Air passenger traffic exceeds pre-pandemic levels in 2025

AIR PASSENGER volume rose 4.06% to 62.34 million in 2025, exceeding pre-pandemic levels for the first time, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said.

Domestic passenger traffic rose 3.45% to 33.24 million in 2025, according to the CAB.

International passenger volume rose 4.75% to 29.10 million.

Last year’s total passenger traffic was 3.79% higher than the pre-pandemic volume of 60.07 million recorded in 2019.

Domestic passenger volume accounted for  about 54.92% of last year’s total.

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific and its units carried a total of 16.20 million passengers, while its regional brand Cebgo flew 2.06 million, and AirSwift Transport, Inc. carried a total of 429,222.

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines carried 1.35 million passengers, and its regional brand PAL Express logged 8.39 million.

Philippines AirAsia, Inc., operator of low-cost carrier AirAsia Philippines, reported 4.60 million passengers in 2025.

The CAB said foreign carriers logged a total of 15.01 million international passengers, while Philippine carriers reported a total 14.09 million. — Ashley Erika O. Jose