Mactan-Cebu International Airport takes off with New Domestic Routes and resumption of Bangkok Service

Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), the country’s friendliest gateway to the country’s tourism destination, sees renewed confidence in traveling with the further expansion of its network to new destinations in Cotabato, Baguio, and Borongan.

Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines launches its pioneer Baguio route from MCIA taking off starting December 16; it is the latest addition to the roster of domestic flights connecting Cebu to different key cities nationwide. 

The pioneering flights conveniently link travelers from Cebu to the City of Pines. The MCIA management said Philippine Airlines’ new service supports the recovery and resurgence of domestic tourism and economic development throughout the country.  

Philippine Airlines will operate four weekly Cebu-Baguio-Cebu flights with convenient morning departures:  

• PR 2230 Cebu-Baguio - every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday departing Mactan Cebu at 08:50 AM, arriving at Baguio Loakan Airport at 10:50 AM
• PR 2231 Baguio-Cebu - every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday departing Baguio at 11:10 AM, arriving in Cebu at 01:00 PM 

Recently, Philippine Airlines also kicked off flights from Cebu to the Bangsamoro region through non-stop Cebu-Cotabato flights and one-stop Cebu to Tawi-Tawi flights operating from the MCIA. 

Philippine Airlines’ Cebu-BARMM route flies twice weekly. The PR2223 Cebu-Cotabato flies every Monday and Thursday. It departs at 05:20 AM and arrives in Cotabato’s Awang Airport at 06:35 AM. Meanwhile, PR 2224 Cotabato-Cebu, which flies every Monday and Thursday, departs at 11:00 AM and arrives in Mactan-Cebu at 12:15 PM. 

Cebu to Tawi-Tawi flight (via Cotabato) on Mondays and Thursdays leaves Cebu at 5:20 AM and lands at Tawi-Tawi at 08:30 AM. The Tawi-Tawi to Cebu (via Cotabato), also on Mondays and Thursdays, leaves Tawi-Tawi at 09:00 AM and arrives in Cebu at 12:15 PM. 

Instead of flying from Manila, travelers can now also depart from the MCIA through Philippine Airlines’ direct flights to Cotabato City and Boracay, Coron, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Clark, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, and Siargao starting December 16 and to Borongan beginning December 19. 

Cebu to Bangkok routes resumes 

Since December 9, MCIA has also been hosting Philippine Airlines’ twice weekly Cebu-Bangkok flights. The resumption of its Bangkok route expanded the network of international flights availing of MCIA as a gateway for visitors from Thailand and the ASEAN region. 

The Philippine Airlines service offers convenient morning departures from Cebu and early afternoon departures from Bangkok, giving travelers an easy three-hour journey without needing to connect via Manila or other airports:  

• PR 738 Cebu-Bangkok – every Monday and Friday departing at 09:30 AM
• PR 739 Bangkok-Cebu – every Monday and Friday departing at 01:30 PM 

Compared to pre-pandemic level, the percentage of domestic flights at MCIA has already returned to 86 percent, while international traffic is expected to achieve its pre-pandemic levels by the first half of 2023.