Airfares jump by 200% ahead of festive season

Nigerians planning to travel home for Christmas may, as usual, have to pay significantly more for flight tickets, with airfares on some domestic routes rising by nearly 200 per cent ahead of the festive season.

Findings from airline booking platforms showed that economy tickets on routes connecting Lagos and Abuja to parts of the South-East and South-South have climbed to between N196,000 and N337,500 for 20 and 21 December, 2026.

The fares, which were previously between N106,000 and N143,000 on some of the routes, reflect sharp increases by several domestic carriers as demand builds ahead of Christmas and New Year.

Aero Contractors recorded one of the steepest increases, raising its Lagos-Asaba economy fare from N106,286 on 9 November to N327,940 for 20 December, an increase of about 208 per cent.

Air Peace also increased its Lagos-Asaba fare from N118,400 on 9 November to N337,500 for 21 December.

The airline’s business-class ticket on the route stood at N432,700.

On the Abuja-Enugu route, Air Peace’s economy fare rose from N116,400 to N335,500, representing an increase of about 188 per cent.

United Nigeria Airlines’ Lagos-Benin fare also climbed from N120,000 to N310,500, while Aero Contractors’ Abuja-Benin ticket increased from N117,627 to N196,522.

The increases were less pronounced on some routes. Ibom Air’s Lagos-Uyo economy fare, for instance, rose from N143,200 to N200,300, while its Abuja-Uyo service was listed at N200,100 for 21 December.

Other affected destinations include Port Harcourt, Owerri and Ebonyi, as travellers face higher costs during the peak holiday period.

The latest increases have brought back concerns about the affordability of domestic air travel, particularly for Nigerians who depend on flights to visit relatives during the festive season.

The development also comes amid regulatory concerns over seasonal fare increases.

In January, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission accused some local airlines of price-fixing during the 2025 Yuletide.

The commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Tunji Bello, said preliminary investigations showed that airfares rose to between N405,000 and N600,000 during the period.

The FCCPC’s subsequent findings indicated that fares during the December peak were substantially higher than post-holiday prices on several routes, despite relative stability in major operating costs, including aviation fuel, government taxes and foreign exchange.

A passenger, ‘Shayo Adigun, said: “We understand that this always happens, but airlines must please consider the current economy. Things are not easy, and road travel is not possible.”