Flying to Botswana

General Information

Botswana has very limited direct air connectivity, with flights mainly from neighbouring countries—primarily South Africa—South Africa—and little to nothing beyond the region. In short, a stopover (at minimum) is almost always required to reach the country, with flights that are often expensive and long for most visitors.

Additionally, despite having dozens of airfields (including private ones for safaris), Botswana has few airports with regular scheduled flights. The busiest by far is the capital’s Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. The cities of Maun, Kasane, and Francistown also offer some domestic and regional connections.

That said, Johannesburg can still be considered the main gateway—and in some ways, the "best airport for Botswana". The South African city is only about 350 km from Gaborone.

Types of Flights

Local Airlines

Excluding small charter or on-demand operators (Sefofane, Mack Air, Moremi Air, etc.), which mainly serve safaris, Botswana has only one national airline: Air Botswana, based in Gaborone. It serves around ten regional cities and operates domestic flights between the country’s four main cities.

Charters, Scheduled, and Low-Cost Flights

Beyond on-demand services for individuals or agencies, Botswana only receives scheduled flights.

Promotions and Special Offers

Occasional deals for Botswana aren’t unique to the destination but reflect airline promotions across their networks, including routes to the country.

From France and Europe

There are no direct flights to or from Europe. All connections require a stopover, most commonly via Johannesburg (South African Airways), but also Nairobi (Kenya Airways) or Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines). From Paris, expect at least 15 to 20 hours of travel time for a round-trip fare of 750 €–950.

However, arriving in Johannesburg and continuing to Gaborone and Botswana (375 km away) by land can be a practical option.

From the Rest of Africa

Africa is the only continent with direct flights to Botswana.

South Africa: Johannesburg (Air Botswana from Francistown + Air Botswana, Airlink, and South African Airways from Gaborone + Air Botswana and Airlink from Kasane and Maun), Cape Town (Air Botswana from Gaborone + Airlink from Maun).

Angola: Luanda (TAAG from Gaborone).

Ethiopia: Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines from Gaborone).

Kenya: Nairobi (Kenya Airways from Gaborone).

Namibia: Windhoek (Air Namibia from Maun).

Zambia: Lusaka (Air Botswana from Gaborone).

Zimbabwe: Harare (Air Botswana from Gaborone), Victoria Falls (Air Botswana from Gaborone + Air Botswana and Air Namibia from Maun).