Zambezi Airlines commenced operations in July 2008 as a domestic airline offering scheduled flights linking Lusaka with the Copperbelt cities of Ndola and Kitwe as well as tourist and business destinations such as Livingstone, Solwezi and Chipata. The 30 seat Embraer aircraft proved very popular with passengers and the airline quickly gained a reputation for service and reliability.
In less than a year Zambezi Airlines expanded into regional services using two Boeing 737-500 aircraft leased from GECAS and began scheduled flights between Lusaka and Ndola direct to Johannesburg as well as flights from Lusaka to Dar es Salaam.
In mid 2010 the airline added a third B737-500 to the fleet allowing an increase in frequencies and the addition of new routes to Harare and, from next month from Lusaka to Lubumbashi in Dep Rep of Congo.