Cebu Pacific announced on Thursday the damp lease agreement it signed with Bulgaria Air to boost its fleet during the peak travel season from December 2025 to January 2026.
Under the deal, the Gokongwei-led budget carrier will lease two Airbus A320ceo aircraft from Bulgaria Air, each with a 180-seat capacity. The leased planes will serve four key domestic routes from Manila—Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, and Cagayan de Oro.
Bulgaria Air, the national airline of the Republic of Bulgaria, will provide the aircraft, pilots, maintenance, and insurance, while Cebu Pacific will deploy its own cabin crew. The partnership highlights Cebu Pacific’s strategy to strengthen capacity and operational resilience amid sustained passenger growth.
“We are continuously exploring ways to expand our fleet and ensure operational resilience,” said Cebu Pacific President and chief commercial officer Xander Lao. “Our damp lease agreement with Bulgaria Air will allow us to meet strong travel demand from December 2025 to January 2026.”
Bulgaria Air chairman Hristo Todorov welcomed the collaboration, saying, “We are pleased to partner with Cebu Pacific – one of the most dynamically developing airlines in Asia. This collaboration is yet another testament to the high level of trust and professionalism that our team delivers in the implementation of international leasing projects.”
The agreement comes as Cebu Pacific reports robust passenger traffic. In the first nine months of 2025, the airline flew nearly 20 million passengers, up 13.9 percent from 17.5 million a year earlier. Domestic traffic rose 12.7 percent to 14.9 million, while international passengers increased 17.7 percent to 5.1 million. Seat load factor averaged 84.8 percent, with total seat capacity growing 14 percent to 23.5 million.
Cebu Pacific operates one of the youngest fleets in the world, with 98 aircraft, and offers the widest network in the Philippines—covering 37 domestic and 26 international destinations.
