When planning a journey from Nigeria to the UK, the airfare portion of your travel budget is as much influenced by when you fly and with whom as it is by how and where you buy your ticket. Airfare on the same route can vary drastically from one day to the following, and it can pay to spend a little extra time arriving at your destination, as en route fares frequently turn out to be cheaper.
Fares also vary according to the season, a factor to keep in mind when planning to travel for a particular performance or conference. Many airlines actually impose two different sets of rates:
One for flights leaving Nigeria, and another for those departing the UK. By being aware of these various choices and by weighing what is most important—budget, time or convenience—travelers can secure fares that are the best conceivable compromise for their specific needs.
How Much does it Cost to Travel from Nigeria to the UK?
1. Flight Expenses
Well, less than four years ago, it wasn’t outrageous to fly from Lagos to London for less than $300 but rising fuel costs and taxes have made the 6-7 hour trip nothing short of expensive.
Over the Christmas or July/August holidays, you can easily find yourself looking at fares as high as $1200–1500 for a round-trip ticket if you book only a month or two in advance.
Your best bet is always to book early in order to get the cheapest fare and while nothing is impossible, you will be doing well to find a round trip ticket for less than $800.
For those of you planning an extended trip, it could be an idea to book a one-way ticket coming or going and a round trip in the other direction, depending on travel or work plans in the Schengen region.
One-way fares are usually approximately half the price of a round trip ticket. Also, sometimes it is cheaper to fly into nearby cities such as Manchester, Birmingham or even Dublin and take a coach to London in case time is not a major issue. This is usually the same for those flying to and from continental Europe.
It is also worth checking with different airlines based in African and European countries who may offer deals often omitted from the major flight search engines. It is nothing unusual to buy a plane ticket to Nigeria from a small African airline in Victoria Station, Paris or Brussels.
2. For Direct Flights
Direct flights are a simple way to get to your destination, although they may be expensive. In this case, the average flight from Nigeria to the UK is £700 and above. Costs tend to get higher around the summer period and Christmas.
A list of different airlines and their costs of direct flights will be given below. Prices are average and the more in advance you book, the more likely you are to secure a cheaper flight. So do not be surprised if you see a price higher than you hoped, as this may also be influenced by the condition of the economy at the time. Time duration is based on flights leaving from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos (LOS), to Heathrow, London, England (LHR).
Air France: approximately £700 (7-8-hour flight).
Turkish Airlines: approximately £700 (7-8-hour flight).
Qatar Airways: Around £750 (7-8-hour flight).
KLM: approximately £800 (moving up to 8 hours).
Northwest Airlines: Roughly £800 (since the acquisition of Delta, prices may rise) (moving up to 8 hours).
Virgin Nigeria: Roughly £850 (7-8-hour flight).
3. For Connecting Flights
Finding a simple and direct route when flying on a holiday or business trip from Nigeria to the UK is an overwhelming task, especially if a route is available. It often involves flying to another city or even a country and then taking a connecting flight to Nigeria. While this may be cheaper by using local carriers, it can be inconvenient and time-consuming. In some cases, the flight only operates once a week, so if the traveler misses it, he may be delayed for a few days.
The cost of taking connecting flights is something that will influence the decision of the traveler, and thus it is important to know how much it will cost to take connecting flights from Nigeria to the UK.
Here are the costs of connecting flights per airline from Nigeria to the UK:
- Ethiopian Airlines: A one-way Economy Class ticket for the Lagos-London route costs N838,000.
- Qatar Airways: A one-way Economy Class ticket from Lagos to London costs N900,000.
- Air Peace: A one-way Economy Class ticket costs N1,000,000.
- Asky Airlines: A one-way Economy Class ticket costs N1,049,000.
- Royal Air Maroc: A one-way Economy Class ticket costs N1,054,000.
4. Visa Expenses
The cost of UK visas for Nigerians is significantly high, resulting in greater challenges for them to travel to the UK in comparison to other nations. Despite being a member of the EU, the UK has strict terms and conditions that pose challenges for foreign individuals wishing to enter the country.
This is seen in the costs associated with the visa, the length of the visa and the specific visa type required for application. Citizens of Nigeria must request the standard visitor visa, with the option for varying visa durations, but the cost remains consistent regardless of the length of the visa.
Here is a list of some visa fees for Nigerians traveling to the U.K. in 2024 but note that it are subject to change so necessary information should be obtained on the UKVI website.
- 6-month visit visa: $148
- 2-year visit visa: $555
- 5-year visit visa: $991
- 10-year visit visa: $1,237
- Student visa: $630
- Spouse visa: $2,372
- Tourist visa: $148
- Visiting Academic Visa: $257
- Marriage Visitor Visa: $148
- Private Medical Treatment Visa: $257
- Short Term Student Visa for English Language: $257
5. Accommodation Expenses
The key to the immigrant experience in a foreign country is finding reasonable and appropriate accommodation. Ideally, this will be a place in which it is easy to find work, not too expensive, close to others of the same ethnic and social group with whom support can be found, with easy access to social security support systems and also a place where it is not too difficult to move from once better accommodation is found.
Usually, for economic migrants, the ideal is not possible, and a balance must be sought. However, immigration to the UK is full of many difficulties and challenges, so for many immigrants, achieving even a substandard level of accommodation may be an issue.
According to the UKCISA, international students would require approximately £1020 per month for their living expenses, which include accommodation, food, travel, clothing, study and other miscellaneous costs, so it is advisable to get an accommodation that fits your budget until you are able to afford a better one.
Factors Affecting Travel Costs
The way flight tickets are actually priced can be extremely confusing. Airlines regularly offer only a limited number of seats at a specific cost and if a consumer tries to buy a ticket at that price and the seats are already sold, they will generally be quoted a higher price for the remaining seats, which results in two consumers buying a ticket on the same flight at the same time and paying exceptionally different prices for their tickets.
Ticket prices are generally highest 14 days or less prior to a flight’s takeoff date. This is mostly the result of last-minute business bookings, which are regularly price-insensitive.
An analysis revealed that the normal fare for a trip within the U.S. requiring a Saturday night stay is about 40% lower than the normal fare for a trip of the same distance booked seven days in advance.
Airlines have taken advantage of this fact by artificially dividing Saturday night stay and non-Saturday night stay bookings to prevent business travelers from obtaining the cheaper tickets.
Business travelers willing to pay higher prices led to the end of the Saturday night stay rule, and the cheaper advance purchase tickets were then tied to a 7, 14, or 21-day advance purchase requirement. These advance purchase tickets are frequently the best bargain, offering fares that can be up to 70% cheaper than the total fare price.
The best sale fares are generally for off-peak times and days, such as mid-week. Prices can also be influenced by an airline’s price-matching actions. If one airline drops its price on an off-peak flight, another airline on the same course might be forced to do the same to avoid losing customers.
An airline with good brand loyalty might get away with price increments, as its customers might not consider another airline even if the prices are lower. This is just a brief overview of how complicated ticket pricing can be, showing how the same customer can end up with very different prices for the same flight at different times.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Leaving Nigeria, Africa, with a designated destination of the United Kingdom, one of the best locations on the planet, could be a cherished dream for some locals, as the UK has its own way of attracting tourists.
It would be more significant if the reason for travel is education or business purposes, as in that case, one would not want to miss even the smallest hint of any cost. A native of Nigeria can find a huge difference when it comes to the word ‘cost’.
The reason is Nigeria’s currency is not that strong when it is converted to British Pounds so do well to get accurate information on how much you need to travel to the UK from Nigeria before making your final decision.
