CLARK, Philippines — On the wide concrete aprons of Clark International Airport, where passenger traffic has steadily migrated north of Manila, Cebu Pacific is betting that the future of Philippine air travel will not be defined solely by the capital.
The budget carrier said it will increase seat capacity at its Clark hub by 38 percent in the first half of 2026, offering about 1.2 million seats — up from roughly 900,000 during the same period last year. The airline also plans to mount more than 9,100 flights, a 72 percent jump from around 5,300 previously.
The expansion follows Cebu Pacific’s decision to fully transfer its turboprop operations from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Clark, reshaping the latter into a principal gateway for travelers from North and Central Luzon.
Beginning March 29, the airline will add frequencies to Coron, El Nido and Naga. On May 2, it will introduce direct service to Hanoi, operating three times weekly — its newest international link from Clark.
By midyear, Cebu Pacific will serve 17 destinations from Clark, including 12 domestic routes such as Bohol, Boracay (Caticlan), Cebu and Siargao, and five international cities: Bangkok, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo (Narita). The carrier says this gives it the widest network among airlines operating at the airport.
Candice Iyog, the airline’s chief marketing and customer experience officer, said the shift of turboprop operations creates “a big opportunity to grow the hub,” projecting that traffic to El Nido, Siargao and Coron could reach 255,000 passengers — a 372 percent increase from current levels.
To stimulate demand, Cebu Pacific is offering promotional one-way base fares as low as 99 pesos for select domestic routes booked through Feb. 28 for travel until July 31.
For Clark, long positioned as an alternative to Manila’s congested airport, the airline’s growth signals more than additional flights. It reflects a broader effort to decentralize air travel in a country where geography has always made mobility both a challenge and an opportunity. IORBITNEWS TEAM