Due to several factors, including the high passenger load connected with the Yuletide, one-way airfare on some domestic routes has increased by almost 150%, surpassing N300,000.
Checks by Vigil360 found that the spike in airfares was notably on the South-South and South-East routes. These routes have considerable patronage, since most domestic air movements during the Christmas period are to these places.
Usually, during the Yuletide rush, airfares are elevated due to the huge demand for tickets. But this season, customers claim rates of flying tickets are out of reach following severe economic hardships. Operators told our correspondent that the paucity of planes further worsened the ticket spike.
Before the festive season, flight fares for domestic routes were about N120,000. But an examination of domestic airfares on airlines' websites on Tuesday indicated that ticket prices, notably to the South-South and South-East regions, had jumped by around 150 percent compared to pre-Yuletide pricing.
A flight search on the booking portal of Air Peace indicated that a one-way economy ticket from Lagos to Asaba in Delta State rose from roughly N120,000 to almost N300,000. And for N337,500 between 24-29 December for the same route.
Also, Delta State–bound travelers from Abuja will buy tickets from the airline for N335,500 from 23 – 28 December of this year. But the price may reduce to N240,000 between 29 – 31 of the same month.
On December 24, 2025, however, Aero Contractors offered Asaba a seat for N238,452. Additionally, United Nigeria Airlines will offer flights from Lagos to Asaba for N399,999 and from Abuja to Asaba for N335,499 to N360,499 between December 22 and 26.
Additional research revealed that Air Peace could only operate flights between Lagos and Enugu on December 28 and 29, charging between N335,500 and N430,700. The airline will also offer its ticket for N335,500 from December 24 – 28, and sell for N240,200 on the 29th of the same month for domestic travelers going from Abuja to Enugu.
Lagos to Calabar on Aero Contractors would cost between N187,976 and N151,786 between December 22 – 24, while United Nigeria will offer a seat on its Lagos–Benin trip for N335,499 between December 22 – 30, although it upped the price by N10,000 on December 31.
Air Peace will offer its Lagos–Port Harcourt ticket for N335,500 during the 23rd–29th of the month.
Most dramatic flights are within a one-hour timeframe. Asaba and Benin, for example, are around four hours away by road and forty minutes away by air.
Many Nigerians prefer air travel not just because it is faster but also because it lets them escape security concerns around the country.
The cost of a United Nigeria Airlines flight from Lagos to Anambra on December 17 is N399,999. From December 18 – 21 have been sold out.
For Owerri-bound travelers from Lagos on the UNA aircraft, fares range between N335,499 and N499,998 beginning December 16, 2025.
Following the latest price hike, some travelers are now considering going by road to their destinations as an option amidst the instability now sweeping the country. Operators bemoan different taxes as another factor contributing to the increase in airfares.
Experts in the business linked one of the causes of the aircraft scarcity to maintenance snags. Many of the airlines’ planes are stored at different Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul hangars distributed overseas.
In a recent article, Charles Grant, Chief Financial Officer, Aero Contractors, claimed Nigerian airlines employ just 38 functional aircraft—one of the clearest signals that the aviation system demands action.
He blamed the low number of planes on several charges and unfavorable government policies, urging to the government to cease treating aviation as a revenue-generating business and instead put monies acquired from aviation back into the sector.
Despite widespread demand, the majority of Nigerian airlines now only have four to six operational aircraft. That’s not a choice; it’s the product of punishing economics,” Grant stated.
In a stunning turn of events, Air Peace, the biggest airline in Nigeria, revealed that it has had multiple operational disruptions in recent weeks, leading to flight delays and cancellations after its lessor, SmartLynx Airlines, abruptly removed three aircraft from its fleet after receiving payment in advance.
Chief Commercial Officer of Air Peace, Nowel Ngala, revealed that the airline established a wet-lease deal with SmartLynx since 13 of its aircraft are now having planned repair abroad. Ngala claimed that to minimize service gaps, Air Peace leased aircraft from SmartLynx in a bid to help Nigerian customers during busy travel hours.
But he noted that the “abrupt and unjustified withdrawal of four aircraft we wet-leased from SmartLynx Airlines caused disruptions. This withdrawal was made without warning, which is obviously against both the parties' agreement and industry norms.
He did, however, guarantee that some of its aircraft have finished repair and are going back into duty in spite of these difficulties.
Speaking with our reporter over the phone, President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Nigeria, Dr Alex Nwuba, agreed that airlines are currently struggling with capacity constraints but highlighted that airlines are attempting to bridge the gap.
"You are right that airline capacity shortages frequently contribute to higher fares during festive periods," he stated. This season, there have been a few interruptions in Nigeria. For instance, Air Peace's daily capacity was lowered by about 300 seats due to the loss of many planes.
At the same time, however, the airline has announced the return of many planes, which should help to cover such gaps and at least maintain present capacity levels.
Additionally, two additional airlines are anticipated to start operating during this time, which will increase the number of tickets available and boost the capacity of the sector as a whole. If external issues such as security do not interfere, the industry should perform pretty well this year.”
Nwuba went on to say that travelers can anticipate increased rates, characterizing the trend as seasonal.
“That said, consumers should still expect higher fares, as this is traditionally the seasonal pattern. Prices always increase during holiday seasons due to increased demand.
Nigeria, however, stands to profit from this increased travel activity, since it helps tourism and increases trust in the aviation sector. "The outlook is still positive, all things being equal," he said.
Former Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Harold Demuren, urged the Federal Government to do everything feasible to enable Nigerian operators to obtain increased capacity. Demuren noted that if it would necessitate the renegotiation of any Bilateral Air Service Agreements that are one-sided against Nigerian operators, the government should not hesitate.
"In BASA, both parties must benefit; it should not be one-sided," he stated. The Nigerian government needs to defend the local carriers. Supporting your own cannot be incorrect. You can renegotiate your BASAs. It could be challenging, but it is feasible.
Olumide Ohunayo, an industry expert, characterized the issue as seasonal but urged airlines to focus on their employees in order to get the most out of them in managing the number of passengers that the season brings in a professional manner.
"I can only welcome airline operators who are working throughout this season. But the season has its own set of difficulties, and airlines need to be mindful of both passengers and employees. Because they will professionally manage passengers when they are well-cared for," he stated.