Clark airport to connect with NLEX, SCTEX

MANILA, Philippines — Travelers who want to fly through the Clark International Airport will enjoy direct access to the gateway once the government completes its road link to expressways by 2026.

The Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) yesterday announced that it has started drawing up the detailed engineering design for the CRK Direct Access Link.

The CRK Direct Access Link will put up a road network that connects the Clark airport with the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

CIAC president Arrey Perez said the project, spanning a total of 2.7 kilometers, would feature northbound and southbound toll plazas to the SCTEX.

From there, motorists can travel straight to NLEX if they are headed to Metro Manila.

The CRK Direct Access Link is scheduled to be completed in 2026.

Perez expects the new road to enhance the positioning of Clark airport as an alternative gateway to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“The hassle-free direct access link will provide travelers the sense of arrival from a faster and yet comfortable trip that will enhance the impression of our award-winning airport whose number of flights and passengers continue to grow,” Perez said.

Perez believes that the completion of CRK Direct Access Link will enhance the business viability of Clark, as it will ease travel to and from the complex.

“Apart from faster and more comfortable trips for travelers especially from Metro Manila and the northern parts of Luzon, the road project will exponentially boost potential for partners, locators and investors in the airport complex that we are strongly pushing for development,” Perez said.

According to data from the Luzon International Premier Airport Development (LIPAD) Corp., Clark International Airport welcomed almost two million passengers in 2023.

Further, the airport managed a total of 14,892 flights through its network of 11 international routes and 10 domestic destinations.

Perez noted that CIAC is keen on transforming the Clark Civil Aviation Complex into one of the biggest hubs for aviation business in the Philippines. The complex stands above a 2,367-hectare land that the government wants to maximize for aviation investments.

The Clark International Airport houses 15 airlines flying to a number of routes here and overseas, reaching as far as the Middle East, specifically Doha and Dubai.

CIAC serves as the state-run firm mandated to develop the Clark Civil Aviation Complex, while LIPAD Corp. owns the concession to manage the Clark International Airport.