Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) maintained its growth momentum in passenger volume during the first four months of 2026, rising by 4.5 percent to more than 18 million despite the impact of higher jet fuel prices on airfares.

Based on data from NAIA regulator Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), the country’s primary gateway increased its passenger traffic to 18.29 million from January to April, compared to 17.5 million in the same period last year.

The growth in passenger volume was supported by a nearly four-percent increase in flight movements at NAIA to 101,400 from 97,766 a year ago.

MIAA said international passenger demand at the airport rose by seven percent to 8.83 million from 8.26 million.

Meanwhile, passenger volume for domestic flights stood at 9.47 million in the four-month period, up 2.6 percent from 9.23 million a year ago.

Across the three terminals, Terminal 3 welcomed the highest number of passengers at 9.86 million, accounting for more than half of NAIA’s total passenger volume.

Terminal 1, which exclusively handles international flights, served 3.93 million passengers, while Terminal 2 handled 4.49 million passengers for its domestic operations.

The sustained demand for air travel builds on the record-setting passenger traffic of 52.11 million in 2025, an increase of four percent from the previous high of 50.1 million set in 2024.

It remains to be seen whether NAIA will set another passenger record this year, especially as airfares have become more expensive due to elevated jet fuel prices.

Since the conflict in the Middle East erupted in February, higher jet fuel prices have prompted the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to raise the fuel surcharge imposed on passengers to help airlines cope with additional costs.

This was particularly evident in the second half of April, when CAB adjusted the surcharge rate to a record Level 19. Under this level, passengers paid as much as ₱1,834 for domestic routes and up to ₱15,397.15 for international flights.

At present, the fuel surcharge has been reduced to Level 9 for the period from July 1 to 15. Under this level, passengers may pay an additional ₱287 to ₱839 for domestic flights and between ₱947.30 and ₱7,044.27 for international trips.

In addition, NAIA had to deal with several route cancellations due to the ongoing conflict, as airlines scaled back operations to and from the Middle East and trimmed less profitable routes to manage costs more efficiently.

Even so, NAIA continues to welcome new services and additional flight frequencies from airlines, given its growing role as a key gateway for business and leisure travel, as well as for connecting flights.

The airport recently welcomed new routes from Air Macau and Xiamen Airlines, providing travelers with greater access to key cities in the Greater China region.

NAIA, operated by San Miguel Corp. (SMC)-led New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC), is undergoing a series of upgrades to modernize its terminals and operations to global standards.

Under its ₱170.6-billion concession agreement, NNIC aims to expand NAIA’s passenger capacity to 62 million annually from the current 35 million.