Chennai (MAA) to Dar es Salaam (DAR) flights: best routings via Dubai, Doha & Addis, fares, flight time, Julius Nyerere airport tips and Tanzania visa for Indians.
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Quick answer: Chennai to Dar es Salaam flights take about ≈ 9–13h (1-stop via Gulf or Addis), No non-stop — daily 1-stop via DXB, DOH, AUH or ADD. Indian passport holders should check the visa requirement summarised below. Use the live search above to compare today's cheapest MAA–DAR fare across every airline, OTA and travel agent in one place.
Last reviewed June 2026 by the FlightGPT flights desk · route facts cross-checked against DGCA and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) · fares are live — verify the final price in search before booking.
Looking for cheap flights from Chennai to Dar es Salaam? FlightGPT compares live MAA to DAR fares across every connected source — Indian carriers, Gulf hubs, OTAs and trusted travel agents — and shows the cheapest options side by side. Whether you want a Chennai to Dar es Salaam non-stop tomorrow, a last-minute weekend deal or the lowest price three months out, every active Chennai-Dar es Salaam fare is one search away.
No carrier flies MAA–DAR non-stop. The strongest single-stop options are Gulf carriers — Emirates via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha and Etihad via Abu Dhabi — all reaching Dar es Salaam daily. Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa and Kenya Airways via Nairobi are good African-hub alternatives, often with shorter total times because the geography is tighter. For South India, a Gulf hub usually balances price and convenience well, while the African hubs shine if you are continuing deeper into East Africa on a multi-stop trip.
Dubai and Doha offer frequent, comfortable connections with layovers often 2–4 hours, well suited to Indian transit travellers. Addis Ababa on Ethiopian can be quicker overall and keeps you on a single African network with easy onward links to Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and the safari gateways. Nairobi on Kenya Airways is similar. If Zanzibar is your real goal, check whether your fare can route through to ZNZ directly, sometimes via the same hub, saving a domestic transfer. Aim for layovers of 2–4 hours for a relaxed connection.
Julius Nyerere International (DAR) is about 12 km from central Dar es Salaam, a 20–40 minute drive depending on traffic, which can be heavy. Airport taxis run roughly 30,000–50,000 Tanzanian shillings to the city. Many travellers connect onward to Zanzibar by a short 20-minute flight or by ferry from the city port. For the northern safari circuit and Kilimanjaro, a domestic flight to Arusha or Kilimanjaro (JRO) is the usual next step. Confirm any onward domestic legs at the time of booking to keep baggage flowing through.
Gulf carriers on this route generally include around 30 kg checked baggage plus 7 kg cabin in economy, while Ethiopian uses a 2-piece 23 kg system. Cheaper fares may reduce the allowance, so check before booking, especially if you are carrying safari gear or gifts. Business class lifts you to roughly 40 kg with lounge access at the hub. Round-trip economy from Chennai to Dar es Salaam generally falls in the ₹45,000–₹80,000 range, rising in the June–October safari high season and around the December holidays.
Tanzania's long rains run March to May, so the dry months of June to October are prime for safari and Kilimanjaro climbs — and the busiest, priciest time to fly. December to February is a second dry window, good for the southern Serengeti calving season. For the cheapest fares, the green-season months of March–May and November often show the lowest prices, though Zanzibar can be wet then. Dar es Salaam is hot and humid year-round (28–32°C). Book 8–12 weeks ahead for peak-season travel.
Dar es Salaam is the hub for one of the world's great wildlife regions — the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and the migration — plus the spice island of Zanzibar with its beaches and Stone Town heritage. East Africa has a deep Indian-origin (especially Gujarati) community, so there are Indian temples, restaurants and businesses, and the route carries plenty of family and business traffic. Many visitors combine a few days of safari with beach time on Zanzibar. See our Chennai to Nairobi page for the neighbouring gateway.
Indian passport holders can obtain a Tanzania e-visa online before travel, or a visa on arrival at Julius Nyerere airport, typically a single-entry tourist visa valid for up to 90 days. Applying for the e-visa in advance — allowing about 10 working days for processing — avoids airport queues and is recommended. A yellow-fever vaccination certificate is required if you are arriving from or transiting a yellow-fever-risk country, and malaria prophylaxis is advisable. Carry proof of onward travel and accommodation, plus US dollars for incidental fees.
No. All routings have 1 stop, via Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Addis or Nairobi, with total journey times of about 9–13 hours over roughly 5,050 km.
Economy round-trips typically run ₹45,000–₹80,000, with the lowest fares in March–May and November when booked 8–12 weeks ahead.
Yes, but it is easy — an e-visa online (allow about 10 working days) or a visa on arrival, typically valid up to 90 days for tourism.
The city is 12 km away, a 20–40 minute taxi ride for roughly 30,000–50,000 shillings; Zanzibar is a 20-minute flight or a ferry from the port.
The dry season of June–October is prime for safari but priciest; green-season months March–May and November offer the cheapest fares, with hot 28–32°C days year-round.
Dar es Salaam is 2h 30m behind India year-round, so a Chennai night flight with a short connection arrives in the local morning or midday.
The cheapest Chennai to Dar es Salaam airfare on any given day depends on three things — your travel date, your airline preference and how far ahead you book. Use the FlightGPT search box above to compare Chennai to Dar es Salaam ticket prices across — typically the lowest fare today differs from the lowest fare 30 days out by 25–40 percent. We surface every option so the lowest Chennai-Dar es Salaam price wins.
Need a last-minute Chennai to Dar es Salaam flight for tomorrow, this weekend or in the next seven days? Our live MAA-DAR search pulls real-time fares — last-minute deals do appear on this route, especially on red-eye departures and shoulder days. Tap Search on FlightGPT with your date and we return the cheapest last-minute Chennai Dar es Salaam options instantly.
There is currently no non-stop service between Chennai and Dar es Salaam — itineraries connect via a hub, with a typical journey of ≈ 9–13h (1-stop via Gulf or Addis). Comparing hubs side by side often saves 15-30 percent. FlightGPT lets you filter by "Direct only" or compare both side by side — useful when you want the cheapest Chennai Dar es Salaam ticket but are open to a layover.
Chennai to Dar es Salaam ticket prices on the FlightGPT live grid update by the minute. The lowest-priced Chennai Dar es Salaam airfare today might be on a low-cost carrier; next month's best deal might be a full-service carrier flight bundled with checked baggage and a meal. We compare fully-bundled all-in fares, never base fares with surprise add-ons.