Mactan-Cebu airport traffic up 9% in first half of 2026

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Despite a slowdown in travel demand mainly brought by the US vs. Iran war, passenger and air traffic at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) saw growth for the first half this year.

The number of passengers passing through the country’s second busiest gateway climbed to 9.1 percent in the first six months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, driven largely by a surge in international travelers.

According to data from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), the airport handled 6,467,538 passengers from January to June this year, up from 5,926,929 in the same period in 2025.

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This translates to an increase of more than 540,000 travelers.

International traffic

Similarly, flight movements also grew, with 54,682 domestic and international flights recorded in the first half, up 10 percent from 49,728 a year earlier.

During the first half of this year, international traffic grew far faster than domestic.

International passenger volume rose 18.4 percent year-on-year, nearly three times the 6.1-percent growth recorded on domestic routes.

International flight movements climbed 16.2 percent, almost double the 8.5-percent increase in domestic flights.

The figures suggest the airport’s push to expand international connectivity is gaining more traction than domestic demand.

**Decline in passenger numbers **

However, the momentum was not steady throughout the half.

A month-by-month comparison shows both domestic and international traffic posted strong double-digit annual growth in the first quarter.

Then it decelerated sharply and ultimately declined by June.

Domestic passenger growth eased from a year-on-year increase of 12 percent in January to just 0.5 percent in May.

International passenger growth followed a similar arc, dropping from 25-percent annual growth in January to a 5.8-percent decline in June—the first year-on-year contraction for that segment in 2026.

The month-on-month drop in June was also steeper than the seasonal dip seen in the same month last year.

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