Cebu Pacific said it is ready to increase flights to China if travel demand rises, following the Philippine government’s move to allow visa-free entry for Chinese tourists. The airline said the policy puts the Philippines on par with other Southeast Asian destinations and could help revive China as a key tourism market.
Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer Alexander Lao said bookings have not picked up yet, noting that the policy was only recently announced. However, he said the airline has enough aircraft to add flights quickly once demand builds. Before the pandemic, Cebu Pacific operated about 35 weekly flights to China, but this has dropped to just seven flights a week.
Starting January 16, 2026, Chinese nationals may enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 14 days. The policy applies only to arrivals through Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu.
Tourism data showed Chinese visitor arrivals reached 237,101 last year, down from 276,566 in 2024. Lao said most current China-bound traffic consists of Filipinos traveling to China, but the airline expects the visa-free policy to improve the country’s competitiveness as a destination.
Cebu Pacific also expects to grow its passenger seat capacity by 10 percent this year, matching its growth rate in 2025. The airline carried 26.9 million passengers last year, up from 24.5 million in 2024, with stronger growth in international travel.
