Flights to Abuja

Abuja City Overview

Abuja, the Capital city of Nigeria is one of the few properly planned capital cities in Africa. With its modern intricate planning, architectural designs, well laid-out and maintained roads, and monumental buildings; it is indeed a worthy capital city, belonging to the most populous country in Africa-Nigeria. FCT Abuja is bordered to the North by Kaduna State, to the South-East by Nasarrawa State, to the South-West by Kogi State and to the West by Niger State. Abuja has a population close to 6 million making it Nigeria?s 4th largest metropolitan area bettered only by Lagos, Kano and Ibadan.Lagos served as the former capital city of Nigeria until its replacement in 1991 was necessitated by the rapid population boom, economic development, and political and ethnic divisions. Hence, in 1976, the Yakubu Gowon led Federal Government began a search for a new capital city. Lagos served as the former capital city of Nigeria until its replacement in 1991 was necessitated by a rapid population boom, economic development, and political and ethnic divisions. Hence, in 1976, the Yakubu Gowon led Federal Government began a search for a new capital city. Centrality, climate, land availability, security, multi-access possibilities, physical planning convenience and ethnic accord were some of the major criteria which won Abuja the capital city out of 33 cities considered as the new capital city of Nigeria. Abuja is aptly tagged ?centre of unity? due to its physical central position in the country and lack of ethnic and religious differences. The phase 1 development of Abuja?s 1979 master plan covers the Central Business District, the Three Arms Zone (The Presidency, National Assembly and Supreme Court buildings) as well as the Maitama, Wuse, Garki and Asokoro residential and business districts. Idu houses the main industrial zone while Dei-Dei houses the International Livestock market and International Building materials market in Abuja. Abuja?s geography is defined by the Zuma and Aso rock, after which the presidential seat of Nigeria is named. Abuja experiences 3 weather conditions annually; including the warm, humid rainy season and an extremely hot dry season separated by a short period of harmattan accompanied by dust haze, intensified coldness and dryness. The high altitudes and rolling terrain have a moderating effect on the weather of FCT Abuja, Nigeria?s capital city; making it a haven for tourism, leisure, business and residence. The ideal climate of Abuja means there are no seasonal hindrances to travelling for tourism, business or even leisure, although it is better to travel between November and March. Abuja houses the National Mosque and Ecumenical Church, making it a centralised religious meet-point. Nigeria?s International matches also hold in the National Stadium Abuja. Abuja is popular for pottery making. Ushafa and Bwari in Abuja are the pottery making towns within the FCT. Tourist attractions in Abuja include: the Abuja City Gate,?Ladi Kwali Pottery,?Abuja Jabi Lake,?National Mosque,?National Ecumenical Church,?The Millennium Park,?Usuman Dam Aso Rock,?Zuma Rock, Nike Art Gallery, Thought Pyramid Art Centre,?Abuja Arts and Crafts Village, and?Wonderland Amusement Park. Popular festivals and events that hold within the Abuja municipality are Abuja International Film Festivals,?Jazz Festival and Events and the?Abuja Carnival. The Eid ul Fitri and Eid il Kabir festivals are colourfully celebrated in Abuja.

Best Time to Book Flights to Abuja

If you are looking to travel to Abuja during the Eid celebrations and Christmas, then, as a rule, book your tickets early to enjoy cheap fares and rates. Booking your flight close to the Eid celebrations, Christmas or any other such festivals means you will be paying increased fares and rates for flights to Abuja. Peak Season: ?The dry season from November to March is the time tourists avoid Abuja the most as the temperature can be as high as 33?C. The heat can be very uncomfortable at this time of the year, with night temperature dropping to less than 12?C. Flights to Abuja are usually on the high during this season as many festivals such as the Abuja International Film Festival, Christmas, New Year Celebrations and the Abuja Carnival highly influence the fares and rates of flights to Abuja. Off Peak Season: The rainy season runs from April to October. High humidity, warmth and 18 to 24?C temperature characterise this season. ?Cheap flights to Abuja are more common during this season as tourists book many flights to the city.

