More Ways to Explore the World from Cebu, Philippines

Mactan-Cebu International Airport Launches New Routes

If you’ve ever flown in or out of Cebu, you know how much of a lifesaver Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is for travellers in the Visayas and Mindanao. Instead of always routing through Manila, more and more flights now take off directly from Cebu saving you hours of layovers and connecting flights.

This week, MCIA hosted its Festival of Flights Media Launch, and it felt like a celebration of new adventures waiting to happen. The airport unveiled a bunch of new routes and airline partners that will make travelling easier, faster, and more exciting for anyone flying in and out of Cebu.

New Routes and Airlines to Get Excited About

Here’s the juicy part: starting later this year, you’ll have even more options for both international and domestic flights.

International:

✈️ Cebu to Kuala Lumpur (AirAsia, twice daily from Nov 15, 2025)

✈️ Cebu to Macau (AirAsia, three times a week from Nov 15, 2025)

✈️ Cebu to Kuala Lumpur (Firefly Airlines, five times a week from Dec 2, 2025)

✈️ Cebu to Brisbane, Australia (Jetstar Airways, three times a week from Dec 3, 2025)

Domestic:

✈️ Cebu to Davao (AirAsia, 18 times weekly)

✈️ Cebu to Caticlan – hello Boracay lovers! (AirAsia, 11 times weekly)

✈️ Cebu to Iloilo (AirAsia, four times weekly)

✈️ Cebu to Calbayog (Philippine Airlines, four times weekly from Oct 26, 2025)

For me, the most exciting news is the direct Cebu–Brisbane route. If you’ve ever had to connect via Manila for Australia flights, you know how much hassle this saves. This is something big for balikbayans who want a more convenient way home. Even coming from Sydney, I find this new route a convenient one as I no longer need to do a long layover in another country. I will definitely try this route soon!

Why does this matter?

MCIA isn’t just expanding flights, these new routes make Cebu even more of a travel hub both for Filipinos wanting to explore abroad, for international travellers using Cebu as a jumping-off point to the rest of the country, and for overseas Filipino workers with hometowns in the South.

The airport also introduced CebConnects, a campaign and system designed to make transfers between domestic and international flights smoother. That means less stress when hopping from, say, Brisbane to Cebu to Boracay.

As a Cebuana, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate having access to more routes, especially a direct flight to my hometown. It’s not just about saving time, it’s about making travel feel less like a chore and more like the relaxation (or adventure) it should be.

Tips & tricks

• Airlines usually drop promo deals when they open new routes, and Cebu-based flights tend to be cheaper than Manila departures.

With all these new flights rolling out in the coming months, keep an eye on introductory fares. If Brisbane, Kuala Lumpur, or Boracay is on your 2025 bucket list, now’s the time to stalk those booking sites.

• The sweet spot for booking international flights from Cebu is usually 2–3 months before your trip.

For local flights (like Cebu–Boracay), keep watch during big seat sales, you can sometimes snag round-trip fares for under ₱1,000 if you’re quick!

Cebu has always been a strategic location in the Philippines, but these new routes officially put it on the map as a true gateway to Asia and beyond. Whether you’re a local, a balikbayan, or just someone looking to skip the Manila chaos, MCIA is shaping up to be the airport you’ll want to fly through. So if you’ve been dreaming of exploring more this coming year, whether that’s sipping coffee in Iloilo, catching waves in Siargao or Davao, or finally making that trip to Australia, it just got a whole lot easier.

EXCITING TIMES AHEAD!

‘Til then, let’s keep exploring!

If you have any questions, or if you want some tips, feel free to leave a comment or message via e-mail. If you like this article and want to see or know more about my other trips and tips, follow me on Instagram, and Tiktok.