Cebu airport traffic exceeds 11 million passengers

MANILA, Philippines — The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) saw more passengers fly through it last year, as airlines made fresh investments in the gateway to build up its flight coverage.

Based on data from MCIA, the airport grew its passenger volume by 13 percent to 11.32 million in 2024, from 10.03 million in 2023, on double-digit increases in local and foreign arrivals.

MCIA raised its domestic footprint by 13 percent to 8.51 million and its international traffic by 12 percent to 2.81 million, as travelers took advantage of the growth in flight capacity.

Moreover, flight movement in MCIA jumped by 10 percent on a yearly basis as a result of the 11 percent expansion in seat capacity. To date, the airport hosts the operations of 21 airlines, which reach 41 destinations here and abroad.

In a social media post, MCIA said the growth in passenger and flight numbers show how crucial Cebu is as an aviation hub in the Philippines. MCIA, the second busiest airport in the country, is banked on by Cebu to deliver economic opportunities, particularly on tourism.

“This impressive growth reflects Cebu’s growing prominence in connecting the world to Visayas and Mindanao and vice versa, as the airport leads the way in helping boost tourism, business and economic progress,” MCIA said.

MCIA ended last year on a high note by facilitating the travel of 1.13 million passengers during the Christmas season in December 2024.

Broken down, the holidays brought in a 20 percent increase in passenger traffic and a 17 percent surge in flight activity, driven primarily by domestic travel.

For 2025, MCIA is picking up where it left off, receiving added flight frequency from the largest domestic carriers. Flag carrier Philippine Airlines expanded its flight volume between Cebu and Busuanga (thrice daily), Cagayan de Oro (four times a day), Caticlan (thrice daily) and Legazpi (daily).

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific also turned its Cebu-Surigao flights a 10 times a week service and its Cebu-Tacloban trips a thrice daily schedule. Budget carrier AirAsia Philippines also increased its Manila-Cebu frequency to eight times a day.

Internationally, Cathay Pacific made its Cebu connection to Hong Kong a 10 times a week flight in response to the demand.

MCIA is enjoying new management under Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., which acquired the operator of the airport for P25 billion and has taken over fully since October 2024.