The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), now managed by New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), is seeing a steady rise in new international flights and airlines, a reflection of increasing global confidence in the Philippine economy.
As tourism, business, and trade activity continue to grow, more carriers are expanding their networks to include Manila. The latest addition is Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) new direct service between Manila and Da Nang in central Vietnam, which launched on July 1 with inaugural send-off and arrival ceremonies held at NAIA Terminal 1.
Earlier this year, carriers like Air France, Air Canada, and Vietjet Airlines began operating new routes to and from NAIA. These include direct flights to Seattle (USA), Brisbane (Australia), Paris (France), Sapporo (Japan), Vancouver (Canada), and now Da Nang.
More routes are expected soon. Air India is preparing for its maiden direct flight from New Delhi in October, while United Airlines is adding a second daily service to San Francisco around the same time.
NAIA has also begun servicing new regional routes, including flights to Chiang Mai in Thailand as more airlines respond to rising demand from travelers.
NNIC says these developments show how ongoing efforts to modernize and streamline operations are helping NAIA support this growth. “We are scoring quick wins where we can by improving systems, facilities, and passenger flow. The results: we are now able to accommodate more flights and reduce congestion at the terminals,” said NNIC President Ramon S. Ang.
Since taking over NAIA operations in September last year, NNIC has focused on improving efficiency and passenger experience. During the Holy Week travel period in April, NAIA handled over 1.17 million passengers in just eight days — a 12.7% increase from 2024 — while maintaining an on-time performance (OTP) of 83.28%.
To accommodate more passengers, NAIA is building a new Terminal 5 to boost capacity to 62 million annually, increasing air traffic movements from 40-42 to 48 per hour, and expanding food, retail, and lounge offerings across all terminals.
NNIC has also cleared a number of abandoned aircraft from the airside, freeing up parking space and improving aircraft turnaround and ground movement. Work has also begun on upgrading check-in and baggage handling equipment to speed up the process for travelers.
To further ease processing at immigration counters, NNIC is also supporting the acquisition of biometric e-gates. Once installed, these will significantly shorten lines at peak hours and help bring NAIA closer to global airport standards in both security and passenger experience.
