Holiday travel at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is hitting new highs, with passenger traffic during the December 20 to January 4 period projected to climb about 5% year-on-year to roughly 2.55 million, airport operator New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) said.
NAIA is also expected to handle more than 13,700 flights over the holiday period, surpassing last year’s levels as travel demand rises across all terminals, led by Terminal 3.
The surge peaked on Saturday, December 20, when NAIA recorded the highest single-day passenger volume in its history, with 171,306 travelers passing through the country’s main aviation hub. Flight activity also reached a record high, with 950 aircraft movements logged that day, according to NNIC.
Terminal 3 carried the bulk of the traffic, accounting for more than half of total passenger volume and handling over 90,000 passengers—the largest share among NAIA’s terminals.
Despite operating beyond its original design capacity, airport operations remained stable during the peak travel day. NNIC credited coordinated airside management, including gate allocation, airside control, and ramp operations, for keeping aircraft movements and passenger flow running smoothly.
The operator also underscored the importance of close coordination among government agencies and private-sector stakeholders at the airport, particularly in air traffic management, immigration processing, ground handling, and terminal operations. NAIA’s performance during peak periods, NNIC said, relies on multiple entities working as a single, integrated system.
The strong holiday showing comes as NAIA continues to roll out operational and facility upgrades introduced since NNIC took over airport operations just over a year ago. These improvements have helped boost system efficiency and ease passenger flow during high-demand periods.
Recent upgrades include the rollout of biometric immigration e-Gates and enhanced passenger processing systems, as well as the opening of additional passenger spaces at Terminal 3, including new food halls and expanded waiting areas.