Philippines Adds 58 New Flights in 2023

 2 August 2023

International Flights

Philippine airports has added 58 new weekly international flights this year from various gateway points according to the Department of Tourism (DoT).

DOT said Wednesday almost all international gateway in the Philippines has received new and resumption flights in 2023, citing data from its Routes Development report for June 2023.

The gateway airports are Manila, Clark, Cebu, Panglao, Kalibo, and Davao.

DoT said their data doesn't include yet the plan resumption of daily flight from United Airlines, as well as four more airlines that wishes to operate in the Philippines.

For its midyear data, Manila added seven weekly flights from Tokyo with ZipAir B787 flights and And two additional Air China B737 flights to Chengdu, while Cebu received seven new flights from China Eastern Airlines to Shanghai, four Philippine Air Asia weekly flightsto Tokyo, two Cebu Pacific weekly flights to Taipei, and two additional weekly flights by Asiana Airlines to Incheon.

Two additional weekly flights is also added to Bohol offered by Asiana Airlines and seven more by Air Busan, both originating from Seoul's Incheon airport.

Kalibo likewise attracted three new weekly flights from Hangzhou, three from Ningbo, and three from Wenzhou, all by Loong Air; four from Chengdu by Ok Airways, and two from Taipei by TigerAir Taiwan.

Clark also added seven Asiana Airlines weekly flights from Seoul; Caticlan three Royal Air weekly flights from Hong Kong; and Lallo airport in Cagayan Province, two Royal Air flights from Macau.

DoT said eight of the country’s international gateways reported more incoming flights and seats each week.

In its June data, the DoT said Clark posted a 180% increase in incoming scheduled weekly frequencies and a 215% rise in incoming weekly seats. The corresponding gains for Manila were 75% and 120% respectively.

“In Visayas, Kalibo recorded a 640% increase in incoming frequencies and 409% increase in incoming seats, Cebu 300% and 297% (respectively), and Bohol 200% and 128% (respectively),” the DoT said.

“Davao saw a 50% increase in incoming frequencies, and 38% increase in incoming seats,” it added.

Domestic Flights
Tourism Department also disclosed massive increased in offered domestic seats despite airlines aircraft problem, due to new routes and the resumption of services.

“The industry gained from at least 17 city pairs, with about 83 incoming weekly frequencies that were launched between July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. 

These new city pairs included new domestic flights between Cebu-Baguio (4 frequencies per week), Cebu-Borongan (2 frequencies per week), and Cebu-Naga (4 frequencies per week),” the DoT said.


“Among the domestic flights that resumed in the same period were: Clark to Bacolod, Busuanga, Cagayan de Oro, Caticlan, Davao, Iloilo, General Santos, and Puerto Princesa; Manila to Tablas and Lal-o; Davao to Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, and Siargao; and Zamboanga to Cotabato,” it added.

For 2023, the DoT is targeting 4.8 million international arrivals, mainly from China, Korea, and Japan, against 2.65 million it received last year. The Philippines has logged over 3 million international arrivals as of July 19.