Best Time to Visit Abuja

The Harmattan season separates the rainy and dry season, meaning Abuja experiences 3 weather patterns annually. The rainy season in Abuja runs from April to October. This is the time of high humidity and warmth. It is better to visit Abuja during the rainy season as the temperature is more bearable due to the rains. However, the dry season running from November till March means high temperature and dryness all round. Tourists especially avoid?flights to Abuja at this period as the over 36?C temperature during the day and less than 12?C at night is difficult to cope with. However, the Abuja Carnival, Abuja International Film Festival and other such festivals hold during the dry season. The Eid festivals are colourfully celebrated by the Northerners in Abuja.

Getting Around Abuja

Abuja is a pedestrian-friendly city so you may want to take a short walk to the market or nearby shopping malls. Taxis are the easiest ways of moving around in Abuja. The taxis are unmetered, thus, you should agree on the taxi fare to the destination of choice before boarding. Private Taxi costs between N3000 and N5000 depending on the destination. Passengers should endeavour to have a map for direction to the destination of choice as the taxi driver may not know all destinations. A short distance in a shared taxi is as low as N200. Uber?and Easy Taxi can also be booked online for movement to various destinations. Bikes are also present in the city?but with limitations on their movement within the city. Visitors to the city should board a taxi to their destinations as the bikes are not the safest means of moving on the highways of Abuja city. Buses:?There are also buses plying Nyanya-AYA-EagSquareure/Wuse Market; Giri Junction-Airport Road-City Centre; Zuba Junction through ONEX (Outer Northern Expressway) to the city centre and Ring Road one Circulation connecting Wuse Market and Eagle Square.?Buses plying certain routes start from N50. Safety Tips/Advice:? Night driving should be avoided s much as possible as the traffic lights can be off at night and for irresponsible driving by night crawlers. Always leave a space between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you. Smoking is banned in public places. Avoid isolated or overly crowded areas especially at night. When visiting crowded places such as the market and the mall, keep your wallet safe. Do not wear heavy jewelry or dress provocatively especially where there is a large gather of males.

Abuja Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport

Abuja Airport was built in 2000 and commenced flight operations in 2002.?Abuja airport was renamed after Nigeria's first President, Nnamdi Azikwe. Nnamdi Azikwe Airport is the second busiest airport in Nigeria after Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport serves Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. Located 20km west of Abuja, it has an international and a domestic terminal with a single runway. The head office of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority is within the airport grounds. ?The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) administers the airport. The airport was closed for 6 weeks on March 8, 2017, for the repairs of the runway. The following airlines operate scheduled domestic and international flights to and from Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport. Aero Contractors Africa World Airlines Air Cote d?Ivoire Air France Air Peace Arik Air ASKY Airlines Azman Air British Airways Dana Air Delta Airlines DiscoveryAir Nigeria EgyptAir Ethiopian Airlines First Nation Airways KLM Lufthansa Med-View Airline The airport is an easy access for arrivals and departures in the City as it is one of the major landmarks in Abuja. Taxis in the city can easily locate the airport. And the airport is a 30-minute drive away from the airport. Arrivals at the airport can board one of the registered taxis in the airport or hail a taxi outside the airport.

Moving from Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport to Abuja

The airport is located about 40km away from the city centre on the way to Gwagwalada making it an easy access for arrivals and departures. It is a 30-minute drive from the Central Business District to the airport. The airport road has been expanded to 10 lanes to reduce the occasional traffic jam on the road making the drive to and from the Abuja Nnamdi The airport road has been expanded to 10 lanes to reduce the occasional traffic jam on the road making the drive to and from the Abuja Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport smooth and traffic free. Within the airport are registered cabs to convey arrivals to the centre of Abuja city.

