Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC) said its airport portfolio made a strong showing last year, recording 16.2 million passenger arrivals as air travel demand continued to surge across the Visayas and Northern Mindanao.
The total was led by Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), which handled 11.6 million passengers, up nearly 3 percent from 11.3 million in 2024, cementing its position as the country’s busiest airport outside Metro Manila. Laguindingan International Airport (LIA) in Misamis Oriental logged 2.35 million passengers, while Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA) recorded 2.22 million.
Covering only the period following their respective handovers to AIC in April and June 2025, LIA and BPIA posted 1.6 million and 1.07 million passengers, respectively. This, AIC said, signals early momentum under private sector management.
MCIA ranks as the Philippines’ second-busiest airport, while LIA and BPIA are the country’s sixth- and ninth-busiest gateways, highlighting AIC’s growing footprint in regional aviation.
“2025 has been a landmark year for our airports as we continued to expand connectivity for both domestic and international travelers,” said AIC Vice President and Head of Airports Rafael M. Aboitiz. He said improved access across Cebu, Bohol, and Northern Mindanao has made inter-island travel more seamless.
The performance came despite major disruptions in 2025, including a 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Bogo City, Cebu, a 7.4-magnitude quake in Davao Oriental, and Typhoons Tino and Uwan that hit Western Visayas—underscoring the resilience of regional travel demand.
MCIA, named Airport of the Year–Asia at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025, rolled out new exclusive nonstop routes, including Siquijor via Sunlight Air and San Vicente, Palawan via Cebu Pacific.
Passenger growth was also fueled by new connectivity initiatives such as CEB Connects, an air-to-air transfer service; CEB+, an air-to-sea link to nearby islands; and CEB Balik, an OFW facilitation hub positioning MCIA as the Visayas-Mindanao gateway.
With 20 airlines serving 13 international routes, MCIA is increasingly emerging as a viable alternative to Manila, reinforcing AIC Airports’ role as a key driver of tourism, trade, and regional economic growth.
