Airline ticket prices for both domestic and international travel are set to increase from today, as carriers begin implementing the government’s Airport Infrastructure Development Levy.
Under the new policy, domestic passengers will pay an additional GH¢100 for flights within Ghana. For regional routes, travellers will face an extra $35 on one-way tickets and $70 on return trips. International passengers will also be affected, with a $50 surcharge on one-way fares and $100 added to return tickets.
The government maintains that the levy is necessary to address infrastructure challenges in the aviation sector. Funds generated will support major projects, including the construction of a concourse linking Terminals 2 and 3 at Kotoka International Airport, the development of a 2,000-capacity car park at Terminal 3, and rehabilitation works at regional airports across the country.
Aviation expert Sean Mendis has endorsed the initiative, warning that Ghana must either increase domestic airport charges or risk placing unsustainable financial pressure on key infrastructure. He noted that without such measures, the airport could struggle under the burden of subsidising the broader aviation system.
Despite this support, some industry stakeholders have expressed concern that the additional levy, combined with existing taxes, could make Ghana’s airport among the most expensive in the region, potentially reducing its competitiveness. Questions have also been raised about how the move aligns with a Economic Community of West African States directive encouraging member states to reduce air transport taxes by 25 percent to boost regional connectivity.
Passengers are therefore being advised to expect higher ticket costs with immediate effect. The increase comes at a time when some airlines are already adjusting fares upward due to rising aviation fuel prices linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
According to the Board of Airlines Representatives in Ghana, the new levy could push Ghana from ninth to third place among African countries with the highest airport charges, placing it behind Gabon and Sierra Leone.
Globally, average airport charges for return trips range between $30 and $34, while Africa’s average stands at about $68—figures that underscore growing concerns about affordability and the country’s competitiveness in the aviation market.