Staying in City

There are several luxury hotels offering accommodation in Abuja including?Sandralia?Hotel, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Sheraton Abuja Hotel, Summerset Continental Hotel,?and Nicon Luxury Hotel. Business and leisure travellers can also seek accommodation in budget hotels like Arcade suites and Koraf hotels. Hence, the proposed budget of arrivals to the city will determine the kind of hotel you can book to cater to your needs. Hotels.ng offers cheap hotel booking in Abuja. Sheraton Abuja Hotel is located in Maitama area of Abuja and is the crown jewel of the hospitality industry. Luxury, opulence and grandeur are a few words that describe the magnificent and luxurious services and facilities on offer. Protea Hotel Abuja?offers superior hotel experience with its comfortable rooms and facilities. It has a lounge area and king-sized beds.?The restaurants, swimming pool, and bars to make clients stay memorable. Nicon Hilton Abuja currently runs 582 luxuriously comfortable guest rooms. With the lavish surroundings in the hotel, restaurants, and swimming pool on offer, the hotel treats clients to a well-deserved relaxation. Transcorp Hilton Hotel is located in Maitama, Abuja and is conveniently located near local businesses, embassies and government buildings. It is in close proximity to the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport and the IBB Golf course. The Sommerset Continental Hotel?is in close proximity to Nigeria's seat of power, Aso Rock. The hotel offers hospitality services in a beautiful and serene environemnt. The Crown Princess Hotel?is besides Standard Organization of Nigeria and is located close to several important private ad public organizations within the Abuja Metropolis. Business travellers will enjoy their stay at the hotel as it offers lodging amenities and a business centre. Sienna Suites is a 20-minute drive from the Nnamdi??Azikwe International Airport and visitors can drive down to the National Stadium in 5 minutes to enjoy a good football match. The hotel?offers amazing facilities such as swimming pool, restaurants, free WiFi and spacious rooms. Grand Ibro Hotel?is a short walking distance from the Wonderland Amusement Park and Resort. It has rooms of different sizes and categories. Outdoor swimming pool, gym, spa, restaurant and bar are some of the facilities on offer.

How to Budget a Trip to Abuja

The high cost of living means it takes meticulous discipline and knowledge to enjoy a trip to Abuja.?Plenty of good food can be found at bargain prices of N1000 to N3000 especially on the outskirts of the City. Wuse and Garki are the best places to enjoy cheap food prices. Open food stalls are springing up by the day in Abuja, look for one and choose from the variety of food on offer at reasonable prices. Restaurants closer to the city centre like Maitama and Asokoro are more expensive as it may cost a fortune to eat good meals. Accommodation in Abuja for leisure and budget travellers range from luxurious hotels to budget hotels. Luxury hotels such as Transcorp Hilton costs as much as N145000 per night while budget hotels far from the city centre range from N10000 to N15000 per night.

Items	Price (N)
Meal, Inexpensive restaurant	1200
Meal for 2 at upscale restaurant	10000
Beer	500
Bread	500
1 pair of jeans	7000
1 pair of men?s leather shoe	15000

Flights from Abuja to Other Local Cities

Aero Contractors, Overland Airways, Med-View Airlines, Air Peace and Dana Air operates scheduled domestic flights from Abuja to other cities in Nigeria. Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport is the busiest airport in Nigeria. The major cities where flights depart to Abuja include Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin, Akure, Kaduna, Jos Benin City, Sokoto, Kano, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Enugu, Maiduguri, and Warri. Flight fares into and out of Abuja starts from N19000 depending on the time of booking and airline. There are no stopovers to Abuja. It is a direct flight from the major airports in Nigeria with the journey lasting between 45 minutes and 1 hour.

International Flights to Abuja

Azman Air,?British Airways,?Delta Airlines,?EgyptAir,?Ethiopian Airlines,?KLM,?Lufthansa, South African Airways, and?Turkish Airlines operate international flights into Abuja from several destinations in the world. Flights depart to and come in from London, New York, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Munich, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Egypt, Tripoli, Accra, Johannesburg, Addis Ababa and Hong Kong land at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport.

Airport Tips at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport

Free parking space is available at the airport although a toll of N100 to N500 is paid when entering the airport. Overnight parking is not allowed, indeed it attracts a fine from the airport authorities. Also, you need not worry about transportation to the city centre as there are registered cabs within the airport to convey you to your preferred destination. The green-coloured taxis are readily available for hire. Negotiate a fare with the driver before commencing your journey. A lounge is available at the airport for arrivals and departures to relax. Banks are at the airport to help with currency exchange. Purchase a hand sanitizer before reaching the airport as the check-in area is quite chaotic. WiFi is available at Abuja International Airport inside the lounges. There are a few restaurants in the airport.

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