Cebu Pacific reported robust operational performance for the first half of 2025, carrying 13.9 million passengers, up 20.8 percent year-on-year, underscoring the sustained recovery in both domestic and international air travel.
In a statement released Tuesday, the airline said domestic traffic rose 20.4 percent to 10.4 million passengers, while international passengers grew 22.3 percent to 3.5 million. Overall seat capacity increased 20.6 percent to 16.3 million, with an average seat load factor (SLF) of 85.4 percent.
Xander Lao, president and chief commercial officer of Cebu Pacific, said the performance reflects the “continued strength of air travel demand within our network,” even as the airline managed capacity carefully amid operational headwinds. “For the first half of 2025, our load factors have increased despite seat growth of more than 20 percent,” Lao noted.
The airline’s growth comes as it strengthens its regional and domestic connectivity, particularly outside Metro Manila. “Domestic demand remained strong, shown by its 92 percent load factor, while international traffic grew by over 9 percent as we invested in connecting cities outside Manila to more international ports,” Lao added.
For the month of June alone, Cebu Pacific carried 2.2 million passengers, a 7.9 percent year-on-year increase. However, the airline’s overall SLF declined slightly to 87.5 percent from 88.3 percent in June 2024, as capacity rose 8.8 percent.
Domestic passengers increased 7.3 percent on 6.8 percent more available seats, achieving a high SLF of 92.1 percent. International traffic expanded 9.7 percent, but SLF for overseas flights dipped 3.1 percentage points to 76.1 percent as seat capacity climbed 14.2 percent.
Lao attributed the stable performance to demand resilience despite a shift in the academic calendar, which saw classes begin earlier than in previous years. He added that the airline reduced capacity in the latter part of June in anticipation of the lean travel season, while continuing proactive fleet and supply chain management.
Looking ahead, Cebu Pacific expects capacity growth to remain steady through the third quarter, with an anticipated increase in the final quarter of the year.
