Nigerian Airlines Announce New Airfares Ahead of Holiday Season
- Domestic airline tickets on routes to South-East and South-South destinations have surged by as much as 208% ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
- Air Peace, Aero Contractors and United Nigeria Airlines are among the carriers recording the steepest fare increases on Lagos and Abuja routes.
- The FCCPC previously accused some domestic airlines of price-fixing during the 2025 Yuletide period
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Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
Nigerians hoping to fly home for the Christmas and New Year holidays face sharply higher costs, with economy tickets on some domestic routes now reaching N337,500 following fare increases of nearly 200% by several airlines.
Data pulled from airline booking platforms shows that tickets for flights departing on December 20 and 21, 2026, on routes linking Lagos and Abuja to South-East and South-South cities have climbed to between N196,000 and N337,500.
Source: Facebook
Those same tickets were selling for between N106,000 and N143,000 as recently as November 9, 2026.
New airfares on domestic routes
Aero Contractors recorded one of the biggest jumps, with its Lagos-Asaba economy fare rising from N106,286 in early November to N327,940 for December 20, an increase of about 208%, Punch reports.
Air Peace pushed its Lagos-Asaba economy fare from N118,400 to N337,500 for December 21, representing an increase of about 185%. The business-class option on the same route was listed at N432,700.
On the Abuja-Enugu corridor, Air Peace's economy fare climbed from N116,400 to N335,500, a rise of approximately 188%.
United Nigeria Airlines' Lagos-Benin fare went from N120,000 to N310,500, an increase of about 159%, while Aero Contractors' Abuja-Benin ticket moved from N117,627 to N196,522, representing a 67% increase.
The increases were less pronounced on some other routes.
Ibom Air's Lagos-Uyo economy fare rose from N143,200 to N200,300, an increase of about 40%. The airline's Abuja-Uyo service was priced at N200,100 for December 21, although the earlier fare was not available for comparison.
Other cities affected include Port Harcourt, Owerri and Ebonyi.
Breakdown of airline ticket prices
The following table shows the earlier fares and the prices listed for December travel.
Airline | Route | Earlier fare | December fare | Increase |
Aero Contractors | Lagos–Asaba | N106,286 | N327,940 | 208% |
Air Peace | Lagos–Asaba | N118,400 | N337,500 | 185% |
Air Peace | Abuja–Enugu | N116,400 | N335,500 | 188% |
United Nigeria Airlines | Lagos–Benin | N120,000 | N310,500 | 159% |
Aero Contractors | Abuja–Benin | N117,627 | N196,522 | 67% |
Ibom Air | Lagos–Uyo | N143,200 | N200,300 | 40% |
Ibom Air | Abuja–Uyo | - | N200,100 | - |
Air Peace's business-class ticket on the Lagos-Asaba route was also listed at N432,700.
Source: Getty Images
FCCPC raises concerns over airline pricing
The fare hikes have rekindled debate over whether domestic airlines exploit the festive season to overcharge passengers, many of whom have limited alternatives for reaching their hometowns in time for the holidays.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) raised similar concerns in January 2026, when it accused some carriers of engaging in price-fixing during the 2025 Yuletide travel period.
The commission's Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Tunji Bello, said preliminary investigations found that airfares climbed to between N405,000 and N600,000 during that period.
New airline begins operations in Nigeria
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a new player is set to join Nigeria’s aviation industry as Binani Air has officially opened ticket sales ahead of its inaugural flight operations scheduled for May 10, 2026.
The new airline described the development as a major step toward strengthening Nigeria’s aviation sector while also creating fresh employment opportunities for Nigerians.
The airline said the launch marks a significant milestone as it transitions from planning to full commercial operations.
Source: Legit.ng
