The Ninoy Aquino International Airport recorded a strong surge in passenger traffic this Undas, handling close to 1.3 million travelers over the nine-day holiday period and surpassing both initial forecasts and last year’s figures. From October 27 to November 4, 2026, New NAIA Infra Corp. reported that total passenger volume reached 1,291,885, representing a 4.4 percent rise from the 1.24 million people recorded during the same period in 2025. The actual count also came in 3.4 percent higher than the operator’s conservative estimate of 1.25 million, far exceeding earlier projections of just a 1 percent year-on-year growth.
International passenger arrivals and departures climbed to 649,691, a 3.94 percent increase, while domestic travel saw an even stronger uptick of 4.86 percent to 642,194, reflecting how Filipinos both returning home to visit loved ones and traveling domestically made this year’s Undas one of the busiest on record. October 30 emerged as the peak day, with 153,901 passengers passing through the terminals and beating the daily target of 149,216.
To ensure smooth operations amid the higher-than-expected volume, airport authorities put in place extra measures including a round-the-clock command center at Terminal 2, additional screening and immigration staff, and dedicated Public Assistance Desks across the main terminals. Improved coordination with the Department of Transportation, security agencies, immigration officials, airlines and transport providers helped keep wait times manageable and passenger flow steady throughout the holiday window. Airport management noted that these efforts supported the record-breaking turnout and reaffirmed their commitment to further upgrading facilities and services to meet the country’s rising travel demand.
