Planning a big trip to the motherland? Booking your international flight is just the beginning of a great adventure! When you have a bucket list of tourist destinations to visit across the archipelago, the fastest way to see everything is to travel by air. But where do you begin?
Here’s the answer to all the queries KUBO.com.ph has been receiving about domestic air travel in the Philippines.
Plan your trip well
Airline options based on your destination
First, decide on the places you want to see. While the flag carrier Philippine Airlines and big budget airlines Cebu Pacific and AirAsia travel to many destinations, there are smaller airlines that may fly directly to your destination.
For instance, AirSWIFT flies directly to El Nido, Palawan, and this direct flight is not something other airlines offer. Lhen, an El Nido resident who travels to Manila regularly, says, “I take the one-hour direct flight to El Nido via AirSWIFT, or fly to Puerto Princesa via Cebu Pacific and take a van to El Nido.” The latter—which will entail a much longer travel time, as the van ride alone last six hours—may be a good option if you intend to explore other parts of Palawan before going to El Nido, or if AirSWIFT suddenly cancels your direct flight to El Nido because of unfavorable weather or wind conditions (it happens).
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If you plan to go beach-hopping from El Nido, AirSWIFT can also take you straight from the island to Coron, Boracay, Bohol, or Cebu.
Meanwhile, if surfing is on the agenda, book a direct flight to Siargao, the country’s surfing capital, via Sunlight Air. The airline has recently transferred its main hub to Clark International Airport in Pampanga, and from there offers direct flights to Siargao daily. If Palawan is on your itinerary, the airline flies directly to Coron daily and to San Vicente once a week. It also recently started offering flights from Clark to Cebu and Boracay.
The best time to book
Planning your destinations in advance also allows you to keep an eye out for seat sales that the big budget airlines offer regularly. Rhoda, who lives in California and regularly flies back to the Philippines with her husband, says, “We start checking for cheap flights at least six months before our trip. Philippine Airlines seems to offer sales in time for Philippine Independence Day in June.”
There isn’t a set schedule for when or how often each airline holds seat sales, but you can count on them to offer cheap fares on their anniversary month: March for both Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific, and November for AirAsia. Sometimes some of them offer year-end seat sales.
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Private flights
If you’ve been saving up for an ultra-luxurious getaway, members-only Balesin Island Club has Alphaland Aviation that departs from three private hangars located in Manila, Clark in Pampanga, and Sangley in Cavite. Amanpulo in Pamalican Island, Palawan also has its own 90-minute private scheduled flights that can be arranged only through the resort. You can also book your own helicopter or private jet via AirTaxi.PH and Philjets Group.
Leverage the power of the internet
If you think you can just YOLO and book your domestic flights upon arrival in the Philippines, here’s a harsh reality to consider: Internet speeds in the Philippines are likely not as fast as what you’re used to where you’re based, and not as widely accessible as you would expect.
Sarah, who is based in Malaysia, says, “Even broadband speeds in [Metro] Manila are slow. The sites can stay stuck loading even for something as simple as checking in. At least if I book my flights while I’m in Malaysia, I can run multiple tabs at the same time since the Internet is much faster here.” Certain areas in the Philippines, especially remote islands, also have limited to no internet connectivity.
That said, there are various websites that you can check to help you find the best deals and domestic flights for your Philippine trips before you even land here.
Google Flights sends email updates on price changes for your travel dates, while Skyscanner allows you to set certain parameters as you search for flights, such as your preferred departure time and select airlines you want to fly. These can help you get the best deal available. Sarah also says, “Booking my flight from Malaysia also gives me the option to pay in Malaysian Ringgit rather than Philippine Peso by default.” Check how currency rates might affect the prices of your flights and offer some savings.
While booking sites like Agoda, Booking.com, and Expedia all offer bundled flight and hotel options, Sarah cautions, “Sometimes it comes out as more expensive, and the hotel options can be limited when they’re in a bundle. It’s still best to research and compare prices.” The flight options may also be limited to the big budget airlines only and don’t include the smaller airlines.
This is why booking directly with the airline can be an advantage, as you have more options to consider. Donnah, who travels regularly with her husband and toddler, also says, “Booking straight with the airline gives me control over the seats and baggage allowance.” This is aside from receiving email alerts from the airline regarding changes in flight schedule and check-in reminders.
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Airlines like Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and AirAsia each have their own mobile apps, but user reviews on Google Play are less than favorable, so it’s still best to book on their websites.
