Terminal T2 hosts 4 airlines. It's ZanAir's home turf at ZNZ.
Most domestic hops for Zanzibar still run from compact T2
Terminal 2 at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport is the older, low-rise building just beside the glass-fronted Terminal 3, and it handles the smaller regional operations instead of the big international banks. Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Precision Air, and ZanAir all route some flights through T2, mainly short sectors to Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and nearby islands.
T2 sits on the same airport loop road as T3, but check your booking carefully because the terminals are separate entries and signage on approach can be patchy in the dark. If your ticket shows ZNZ with no terminal listed and you are on Precision Air or ZanAir, assume T2 first, then confirm at the curb with the security guard or the airline agent at the door.
The building is small enough that check-in counters, initial security screening, and the gates all sit within a quick 2–3 minute walk of each other once you pass the entrance scanners. Counter layouts change by time of day, but you usually see Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines sharing one side of the hall, with Precision Air and ZanAir on the opposite row of desks.
Security in T2 runs through a single basic checkpoint, and lines ebb and flow with the Dar es Salaam runs that can bunch around early-morning and late-afternoon bank times. Build in 60 minutes before departure for domestic flights on Precision Air or ZanAir, and closer to 90 minutes if you are checking bags through on Kenya Airways or Ethiopian with a same-day international connection.
Inside the secure area, facilities are minimal: a couple of seating clusters by the gates, ceiling fans instead of full-on chilled air everywhere, and a few wall sockets that may not match newer USB-only cables. There are no branded restaurants or coffee chains logged in T2, so eat in town or at your hotel and carry a bottle of water bought before airport security if your airline allows it after the initial screening.
There are no catalogued lounges in Terminal 2 and no dedicated premium area for Ethiopian, Kenya Airways, Precision Air, or ZanAir, so even business-class passengers wait in the same gate-room benches. Expect basic washrooms close to the gates rather than lounge-grade showers, and plan to charge phones from a power bank instead of hunting for a free outlet during the afternoon bank of flights.
Retail is almost non-existent in T2, with no documented duty-free or branded souvenir shops, and only the occasional small kiosk reported by travelers selling snacks or phone credit. If you care about last-minute gifts, buy cloves, coffee, or crafts in Stone Town instead of gambling on a shop being open in the older terminal right before your flight.
There is no airside transfer corridor between T2 and T3, so any switch between terminals means exiting to the public side and walking or driving the short distance along the airport road. If you land on a regional ZanAir or Precision Air service into T2 and connect out internationally on a carrier using T3, factor 20–30 minutes to retrieve bags, move terminals, and re-clear security from scratch.
Final tip: if your airline app or e-ticket still shows an old terminal assignment, cross-check against the current ZNZ terminal list for T2 and T3 before you leave your hotel, and screen‑grab the confirmation so you are not juggling mobile data and airline sites at the curb outside the wrong building.