IndiGo to fly Mumbai to Dar es Salaam daily from November 20

IndiGo has announced daily non-stop flights between Mumbai and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's largest city, starting November 20, 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. Reports of the announcement on October 15, 2026, said the airline would become the only Indian carrier flying directly between the two cities. According to the published schedule, flight 6E 1851 will leave Mumbai at 2:20 am and reach Dar es Salaam at 6:05 am local time, while the return flight 6E 1852 will depart Dar es Salaam at 7:05 am and land in Mumbai at 3:55 pm. Bookings have opened on the airline's website, app and through travel agents.

India and Tanzania have long-standing ties of trade, education and family. A large community of Indian origin lives in Tanzania, and Mumbai is a natural gateway for them. Indian companies are active in Tanzania in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, mining and construction, and many Tanzanians travel to India for medical treatment and higher studies. Until now, travellers between the two cities have had only one non-stop choice, so most have flown via Gulf hubs or on Air Tanzania.

A second daily non-stop service brings competition, and that usually means more choice and lower fares. If launch fares near Rs 47,000 for a return trip hold, that would be noticeably cheaper than the existing non-stop fares cited in trade reports. For leisure travellers, Dar es Salaam is also the main gateway to Zanzibar, the beaches of the Indian Ocean coast and Tanzania's wildlife parks, including the Serengeti and Kilimanjaro region, which are reached by onward domestic flights or ferries.

The route also fits a wider trend. Indian airlines have been expanding to Africa and Central Asia with narrow-body jets that can fly medium-haul routes profitably. For IndiGo, India's largest airline, East Africa is a market where a large diaspora and growing business travel can keep planes full.

Short-term: Travellers planning trips from late November, including for the year-end holiday season, have a new direct option and may see lower fares as two airlines compete on the route. The service still needs final regulatory approval, so passengers should check their booking status before travel.

Long-term: Better direct links can support trade, medical travel and student traffic between India and Tanzania, and may encourage more Indian tourists to visit East Africa. If the route does well, other Indian carriers may look at similar African routes.

Who is affected: People of Indian origin in Tanzania and their families in India, business travellers, Tanzanian patients and students coming to India, tourists heading to Zanzibar and Tanzanian safaris, and Air Tanzania, which now faces competition on its route.

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