After the government eased travel restrictions, domestic air passengers quadrupled to 15.93 million for the first nine months of 2022, latest Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) figures showed.
By comparison, domestic passengers only totaled 5.53 million for the whole of 2021 and 6.89 million for the entire 2020.
Passenger volume in the third quarter, a lean period, dipped 3 percent to 6.2 million versus the second quarter's total of 6.4 million.
However, figures are expected to rise again in the fourth quarter as airlines expand their domestic and international operations to cater to the holiday peak season.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) and its unit, PAL Express, flew 4.01 million passengers in the first nine months of the year.
The flag carrier is expanding its network as business and leisure demand recovers.
On the other hand, Cebu Pacific Inc. (CEB) and its unit, CebGo, flew 9.25 million passengers.
AirAsia Philippines flew 2.45 million passengers versus 410,774 in the same period and has returned to its pre-pandemic domestic capacity last month.
Small carriers AirSwift Transport Inc. flew 135,056 passengers versus last year’s 8,538 while Island Aviation Corp. flew 6,166, more than double last year’s 3,913 passengers.

International passenger volume reached 6.3 million in the first nine months of 2022 and PAL carried the bulk, a total of 2.15 million.
CEB flew 251,632 passengers overseas while AirAsia Philippines carried 73,577.
Royal Charter Service flew 837 passengers and Astro Air International, 119.