Mactan-Cebu International Airport has entered 2026 on a historic high, shattering its own records as nearly 1.3 million passengers passed through its terminals in January. The figure, confirmed by airport and government officials this week, represents the highest single-month passenger volume in the gateway’s history and signals a powerful resurgence for Cebu as one of the Philippines’ most dynamic air hubs.
A Record Month That Reframes Cebu’s Role
January 2026 will be remembered as a turning point for Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The facility handled around 1.3 million travelers over the course of the month, a jump of about 15 percent compared with the roughly 1.1 million passengers recorded in January 2025. For an airport that already ranks as the Philippines’ second-busiest gateway, such growth is not just a milestone but a statement of intent.
Airport operators and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority describe the performance as the strongest indication yet that Cebu has fully reclaimed its place on the regional aviation map after the disruptions of recent years. The figures cap a year in which the airport handled an estimated 11.6 million passengers in 2025, already above its 2024 tally, and set the stage for even more ambitious expansion in 2026.
What makes the January surge particularly noteworthy is that it is not a one-off spike driven by a single event. While seasonal traffic played a role, executives point to a deliberate strategy of improving connectivity, diversifying airline partners and investing in Cebu’s positioning as both a tourism playground and a serious business and transit hub for the Visayas and the wider Asia Pacific region.
Domestic Strength, International Surge
Beneath the headline number, the passenger mix at Mactan-Cebu International Airport reveals a story of balanced expansion across the domestic and international markets. Domestic traffic rose by around 12 percent year on year in January, reflecting the enduring appetite of Filipino travelers to move around the archipelago for holidays, family reunions and business trips.
Far more dramatic, however, was the jump in international traffic, which climbed by an estimated 25 percent compared to January 2025. This surge underscores Cebu’s growing draw for foreign visitors and its importance as a gateway for overseas Filipinos, or balikbayans, returning from long-haul markets such as North America, the Middle East and Australia.
Industry stakeholders in Cebu say this robust international growth comes despite a still uneven global tourism recovery and lingering economic headwinds in some key source markets. The improving numbers at Mactan-Cebu stand in contrast with more modest nationwide visitor growth in 2025, underscoring how targeted route development and strong local branding can tilt the scales in favor of particular destinations.
Sinulog, Faith Tourism and the Power of Homecoming
Seasonal factors played a pivotal role in January’s record passenger volumes, and none loomed larger than Cebu’s world-famous Sinulog Festival and the religious celebrations of Fiesta Señor. Held each January, these twin events draw hundreds of thousands of devotees and spectators into Cebu City and surrounding areas, filling hotels, ferries and flights.
The Department of Tourism’s regional office projected visitor arrivals for January 2026 to rise by about 5 percent versus the same month the previous year, driven in large part by Sinulog and associated homecomings. Much of that traffic funnels through Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which becomes the primary arrival point for pilgrims, performers, foreign tourists and returning Cebuano families timing their trips to coincide with the festivities.
For balikbayans in particular, the airport serves as both a practical gateway and an emotional first stop on their homecoming journey. Programs like Balik Cebu, which include ceremonial welcome receptions, cultural performances and assistance booths in the arrivals area, are designed to transform the airport into a place of warm reunions rather than a mere transit node. Those soft factors, when combined with improved connectivity, help explain why Cebu is increasingly favored over other Philippine gateways during the peak festival season.
New Routes and Airline Partners Reshape Connectivity
Behind the impressive growth figures is a strategic realignment of Cebu’s air network. Throughout 2025, Mactan-Cebu International Airport rolled out at least eight new international routes and welcomed a slate of foreign airline partners, including carriers from Australia, Vietnam, Malaysia and South Korea. Among the newest names operating at the airport are Jetstar Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Firefly Airlines and Korean low-cost carrier Aero-K.
These additions have stitched Cebu more tightly into the fabric of Asia Pacific travel. Direct flights now link the island to cities such as Hanoi, Cheongju, Brisbane and Macau, significantly reducing reliance on Manila for international transfers. For many travelers in the central and southern Philippines, using Cebu as their primary gateway means fewer backtracks through the capital and more efficient routings to regional hubs.
The benefits extend beyond convenience. Increased airline competition often translates into more competitive fares, higher frequencies and better schedule options. As Cebu’s list of direct connections grows, so does its appeal to tour operators, event planners and investors evaluating where to deploy their time and resources in the Philippines.
