Overview
The Comoros is a three-island archipelago in the Indian Ocean, sitting between Mozambique and Madagascar. Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli offer brooding volcanic landscapes, quiet beaches and hillsides of fragrant ylang-ylang, and they remain among Africa's least-visited islands. There are no direct flights to Comoros from the UK, so every routing connects through an African or Middle Eastern hub. This guide covers how UK travellers reach the islands, when to fly and how to keep the fare down.
Best time to fly to Comoros
The islands are hot and humid year-round. The dry, cooler season from May to October is the most comfortable time to visit, with lower humidity, calm seas for diving and snorkelling, and the humpback whale season off Mohéli from around August to October. The wet season (November to April) brings heavy rain and a cyclone risk between January and March. Fares tend to rise around the July–August peak and the Christmas holidays, so check the When to book chart above to see how prices move across the year.
Main gateway cities & airports
Nearly all international flights use Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport (HAH), about 20 km north of the capital, Moroni, on Grande Comore. The other two islands have smaller airports — Ouani (AJN) on Anjouan and Mohéli's airport (NWA) — linked by inter-island flights and ferries. Most UK travellers arrive into Moroni and continue from there.
Airlines and routes
With no non-stop service, you will change planes once or twice. The most dependable options are Kenya Airways via Nairobi and Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa, both connecting with flights from London Heathrow; Ethiopian also flies from Manchester, which makes an Addis connection handy for travellers in the north. Turkish Airlines serves Moroni via Istanbul from several UK airports. Allow roughly 13–18 hours in total including the layover, and compare the routings on the price charts on this page.
Popular places to visit in Comoros
- Mount Karthala: one of the world's largest active volcanoes, with a guided trek to its vast summit caldera on Grande Comore.
- Moroni old town: a walkable medina of coral-stone lanes, carved doorways and the waterfront Old Friday Mosque.
- Mohéli Marine Park: the country's first protected area, known for nesting green turtles, dolphins and seasonal whales.
- Anjouan: the greenest island, with the Mutsamudu citadel, hidden waterfalls and ylang-ylang plantations.
- Lac Salé: a striking crater lake ringed by lava rock near Bangoi-Kouni in the north of Grande Comore.
Top tips for finding cheap flights to Comoros
- Book around two to three months ahead — seats on the Nairobi and Addis Ababa connections are limited and late fares climb sharply.
- Stay flexible on your connecting hub; comparing Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Istanbul routings often reveals a better price for similar journey time.
- Travel in the May–June or September–October shoulder weeks rather than the July–August peak.
- Use the price charts on this page to pinpoint the cheapest departure dates before you book.
Travel essentials
UK passport holders are issued a tourist visa on arrival at Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport; it is straightforward and paid for in euros, so carry enough cash, and make sure your passport has at least six months' validity. The local currency is the Comorian franc (KMF), which is pegged to the euro. ATMs are scarce and card payment is rare, so bring euros in cash. Book two to three months before you travel for the best choice of connections.
