Cheap flights to Malawi

Malawi is open to air travel, in a limited capacity though. That all passengers must submit proof of their health status is the extent of travel restrictions on flights to Malawi due to COVID-19. It is absolutely mandatory for those travelling to Malawi to get an RT-PCR test done before entering the country. The report will be accepted if the test is taken within 72 hours of boarding the flight and the result is negative. Authorities have strictly advised against using the NHS for this testing service. Please keep in touch for quick updates as travel restrictions are subject to change.

• Kenya Airways
• Ethiopian Airlines
• Air France
• South African Airways
• KLM
• Virgin Atlantic
• British Airways

• Going to Malawi from London Heathrow Airport takes about 24 hours, which is due to one to two stopovers during the trip. These stopovers are usually in Amsterdam and Nairobi. If the passenger is landing in Blantyre instead at Lilongwe, then the flight is about £50 pounds more expensive but only 20 hours long from start to finish.
• Ethiopian Airlines is also among the cheapest carriers that take passengers from Manchester to Malawi. This flight to Lilongwe is 18 hours long and has a single stopover in Addis Ababa.
• The flight leaving for Malawi’s capital Lilongwe from Birmingham reaches the destination in about 20 hours. This flight usually has two stops in Paris and Nairobi.
• Ethiopian Airways flights from London Gatwick Airport take 22 hours to reach Lilongwe with two layovers in Rome and Nairobi.

No, no direct flights are connecting Malawi to the United Kingdom. By giving a few extra pounds, you can avail the one-stop flight by Ethiopian Airways. However, the cheapest ticket to Malawi is, more often than not, offered by Kenya Airways, which comes with two stopovers. Passengers usually prefer the one-stop Ethiopian Airways flight to Malawi due to convenience. In the peak season, the tickets to Malawi remain between the £510 and £530 range.

Despite that, there are not many flights scheduled by Ethiopian Airways from the UK, the Africa based airline’s tickets are eagerly sought after due to their affordability. Even in the busy season, the cost of one roundtrip flight from London to Malawi does not exceed more than £530. If you are taking an Ethiopian Airways flight from London, you would probably be boarding ET 701 or ET 711. Flight number ET 701 is operated every day at 9:00 PM and reaches Addis Ababa after an eight-hour journey at 7 AM. ET 711 only operates on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at different times between 9 to 11 AM.

The next stretch of the travel is from Addis Ababa to Lilongwe. Flight number ET 877 is a dedicated service to get passengers to Malawi, and it is a short flight of only 4 hours. ET 877 is operated every day at 9:30 AM and arrives in Lilongwe at 3 PM.

Fortunately, there are two months in the year when the trip to Malawi is the cheapest and affordable. Travellers on a budget visit Malawi in February and October to keep their savings intact. There is a catch though: in February there could be three rainy days per week, and in October the mean temperatures go beyond 32°C. These circumstances are less than ideal to discover the landlocked country of Malawi, but with the proper precaution, one can benefit from the low season. The rain can easily be dodged with an umbrella, and there are plenty of air-conditioned hotel rooms in Malawi to beat the heat in October. If you can manage the climate of Malawi in February and October, which is not so difficult, you can enjoy cheap flights to Malawi and an affordable stay.

TravelhouseUK website has incorporated smart software that selects the most affordable tickets for your flight destination. In many cases, the cheapest option is not the best option for our customers, since some low-cost routes come with two stopovers and insufficient luggage limits. The travel experts at TravelhouseUK play an essential part in tailoring your vacation so that you can get low-cost flights to Malawi at their best value. We also provide flight alternatives and suggest better and safer airlines to fulfil your travel needs.

TravelhouseUK has been in business for more than a decade. From our experience, we can tell that customers, who intimate us three to four months before they depart, get the best prices for their tickets and hotel accommodations. TravelhouseUK offers holiday packages and cruises, and for those who want a quick European vacation over the weekend, we provide city breaks as well. Please contact our travel agents at 020 3137 2316 for further information.

There are times our search engine might not give you a vibrant list of flight options. Usually, this is true when most flights are completely booked, or the dates you have chosen for your travels are not compatible with the airline schedules. Many customers experience this when finding last minutes flights to Malawi or with planning a trip with multiple destinations. Try changing the dates that you pick on the TravelhouseUK website or better yet call our travel experts on 020 3137 2316 for a free in-depth search and price comparison.

Malawi has two airports that are a gateway to the country, but primarily Lilongwe International Airport (LLW) is used by most European passengers. Lilongwe International Airport roughly handles half a million passengers each year and is not far from the city centre. Serving the city capital, Lilongwe Airport is regularly visited by Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways amongst other regional African airlines. Via the M1 highway, you can reach Area 15, close to central Lilongwe, in about 40 minutes. This airport is also officially known as the Kamuzu International Airport.

