As Nigeria’s Christmas travel season takes flight, a stark new financial frontier is emerging in the nation’s skies: the cost of domestic air travel has become one of the most tangible measures of regional economic pressure.
With demand peaking and capacity stretched thin, passengers heading to certain states are now paying premiums that eclipse the national average a phenomenon that has turned popular holiday routes into some of the most expensive in the world by local standards.
Recent transport fare data show that airfare inflation is unevenly distributed. A handful of states, buoyed by high demand, limited entry points, and constrained flight schedules, are now commanding ticket prices far higher than those of their neighbors.
Several structural challenges contribute to these high fares. With only about 0.02% of Nigeria’s population flying, airlines struggle to achieve economies of scale.
Aviation stakeholders have explained that the seasonal spike is largely driven by late bookings and high demand, a pattern that repeats every festive period. Airlines also operate a “bucket” pricing system, under which early passengers pay lower fares, while prices rise as seats fill up.
Against a backdrop of public outcry over doubling fares and government scrutiny of airline pricing, the ranking of the most expensive states to reach by air this festive season provides a critical window into the broader dynamics reshaping Nigeria’s aviation market.
Methodology
This ranking is based on a review of scheduled domestic flights departing from Lagos, Nigeria’s busiest aviation hub, during the peak Christmas travel window. Fare data was compiled from major local air travel booking platforms, focusing on available economy-class tickets on active routes operated by domestic carriers in the days leading up to Christmas.
Prices reflect one-way ticket costs, which provide a clearer comparison across destinations, as round-trip fares can vary widely depending on return dates and seat availability and are often significantly higher during the festive rush. Where multiple flights were available on the same route, average listed fares were used to reduce distortions caused by last-seat pricing.
Cost-N580,000
Flying from Lagos to Owerri has become one of the most expensive one-way domestic journeys this Christmas season, reflecting intense festive demand for South-East routes and limited flight capacity. For Sunday, December 21, 2025, one-way economy fares are priced from N510,638, with most recommended options closer to N580,637.
All available itineraries on the date involve one-stop connections, typically via Abuja, due to the absence of nonstop services. The fastest option, operated by Air Peace, departs Lagos, with a total travel time of 5 hours 20 minutes.
Despite these costs, flights are almost fully booked through early January 2026. Rising insecurity along major highways has also prompted many Nigerians to abandon road travel in favor of air transport, further inflating demand on already constrained domestic routes.