Cebu’s Tourism Recovery and Regional Ambitions
The historic January at Mactan-Cebu International Airport is part of a broader narrative of recovery and reinvention for Cebu’s tourism sector. After the travel disruptions and natural disasters that weighed on visitor numbers in recent years, the province spent much of 2025 rebuilding confidence among both foreign and domestic travelers. Industry groups point to a strong rebound in domestic tourism, with local visitors playing a critical role in filling hotel rooms and sustaining attractions while foreign arrivals gradually returned.
Air connectivity has been central to that rebound. By the end of 2025, data from hotel and tourism associations indicated that Cebu was handling more domestic arrivals and slightly higher international volumes than the previous year, even as some traditional markets such as South Korea remained below pre-pandemic levels. This resilience set the stage for the dramatic acceleration seen in January 2026.
Cebu is not content with a simple recovery, however. The province is positioning itself as a major meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions destination, backing that ambition with new hardware. Large-scale venues such as the Mactan Expo Center, a new SM arena and what is touted as the country’s largest SMX Convention Center are scheduled to enhance Cebu’s capacity to host regional and international events. Each major conference or trade show is expected to funnel thousands more high-yield visitors through Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
An Emerging Transit Hub Beyond Manila
The narrative around Cebu is no longer limited to sun, sand and festivals. Increasingly, Mactan-Cebu International Airport is being marketed as a legitimate alternative transfer hub to Metro Manila, particularly for traffic within the Visayas, Mindanao and parts of northern Southeast Asia. Initiatives such as CEBConnects aim to smooth the transfer experience between domestic and international flights, reducing connection times and hassles for passengers using Cebu as a midpoint.
This shift has important implications for route planners and travelers alike. For airlines, building a secondary hub in Cebu offers network redundancy and the ability to serve point-to-point markets that might not justify a Manila stop. For passengers in cities like Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Iloilo or Bohol, connecting through Cebu can mean shorter overall travel times to destinations such as Tokyo, Seoul, Hanoi or Brisbane.
The emerging hub role also gives Cebu greater leverage in negotiations with carriers contemplating new services into the Philippines. With passenger numbers setting new records and infrastructure investments continuing, Cebu can present itself as a low-congestion, high-potential gateway that complements rather than competes directly with Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Infrastructure, Operations and the Passenger Experience
Handling 1.3 million passengers in a single month is a test not only of runway capacity and airline schedules but of terminal operations, security screening, baggage systems and front-line customer service. According to officials, January’s record volumes were accommodated without major disruptions, a sign that earlier investments in facilities and process improvements are paying off.
The airport’s dual-runway configuration, expanded terminal space and modernized check-in and security infrastructure have given operators more flexibility to manage peak-hour waves, particularly during Sinulog week. At the same time, the airport has been working to refine passenger flows between domestic and international areas, making it easier to navigate transfers and reducing the stress often associated with busy regional gateways.
Customer-facing initiatives, from enhanced signage and more multilingual support staff to upgraded lounges and dining options, are being framed as essential ingredients in Cebu’s effort to compete for discerning travelers in the Asia Pacific market. The strategy recognizes that in an era of proliferating low-cost flights, the airport experience itself can be a deciding factor in whether visitors choose to route through Cebu or through rival hubs in neighboring countries.
What January 2026 Means for Travelers
For travelers eyeing Cebu in the coming months, the January numbers offer both opportunities and practical considerations. On the one hand, more flights and destinations enhance flexibility, allowing visitors to craft itineraries that combine Cebu with other Philippine islands or link it seamlessly with regional circuits through Vietnam, Malaysia, Korea or Australia. The rising profile of Cebu as a conference and events destination also means that more business travelers can justify combining work trips with leisure time on nearby beaches and dive sites.
On the other hand, record passenger volumes bring familiar challenges at peak times. Sinulog week and major holidays are likely to see crowded terminals, tight hotel availability in key districts and higher demand for transport services to and from the airport. Travelers planning to visit during these windows will need to book flights and accommodation earlier, build extra time into their airport transfers and be ready for a more energetic, festival-like atmosphere from the moment they land.
For Cebu itself, the historic January of 2026 is less an endpoint than a starting line. If the momentum holds, the island could solidify its role as the Philippines’ premier secondary hub, a model for balanced tourism growth and a compelling entry point for discovering the central and southern reaches of the archipelago. For now, the numbers tell a simple story: more people than ever are choosing to pass through Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and the world is taking notice.