Ghana’s domestic airfares may not be as exorbitantly expensive compared with similar flights elsewhere in the world as often claimed, but the country is experiencing a sharp increase in ticket prices.
This is according to aviation expert Sean Mendis. The aviation expert, who was interacting with The High Street Journal, said comparative industry data show that Ghana’s domestic fares are around the average when measured against similar 400–500 kilometre domestic routes in other countries.
His analysis, based on average fare data from SABRE MIDT for 2024 and 2025, examined representative domestic flight segments across Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, New Zealand, China, India, the United States, Canada, France, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
The comparison produces a more nuanced picture of Ghana’s domestic aviation market.
Ghana’s Fares are not Exceptionally High
According to Mendis, the data do not support the assertion that Ghana is significantly more expensive than comparable domestic aviation markets.
Instead, Ghana’s fares sit around the average among the markets examined when flights of comparable distances are considered. This is important because simply comparing the price of a Ghanaian domestic ticket with a ticket in another country can be misleading.
Airfares are influenced by several factors, including distance, operating costs, taxes, airport charges, passenger volumes and the structure of individual aviation markets.
Mendis therefore argues that the more revealing issue for Ghana may not be the absolute level of fares, but how quickly those fares are increasing.
Ghana Recorded the Sharpest Increase
The data show that Ghana recorded a 25% increase in representative domestic airfares between 2024 and 2025, the highest increase among the markets in Mendis’ comparison. This placed Ghana ahead of markets such as Turkey, where the comparable fare increased by 23%, while other markets recorded smaller increases or even declines.
The data also show significant variations across the surveyed markets. Some routes recorded increases, while others experienced relatively stable prices or declines, highlighting the different dynamics within individual domestic aviation markets.
For Ghana, however, the 25% year-on-year increase stands out.
The Bigger Concern May Be the Direction of Prices
Sean Mendis’ insights shift the conversation from whether Ghana’s airfares are simply “too expensive: to a broader question: How quickly are domestic airfares becoming more expensive?
A fare that is around the international average today could become increasingly burdensome for passengers if it continues rising faster than comparable markets.
Mendis said the upward trend has also continued into 2026, although he noted that comparable 2026 industry data are not yet available to quantify the increase.
The available comparison establishes the 25% increase between 2024 and 2025, while the assertion that the trend continued in 2026 remains an observation from Mendis rather than a conclusion supported by a complete 2026 comparative dataset.
What this Means for Ghana’s Aviation Debate
The findings add another layer to the growing debate over Ghana’s domestic airfares. The question may not simply be whether Ghanaian passengers are paying more than passengers elsewhere for similar distances.
Rather, policymakers, airlines and industry stakeholders may also need to examine why Ghana’s fares are rising at such a comparatively rapid rate.
As indicated by Sean Mendis, Ghana may not currently stand out as an extreme outlier in the level of domestic airfares, according to Mendis’ comparison. But a 25% annual increase can still make domestic air travel progressively less affordable, particularly for workers, businesses and families that depend on air transport between Accra and other parts of the country.
