Nigeria’s flag carrier, Air Peace, is set to commence flights to London Heathrow—Europe’s busiest airport—marking a major milestone in its international expansion. While tickets are not yet on sale, Abuja now appears as a destination on the airline’s booking platform, signaling imminent service launch.
The airline will begin flying between Abuja and Heathrow on October 26, aligning with the start of the IATA winter schedule. The route will operate three times weekly using a Boeing 777-200ER. The specific terminal at Heathrow is yet to be confirmed. Currently, Air Peace has one active 777-200ER on its Lagos–Gatwick route, while a second aircraft in storage is expected to be reactivated for the new service.
Heathrow–Abuja is a high-demand and high-yield route, with 140,000 round-trip passengers recorded in 2024, most flying with British Airways. The average fare was $1,161 each way, making it Heathrow’s most lucrative large African market. Air Peace will now compete directly with British Airways, which operates daily first-class service on the same route.
Due to slot limitations at Heathrow, Air Peace will also launch flights from Abuja to London Gatwick on October 28, using a nearly identical schedule. This service will complement its existing Lagos–Gatwick route, launched in March 2024. No airline has operated nonstop between Abuja and Gatwick in over two decades. In 2024, only 7,000 passengers travelled indirectly between the two cities.
Air Peace has long campaigned for access to Heathrow but had to settle for a limited number of slots. Decisions regarding slots are managed not by the UK government but by Airport Coordination Limited, an independent entity. The airline now joins other African carriers, like Kenya Airways and Royal Air Maroc, that have added secondary London airports to maintain UK service amid capacity constraints at Heathrow.
Flight Schedule (Local Times)
Abuja to HeathrowFridays: 11:50 – 17:00
Saturdays & Sundays: 11:20 – 16:30
Heathrow to Abuja
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays: 21:10 – 04:20 (+1)
Abuja to Gatwick
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 10:55 – 16:05
Wednesdays: 11:00 – 16:10
Gatwick to Abuja
Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays: 21:10 – 04:20 (+1)
Air Peace carried 107,000 round-trip passengers between Lagos and Gatwick in 2024, though it filled only 74% of available seats, based on data submitted to aviation analytics firm Cirium Diio. The airline aims to boost traffic and consolidate operations at Heathrow in the long run, but faces fierce competition and limited slot availability.