Christmas Airfares Hit ₦822,000 as Air Peace, United Nigeria, ValueJet Raise Return Fares

Nigerians planning Christmas and New Year trips are facing steep domestic airfares, with return tickets on some routes climbing to ₦822,000. Checks show Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines and ValueJet have listed higher fares for December 2026 and early January 2027, especially on routes linking Lagos and Abuja to the South-East and South-South.

Air Peace fares

Air Peace listed a Lagos to Anambra return ticket between December 24, 2026 and January 2, 2027 at ₦676,000. The outbound flight costs ₦341,500, while the return is priced at ₦335,500. Abuja to Anambra will cost about ₦677,000 for a return ticket, while Lagos to Owerri costs ₦671,000. The fares reflect prices available during checks and may change with seat availability and booking dates.

United Nigeria and ValueJet

United Nigeria Airlines recorded one of the highest fares. A Lagos to Anambra return ticket between December 22 and January 2 costs ₦822,000. The outbound journey costs ₦511,000, while the return flight is priced at ₦311,000. Other United Nigeria return fares are Abuja to Anambra at ₦757,000, Lagos to Enugu at ₦656,000 and Lagos to Owerri at ₦682,000.

ValueJet’s Lagos to Owerri return fare stands at about ₦658,094. This comprises ₦326,666 for the outbound flight and ₦331,428 for the return journey. Quoted return fares on other routes include ₦622,000 for Lagos to Port Harcourt and Abuja to Port Harcourt, and ₦679,000 for Lagos to Asaba.

Why fares are rising

Aviation experts attributed the increases to surging festive demand, limited aircraft capacity and growing concerns over insecurity on major highways. Aviation analyst Dr James Odaudu said airlines frequently struggle to accommodate the influx of passengers travelling to the South-East and South-South during Christmas. According to him, insufficient flight capacity allows operators to increase fares, sometimes substantially. He warned that although seasonal pricing is understandable in a deregulated market, excessive increases could raise legitimate concerns about passenger exploitation. Odaudu also identified deteriorating road infrastructure and insecurity as factors pushing more travellers towards air transportation.

Former Nigerian Airways pilot Captain Mohammed Gbadamasi defended the increases as a consequence of demand exceeding supply. He argued that airlines respond to market conditions, particularly during Christmas when travel demand rises sharply.

Captain John Ojikutu, Managing Director of Centurion Aviation and Security Services, criticised the pricing pattern. He maintained that predictable festive demand should encourage airlines to expand capacity and offer competitive fares rather than impose heavier financial burdens on passengers. Ojikutu also questioned the industry’s limited aircraft capacity despite Nigeria’s substantial domestic passenger traffic.

What it means for travellers

The development could force families to reconsider travel arrangements, reduce the number of relatives travelling or explore alternative transportation. Experts called for increased airline capacity, stronger competition, improved road security and better transport infrastructure to address recurring festive fare increases. Without these measures, Nigerians travelling home for Christmas may continue paying significantly higher prices during peak holiday periods.

Separately, Enugu Air plans to commence international flight operations to London Gatwick Airport on December 10, 2026, with four weekly flights under an operational partnership with Omni-Blu Aviation.