Etihad Airways is preparing its entry into Zimbabwe with a Fastjet Zimbabwe partnership that will allow passengers arriving in Harare from Abu-Dhabi to connect onward to Bulawayo, Victoria Falls and Johannesburg on a single ticket.
Fastjet Chief Commercial Officer Vivian Ruwuya said the partnership would make international travel easier for Zimbabwean passengers.
“This partnership opens up the world for our customers in Zimbabwe. From Harare, travellers can now connect onto Etihad's global network and reach Abu Dhabi and destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Europe and beyond, all on a single ticket,” Ruwuya said.
Fastjet Zimbabwe is also expected to become Etihad Guest’s 32nd airline partner, opening the way for future frequent flyer benefits across both airlines.
The agreement, signed in Harare on July 7, 2026, covers an interline partnership, codeshare agreement and frequent flyer partnership between Etihad Airways and Fastjet Zimbabwe. Sales under the partnership are expected to open from August 24, 2026.
Etihad is scheduled to launch its Abu Dhabi–Harare–Lubumbashi service on March 24, 2027, with three flights a week. Passengers flying from Abu Dhabi, or from Etihad’s wider global network through Abu Dhabi will be able to book through to Harare and connect onward on Fastjet Zimbabwe to Bulawayo, Victoria Falls or Johannesburg under one ticketing system.
Etihad Airways Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer Arik De said Africa remained an important part of the airline’s growth strategy.
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“Africa is an important part of Etihad's growth, and partnerships like this one with Fastjet Zimbabwe are how we extend our reach and open up more of the continent for our guests,” he said.
For Zimbabwean travellers, the partnership opens a route from Fastjet’s network into Etihad’s Abu Dhabi service and then onward to destinations in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and other markets served by the airline.
The deal is particularly significant for Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe’s premier tourism destination, as it gives international travellers another planned gateway into the resort city via Harare.
Fastjet Zimbabwe Business CEO and Country Head Donahue Cortes said the agreement marked the beginning of what the airline believed would be a significant partnership.
Zimbabwe is already served by a number of regional and international airlines, including carriers linking Harare and Victoria Falls to African hubs such as Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Kigali, Lusaka and Dar es Salaam, as well as Middle East connections through airlines such as Qatar Airways and Emirates.
Harare currently has direct flights to about 18 destinations, according to flight route listings for July 2026, with domestic links including Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls is also served by several regional airlines, including Air Zimbabwe, Airlink, CemAir, Ethiopian Airlines, Fastjet, Kenya Airways, South African Airways and FlySafair.
However, Zimbabwe still lacks several high-value direct long-haul links. The Etihad-Fastjet partnership comes at a time when Zimbabwe is trying to strengthen air access for tourism, business travel, diaspora movement and investment links.
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