Booking flights from Nigeria: a short guide
Whether you're flying from Lagos (LOS) or Abuja (ABV), fares to major hubs change every few hours. Airlines release seats in fare buckets — as one bucket sells out, the price steps up. Booking six to ten weeks ahead usually catches the middle buckets, which is the sweet spot for value.
Popular routes we quote every day
- Lagos ↔ London (LOS ↔ LHR/LGW) — British Airways, Virgin, Air Peace and one-stop routings via Casablanca, Addis Ababa or Doha. Prices swing widely; layover options often save 20–40%.
- Lagos ↔ Dubai (LOS ↔ DXB) — Emirates non-stop is the fastest; Ethiopian and Qatar offer competitive one-stops.
- Lagos ↔ Jeddah / Madinah (LOS/ABV ↔ JED/MED) — for Umrah and Hajj; direct charter seasons and Ethiopian, Egyptair and Turkish options.
- Lagos ↔ New York / Washington — via Frankfurt, Paris, London, Doha or Addis Ababa; Delta operates the historical direct.
- Abuja ↔ Kano / Port Harcourt / Enugu — Air Peace, ValueJet, Ibom Air and Aero. Prices are relatively stable but rise sharply during holidays.
Baggage: read the fine print
Nigerian carriers usually include one 15–20kg checked bag and one 7kg cabin bag on domestic economy; excess baggage is expensive at the airport. International basic-economy fares (Emirates Special, BA Basic, KLM Light) sometimes strip out checked bags entirely. We flag this before you pay.
Passport, visa and transit rules
- Passport must be valid for at least six months from your return date.
- Some layovers require a transit visa — a UK transit through Heathrow, for example, or a Schengen airport transit for certain nationalities.
- Yellow-fever certificate is enforced on return to Nigeria.
Payment and refunds
We accept Naira card, bank transfer and USD wires. Airline refund and change rules are set by fare class — non-refundable fares can often still be reissued for a fee. See our Refund Policy for how we handle cancellations on our side.
Want the fuller playbook on visas and paperwork? Browse our travel guides for Nigerians.