Cebu Pacific’s services to Hong Kong from Philippine airports in Manila, Clark, Cebu, Davao, and Iloilo are now the airline’s second largest international operation. In 1Q2025, the airline carried over 312,000 passengers between the Philippines and Hong Kong, a nine per cent increase from the same period last year. Much of this growth came from routes outside Metro Manila, signifying rising demand for regional connectivity.
Spurred by strong demand, Cebu Pacific is scaling up frequencies on its Hong Kong-Philippines routes: Manila flight will go up to 28 times per week; Clark 14 times per week; Cebu 10 times per week; Davao four times per week; and Iloilo four times per week.
President and chief commercial officer Xander Lao said Cebu Pacific’s Hong Kong operations are driven by outbound Filipino traffic. In 2024, Hong Kong welcomed record-high arrivals from the Philippines, in excess of one million visitors.
Lao said travel from the Philippines to Hong Kong is back to pre-pandemic levels.
He added that Cebu Pacific’s schedule to Hong Kong is attractive, as it offers “first flight” in and “last flight” out, allowing travellers a full day in Hong Kong. Such a schedule is especially useful for business travellers, allowing the airline to court value-conscious SMEs.
He also attributed the positive business performance to Cebu Pacific’s numerous secondary hubs across the Philippines, an archipelago with more than 7,000 islands.
Lao is optimistic about business for the rest of 2025, stating an expected growth of 15 to 20 per cent year-on-year. He also shared intentions to add on more connections to Hong Kong.
“We will continue to study (our options); perhaps a Puerto Princesa-Hong Kong service, which we had before the pandemic,” he said.
Cebu Pacific will work with Philippine government agencies and tourism board on destination marketing and to fend off competition from “traditional tourism powers in South-east Asia” and encourage Hong Kong visitation to the Philippines.