Know your airport
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila isn’t the only gateway to the Philippines! The country actually has nine international airports—however, Bicol International Airport has yet to accommodate international flights as of March 2024, and Bohol-Panglao International Airport only caters to South Korean airlines Jeju Air, Asiana Airlines, and Air Busan so far.
The advantage of planning your destinations ahead is you can also be smart about where to enter the Philippines. For example, if most of your PH destinations are in the VisMin area, you can fly in via Mactan-Cebu International Airport, but if you’re exploring Mindanao exclusively, you could directly land in the Davao International Airport instead. If you’re spending all your time in Palawan, book an international flight that lands in Puerto Princesa International Airport. Make sure to research which international airlines each airport can accommodate.
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Manage your expectations
The other international airports located in Clark, Davao, Laoag, Kalibo, and Puerto Princesa may not yet be as beautifully developed as NAIA and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and the same is true for the smaller domestic airports. Abby, who often travels solo, says, “The PA systems aren’t always great, like the announcements can sound garbled, so I make it a point to sit right by my gate and listen for flight attendants calling out the announcements and instructions.”
Shopping and entertainment can also be limited at the airports. It’s best to shop for souvenirs at your destination rather than at the airport, where you could be buying the same things for a much higher price. As for keeping yourself entertained while waiting for your flight, it’s best to be prepared: The Manila International Airport Authority suggests being at the airport at least three hours before your flight, due to the volume of travelers and security screening measures, so that’s a lot of time to kill. Abby says, “Given the faulty sound system, I usually bring a book rather than watch Netflix or listen to music so I can keep my ears open for those announcements that the ground personnel call out.”
Still, many airports are undergoing modernization. Cebu Pacific has already implemented contactless check-in at some destinations, where the passenger is responsible for checking in at a kiosk and printing out their own bag tags before bringing their luggage to the bag drop counter. Other domestic airports around the country are also being renovated to give passengers a more comfortable travel experience.
As for the flight itself, planes used for domestic flights don’t come equipped with TV screens or headsets that you’d expect in a long-haul flight. There wouldn’t be enough time to watch a movie anyway, as domestic flights are usually under two hours long. But airlines have their own ways of keeping passengers entertained, such as playing in-flight games with exclusive merchandise up for grabs and serving complimentary food and drinks.
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Be mindful of the time between flights
If Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have international flights in your country, you have the option of booking connecting flights with these airlines. Archie, who resides in Siargao but regularly travels to his hometown in Bacolod, says, “I usually take a connecting flight via Cebu, and there’s usually an hour between the flights.” Booking a connecting flight in the same airline means you can count on assistance from their personnel if you encounter any issues from one flight to the next, and expect compensation if you miss the connecting flight because of delays from the first flight.
But if you choose to book the flights with separate airlines, you really need to be mindful of the time, as the airline of your first flight won’t compensate you for missing the connecting flight on a rival airline.
It’s especially important to take note of the time if you are landing in NAIA, as the airport is actually made up of four separate terminals that each cater to different airlines—Terminal 1 has all international airlines, Terminal 2 is specific to Philippine Airlines domestic flights and AirAsia, Terminal 3 has most of Cebu Pacific’s flights and a number of international flights from select carriers, and Terminal 4 is for the remaining Cebu Pacific flights and other local airlines like AirSWIFT. So you need to take note of where your international flight is arriving, and from which terminal your domestic flight is departing, then consider the time it takes to transfer between terminals via airport shuttle bus and go through check-in procedures for the domestic flight. “Two hours between flights might even be cutting it too close,” Archie cautions.
It might be easier to just stay in Manila overnight, and be fresh for your domestic flight early the next day. Booking early flights gives you more room for adjustments, especially since domestic flights often experience delays. Flights later in the day have a higher risk of being canceled rather than just delayed.
If you do choose to stay somewhere before your domestic flight, keep in mind that the standard practice across airlines is check-in and bag drop counters close 45 minutes before the flight. While you are able to check-in online two days before your flight, you still need to take note of that window if you have check-in baggage. Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and AirAsia only allow one piece of carry-on luggage per passenger, and this must have a size of 56cm x 36cm x 23cm (22in x 14in x 9in) and maximum weight of 7kg. AirAsia also makes a note that those dimensions include the handles, wheels, and side pockets of your luggage. If you’ve checked in online and only have your carry-on luggage, boarding gates close 15 minutes before the flight.
Wherever you may decide to go in the Philippines, you can always be assured that when your flight lands, you’ll be met with a smile and that unique Filipino hospitality that makes you say, “It’s good to be home!”
