Top 5 local airlines in Nigeria

Safety is the foremost thing on every average traveler?s mind. Everyone wants to return to their normal lives at the end of their trip and as such people tend to go for the airline that is known to have lesser casualties. They also tend to prefer airlines that provide comfort, stress-free trip and fewer delays in addition to safety. Thankfully, there are a couple of local airlines in Nigeria which have been certified to provide all these.

Let?s take a detailed at these trusted airlines and the services they provide.

1. Arik air

Top of our list is Arik air. The airline was founded in 2002 but did not commence operation until October 2006. It is one of the leading local airlines in Nigeria. Their headquarters is located at Arik Air Aviation Center, Muritala Muhammed Airport Lagos, Nigeria. Apart from flying locally, they are also known to ply international routes with hubs at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and Kotoka International Airport.

They currently operate with a fleet size of 22 which is made up of Boeing 737-700 (9 aircraft), Boeing 737-800 (4 aircraft), Bombardier CRJ900 (4 aircraft), Bombardier CRJ1000 (1 aircraft) and De Havilland Dash 8-400 with 2 aircraft. These aircraft can carry from as little as 72 passengers to up to 149 passengers.

It is possible to check-in online from 24 hours before your flight up until 2 hours before take-off time. This is however for only selected flights, other passengers would have to check-in at the airport after which they proceed to scan their luggage. All passengers are allowed to have one hand luggage which should weigh 6kg. In cases where the luggage exceeds this, it would be stored in the hold.

Being one of the local airlines in Nigeria, if you have a bag that weighs a maximum of 30kg, you might be required to pay excess baggage fees depending on your destination and class of travel. However, you are allowed to have as much as 10 baggage in total.

Passengers can book a flight for either roundtrip which covers to and fro journey or one way which covers only going or only returning. One way flights are known to be more expensive than roundtrips. The ticket prices vary based on your class of travel (economy or business) when you book your flight, travel destination and the take-off time you choose. Prices of tickets tend to be higher if you book less than 48 hours before your flight date.

The most travelled local routes by Arik Air and their average prices in Nigerian Naira for a one-way trip are:

Contact Details

Address: Arik Aviation Centre, Muritala Muhammed Airport (Domestic Wing), Ikeja, Lagos.
Phone Number: 01 279 9999
Website: arikair.com

2. Med-View Airline

Med view airlines popularly known as the airline of Nigeria began operation in 2007, a year after Arik Air began. They initially started as a charter airline for transporting pilgrims from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia and Jeddah for Hajj but now offer other international and local services.

 As a local airline in Nigeria, Med-View Airline runs about 8 scheduled routes which are Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna and Yola. The flight prices range from N22,499 to N75,399 for a one-way trip.

Currently, Med-View Airline can boast of having 1 Boeing 767-300ER, 2 Boeing 737-400 and 1 Boeing 737-500 and they continue to expand their fleet of aircraft. Their focus is to deliver top-notch service and world-class safety.

The airline established a reward system for every passenger in order to encourage them. It is tagged the Blue Flyer Program. Every mile the passenger covers is exchanged for tickets which grants them some additional benefits. The level miles are valid until 31^st December each year and resets every 1^st January. This membership is in three levels:

• Gold: grants VIP lounge access, priority boarding, and check-in transfers, extra baggage allowance, etc
• Silver: grants priority boarding, check-ins, and transfers.
• Bronze: allows the passenger to choose seat preference when possible.

Other services which the airline engages in includes:

• Cargo Import / Export
• Aircraft Charter
• ProvideTravel Agents
• Ground Handling
• Airport Protocol Services

3. Air Peace

Air peace is regarded as the least expensive local airline in Nigeria. Even at that, their flight and trip quality is one of the best. It is privately owned and was founded in 2013 with the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos as its headquarters. Air Peace was recently certified by IOSA as the best domestic airline of the year.

Also known as Peace Bird they currently have 23 fleets of aircraft which are 8 Boeing 737-300, 5 Boeing 737-500 SP, 1 Boeing 737-800, 1 Boeing 777-200ER, 2 Boeing 777-300, 1 Dornier 328 and 6 Embraer ERJ-145. These aircraft are used to convey passengers and for charter services to major airports/aerodromes in Nigeria. They also fly to some international countries such as the USA, South Africa, Senegal, UAE, India, Israel, and China.

The airline provides a reward system for customers known as Peace Advantage. To become a member, you should have flown with Air Peace at least three or more times and must be at least 16 years of age. After registration, you begin to earn a reward currency called peace points. These peace points are valid for an indefinite period of time and can be used to upgrade to another flight class. You would get the full benefit (extra baggage space, meals, etc.) of any flight class you upgraded to.

The popular routes of the airline and estimated ticket price for a one-way flight are as follows:

Contact Details

Office Address: 25, Sobo Arobiodu Street GRA, Ikeja
Phone Number: 0700FLYAIRPEACE or 070035924773223, 08140409808 (WhatsApp messages only)
Email: [email protected]
Website: flyairpeace.com

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4. Dana Air

Dana Air is another one of the local airlines in Nigeria which has become a popular choice among Nigerians. It is based in Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and has only 5 aircraft. These are 1 Boeing 737-500 and 4 McDonnell Douglas MD-83. It is currently known as the most reliable airline in Nigeria.

Dana Air operates as a domestic carrier with the following destinations: Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Uyo. As one of the most popular local airlines in Nigeria, they specialize in providing services to make customer's trips easier. These services include a WhatsApp chat account where customers can make reservations, get flight updates, request flight upgrade, book and pay later and a whole lot more. They also have a mobile app and occasionally issue promo codes.

You can purchase a ticket for either Round trip, One way or multi-city. However, below is the one-way ticket price and routes (all prices are in Nigerian Naira):

Contact Details

Office Address: Dana Airline Ltd, Murtala Muhammad Airport 2, Ikeja, Lagos
Phone number: 0700FLYDANA (07003593262), 01-280-9888, 07051190363(WhatsApp)
Email Address: [email protected]
Website: flydanaair.com

5. Aero Contractors Airline

Aero contractors online are among the oldest airlines yet one of the most popular local airlines in Nigeria. It is actually registered as Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited but popularly referred to as Aero Contractors. They are based in the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Aero Contractors operate in two types of wings. The fixed-wing which are domestic and international passenger schedules, air charter and the rotary-wing which provides helicopter services across the country.

Their popular routes for one way trip and the average ticket prices in Nigerian Naira are as follows:

Contact Details

Office Address: Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos
Phone Number: +23416284140
Email Address: [email protected]
Website: flyaero.com