Malawi Airlines sets December start for direct Entebbe–Lilongwe flights

November 18, 2025 in Companies, Travel & Tourism by Editor

Malawi Airlines will begin direct Entebbe–Lilongwe flights on 15 December, creating a new Southern Africa connection for Ugandan travellers. The four-times-weekly service reduces reliance on Nairobi and Addis Ababa transits and opens access to Malawi Airlines’ regional network to Johannesburg, Harare and Lusaka.

 

Malawi Airlines has announced plans to begin direct flights between Entebbe and Lilongwe, with the service set to commence on 15 December 2025. The new route is expected to strengthen regional connectivity and expand travel options between Uganda and Southern Africa, reducing reliance on indirect connections through Nairobi or Addis Ababa.

The airline will operate the service four times a week—on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday—using a Boeing 737-700 aircraft. The return sector from Entebbe to Lilongwe will run on Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, offering early-morning departures for convenient onward regional connections. From Lilongwe, passengers will be able to link into Malawi Airlines’ existing network to Johannesburg, Harare, and Lusaka.

Flight schedule:

• ET52 – Lilongwe to Entebbe: 16:20 → 19:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sun)
• ET53 – Entebbe to Lilongwe: 06:15 → 07:40 (Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat)

The launch follows the airline’s successful application for a Foreign Operator Permit, filed in May 2025, enabling it to extend scheduled services into Uganda. The development positions Malawi as the 25th country with direct air links to Uganda, and Lilongwe becomes the 35th city pair served through Entebbe International Airport.

Also see:https://www.256businessnews.com/malawi-airlines-moves-closer-to-launching-entebbe-route-in-regional-expansion-drive/

Malawi Airlines currently operates a modest fleet—two Boeing 737-700/800 aircraft and a De Havilland Canada Q400—and already runs four weekly non-stop flights between Lilongwe and Nairobi. Its regional network also includes Johannesburg, Harare, Lusaka, and Dar es Salaam, alongside domestic services between Lilongwe and Blantyre.

The Entebbe route is part of a wider East African expansion strategy that includes prospective flights to Kigali in Rwanda, and Nampula and Beira in Mozambique, though timelines for these services remain unconfirmed.

Formed in 2013 as a joint venture between the Government of Malawi and Ethiopian Airlines—its 49 percent shareholder—Malawi Airlines spent seven years in loss-making territory before breaking even in 2023. The new Uganda service marks another step in the carrier’s effort to build a sustainable growth path and broaden its presence across the continent.