The Philippines budget carrier Cebu Pacific announced it will complete the transfer of all its turboprop flights out of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila by March 2026, as part of a government effort to ease congestion at the capital’s main gateway. Turboprop aircraft, smaller planes with propellers that serve shorter island and regional routes, will no longer operate from NAIA. Instead, services will move to Clark International Airport, about a two-hour drive north of Manila.
What’s Changing for Travelers
Beginning March 29, Cebu Pacific’s Cebgo regional brand and AirSWIFT subsidiary will operate routes from Clark instead of Manila. This includes popular services to El Nido, Busuanga (Coron) and Naga that have traditionally connected with tourist destinations in Palawan and the Bicol region.
Passengers booked on affected flights will be automatically rebooked on new departures from Clark. The airline says travellers can also choose free rebooking, a refund or conversion to a travel fund if the change doesn’t suit their plans.
The move follows a resolution by the Manila Slot Coordination Committee, an aviation body that includes the Department of Transportation. It set a deadline for ending turboprop flight operations at NAIA to free up airport slots for larger aircraft. The committee postponed the original October 2025 deadline to late first quarter 2026 to give airlines more time to adjust.
Why It Matters
The shift marks a major change for domestic travel in the Philippines. Turboprops mainly serve smaller, often remote airports that cannot handle larger jets, and Manila has historically been the starting point for many island routes. Moving these services to Clark is expected to reduce congestion at NAIA and allow more space for jet flights to and from major domestic and international destinations.
Will your journey be affected by these changes? Let us know in the comments.
