airport. It serves the whole of Zanzibar (Unguja island), so it’s your gateway whether you’re staying in Stone Town or at the northern and eastern beach resorts.
How far in advance should I book Prague to Zanzibar flights?
Aim to book 3 to 4 months ahead for the winter peak and the summer holidays, when the seasonal charter and the connecting fares fill up first. For the cheaper rainy months you can leave it a little later, but long-haul leisure fares to Zanzibar generally climb as the date approaches.
Is it cheaper to fly on weekdays?
On the one-stop routings, yes — midweek departures (Tuesday to Thursday) are usually a little cheaper than weekends. The Smartwings charter runs on fixed days, so there the trick is matching your dates to the schedule rather than picking a weekday. Flexibility on both date and connection city helps most.
Fare guidance based on aifly.one deal tracking and current airline schedules; last reviewed July 2026. Indicative economy returns — check the live fare before booking.
