Excess Baggage or Cargo? Getting Your Extra Bags to Nigeria This December
Going home for Christmas with more than your allowance? Here is how airline excess baggage and cargo compare, what to carry and what to send ahead, and when to book so your boxes are waiting when you land.
Written by
R-Zone Cargo Team
Published on
27 October 2026
Quick Answer
Carry what you need on arrival (documents, medicines, valuables, a few gifts) in your allowance, and send the rest as cargo. Cargo is priced per kg, from £5.80/kg by air plus £20 per shipment, it can be delivered to any state, and customs clearance is included. To have boxes waiting when you land, book air cargo at least two weeks before your flight.
- Air cargo
- From £5.80/kg + £20 per shipment
- Book air
- 2 weeks before you fly
- Last Christmas flight
- Fri 11 Dec, 12pm
- Delivery
- Door to door, any state
In This Article
The December luggage problem
Every December, flights from the UK to Lagos and Abuja fill with people going home for Christmas, weddings and the parties of Detty December, and almost everyone is carrying more than their allowance. Shoes for cousins, food for aunties, a TV for the house, gifts for half the street.
You have two ways to take the extra: pay the airline for excess baggage, or send it ahead as cargo. This guide compares the two honestly, so you can decide what to carry, what to ship and when to book.
How excess baggage is charged
Airlines set their own rules, and they change, so always check yours. In general:
- Your ticket includes a checked allowance, often one or two bags of up to 23 kg each, depending on airline and fare.
- Extra bags and overweight bags are charged per bag, and many airlines charge more at the airport than when you prepay online.
- Most airlines will not accept a single bag over 32 kg.
- At the other end, you collect it, carry it through the airport and transport it to wherever it is going.
How cargo is charged
Cargo is priced by weight, not by the bag. With R-Zone, air cargo starts from £5.80/kg plus a £20 handling fee per shipment, and Nigerian customs clearance is included.
Example: a 23 kg box by air starts from 23 × £5.80 = £133.40, plus £20, so from £153.40. Two boxes in the same shipment pay the handling fee once. Rates vary by state and by office collection or door to door, so check the price list or get a quote.
For heavy, non-urgent loads, sea freight costs less per kg, but for Christmas 2026 it needs booking by the end of October.
Excess baggage vs cargo at a glance
| Excess baggage | Air cargo | Sea cargo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it is priced | Per extra bag, set by the airline | Per kg, from £5.80/kg + £20 | Per kg or volume |
| Arrives | With you | 1 to 2 weeks after booking | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Customs | You clear it at the airport | Included | Included |
| Delivery | You carry it home | To any door in Nigeria | To any door in Nigeria |
| Best for | A few bags you need on arrival | Gifts, electronics, heavy extras | Bulk, household goods, food |
If you are only one bag over, excess baggage is usually simplest. If you are two or more bags over, or the extras are going to relatives in other states, cargo usually wins on cost and on effort.
What to carry and what to send ahead
Keep in your suitcase - Passports, visas and documents - Prescription medicines, in original packaging - Cash, jewellery and anything irreplaceable - Your own phone, laptop and chargers - Clothes and essentials for your first few days
Send as cargo - Heavy gifts: shoes, clothing, toys - Foodstuffs in personal quantities - Household items and small appliances - Anything for relatives in other states, delivered straight to them - Electronics for others, declared and well packed (see our electronics guide)
When to book so your boxes are waiting
Air cargo leaves Heathrow every Friday (cut-off 12pm) and lands in Lagos the following Friday. Customs clearance and delivery then take a few working days, longer in the December rush. The simple rule: book air cargo at least two weeks before your flight.
| If you fly | Book air cargo by | Or sea by |
|---|---|---|
| Week of 7 December | Friday 20 November | Friday 30 October |
| Week of 14 December | Friday 27 November | Friday 30 October |
| Week of 21 December | Friday 4 December | Friday 30 October |
| 28 December or later | Friday 11 December (last Christmas flight) | Too late for Christmas |
If you are flying in early January, cargo booked after 11 December still travels and will be there for the New Year. Our Christmas shipping guide has the full festive schedule.
Coming back to the UK in January
The return trip has the same problem: foodstuffs, fabrics and gifts from family. R-Zone also ships from Nigeria to the UK. Drop your boxes at our Lagos office and fly back light. See importation from Nigeria for how it works.
Send your extra bags with R-Zone
Book a collection anywhere in England or drop off at our Upminster warehouse. We clear customs and deliver to any address in Nigeria, and you can follow every box with live tracking.
Call +44 (0) 800 772 0864 or WhatsApp +44 7915 647119 and a member of our UK team will help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to send luggage to Nigeria as cargo than to pay excess baggage?
Often, for heavy or multiple extra bags. Airline excess charges are per bag and vary by airline, route and when you pay, while cargo is priced per kg, from £5.80/kg by air plus £20 per shipment, with customs clearance included. Get your airline's price for the extra bags and an R-Zone quote for the same weight and compare.
When should I send my boxes so they are there when I arrive?
Book air cargo at least two weeks before your flight. Air leaves every Friday and lands in Lagos the following Friday, and customs clearance and delivery take a few more days in December. Sea cargo for Christmas 2026 should be booked by Friday 30 October.
Can my cargo be delivered to my village or another state?
Yes. R-Zone delivers door to door to all 36 states and the FCT, so boxes for relatives outside Lagos can go straight to them instead of travelling with you.
What should I keep in my suitcase rather than ship?
Passports and documents, prescription medicines, cash, jewellery, your own phone and laptop, and anything you need in your first days. Ship heavy gifts, foodstuffs, household items and things for relatives in other states.
Can I send things back to the UK after Christmas?
Yes. R-Zone also ships from Nigeria to the UK, so you can drop items at our Lagos office instead of paying excess baggage on the way back.
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