Mactan-Cebu airport adds direct interisland flights
Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA)
MANILA, Philippines — Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has become a center for local tourism, as it positions Cebu as a hub linking to the country’s best beaches and top tourist destinations.
In a statement, the Aboitiz-run airport announced services to Siargao and San Vicente. The newest addition is the Siquijor-Cebu route, which starts this month.
READ: Aboitiz-run MCIA hailed as Asia’s ‘Airport of the Year’
Boutique carrier Sunlight Air launched its first nonstop flights from Cebu to Siquijor last Dec 15.
Siquijor is known as the “Healing Island,” which tourists visit for its white sand beaches, crystal-clear waters and rich marine biodiversity.
READ: Siquijor on the map: A rising star in PH tourism
The addition of direct Siquijor flights is expected to generate P300 million in revenue by 2026 and provide “new opportunities for local communities through jobs and infrastructure development.”
Meanwhile, Sunlight Air’s Cebu-Siargao flights have been running for a year already, since it started operations in April 2024.
Another tourist go-to place, Palawan, is also famous for its pristine beaches across several towns like San Vicente, where the longest white beach in the Philippines can be visited.
Access from the Cebu airport to San Vicente shortens the travel time from Puerto Princesa from four to five hours to just 45 to 60 minutes.
Earlier, MCIA launched new domestic flights and added capacities in El Nido, Calbayog, Davao, Caticlan and Iloilo in time for the peak holiday travel season.
Also launched were new international routes from Cebu to Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, Brisbane and Guam.
20% growth in traffic
MCIA has been under the operation of Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu (AIC) Airport Corp. since October 2024.
The group is also operating the Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA) and Laguindingan International Airport (LIA) this year.
READ: Aboitiz InfraCapital unit on expansion mode
AIC airports collectively project a 20-percent increase in the country’s passenger traffic, accounting for around 16 million passengers by 2025.
This is while positioning MCIA as the country’s main tourism transfer hub; BPIA as a gateway to the country’s United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Global Geopark tourism; and LIA as logistics access to Mindanao.
MCIA, upon AIC’s takeover, introduced CEBConnects, an air-to-air transfer service. This cut connection times for international and domestic flights by 60 and 35 minutes, respectively. INQ