Chileka International Airport (BLZ) is located in Blantyre, which is Malawi’s second-largest city. The airport is recently built and has a lengthier runway that can accommodate larger aircraft. Some international flights first come to Chileka International in large aeroplanes and then take passengers to Kamuzu International in smaller planes. The airport is only 13 kilometres away from Nyambadwe central district, which is a journey of about 20 minutes by car.

Even though a tourist with a British passport can get a visa at the airport in Malawi, the Malawian High Commission, however, requests all travellers to obtain a permit before embarking on their journey. Please contact the Malawi High Commission for further details and initiate your visa application process as soon as your plans confirm. Please also make sure that your passport does not expire for the next six months from the date you enter the country.

Malawi is beautiful from April to September. Though the temperatures are the coolest during these few months, it sure is the driest time to be around Malawi. The mercury reading records a mean temperature of 20°C to 25°C from April to September, which is quite pleasant and perfect for a day out for exploring the country. The Malawi Lake, after which, the country has been named, influences significantly on the weather and in the cooler temperatures, few rain clouds are forming over the country. You can expect a bright and sunny vacation when visiting the country from April to September months. Please note that the winter is also the busiest season to tour Malawi, and the airlines and hotels might charge a little extra for their services. It is best to book your trip three to four months in advance so that TravelhouseUK agents can figure out cheaper and more comfortable options for you.

With nature reserves teeming with life and a large freshwater lake along the eastern border, Malawi’s landmarks are its natural wonders, parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Do not leave Malawi without planning a trip to one of the destinations below.

• Liwonde National Park is right on the southern tip of Lake Malawi and spans over an area 560 kilometres square, protecting both woodland and savannah ecologies in its domain. The park has more than 12,000 mammals roaming in the thick forests that include the buffalos, antelope, baboons, rhinos and above all elephants. The trees by the Shire River that flows through Liwonde National Park are chirping and croaking with 380 different species of birds and are a wonder for bird watchers. The river’s waters bring sustenance and shelter for the inhabitants of the reserve. The hippos particularly enjoy the pools and allow a closer encounter, especially when they are having a mid-day siesta.
• Not far from Liwonde Park is the Lake Malawi National Park. It will not be a complete Malawi experience if you do not plan a visit to the lake the country is named after. And what is a better place to rediscover nature and explore Malawi’s grand lake than at this national park? Many ecologists and naturalists consider this place as vital as the Galapagos Islands due to the natural diversity. It is also the reason why the Lake Malawi National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Primarily, the park protects the fish and marine spices of the lake, but it also has a vast land area, adjacent to the lakeshore. The traveller can enjoy picturesque views there, and breathe in the uninhibited winds skimming over Lake Malawi.
• The big five roam in the Mejete Wildlife reserve, near Blantyre not far from the Kapachira Falls. The beauty of the park hides its grim past: there was a time when poaching decimated the animal population of the Mejete Reserve. However, thanks to conservation efforts, wildlife has reclaimed these lands once again. When entering the park, tourists can visit the heritage centre where remnants of the past, the confiscated trapping devices, are kept. The heritage centre also displays the opportunities travellers get when having safari trips in Malawi. From the windows of the luxury lodges in Mejete Wildlife Reserve, one can see the antelope and the impala jumping through the tall grass at the slightest rustle.

The quickest way to get around Malawi is via the aeroplane. Air Malawi is the best domestic air carrier of the country and transports passengers between Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Blantyre, in small planes. Compared with the rest of Africa, Malawi has a better road network. The main highways that connect the country are maintained well enough for a somewhat comfortable ride. There are police checkpoints everywhere along the road, so keep your documentation at all times on your person. Buses zigzag through the streets of Malawi, but these local coaches are almost always crowded. Chose AXA buses for inter-city travel and their ‘luxury buses’ are both cheap and comfortable. The best way perhaps to get around Malawi is to get your own car. There are many rent-a-car facilities in the city centres of major cities and near the airports. Renting a vehicle frees your from restricted networks of public transport and schedules, although it is a bit more expensive.

There are not many five star hotels in Malawi. However, there is a wide array of 4-star hotels that enrich the traveller’s experience. Malawi encourages the visitor to fall in love with the outdoors, so it is probably a better idea to find a room in the four-star hotels listed below. You would be coming back to the hotel only to sleep (provided you are not out camping).

• Protea Hotel Blantyre Ryalls
• President Walmont Hotel
• Pumulani
• Latitude 13 Hotel
• Kumbali Country Lodge