AirAsia revives Cebu hub with new routes, global links

AIRASIA Philippines is reviving its Cebu hub in November as part of a broader push to anchor the Visayas capital as a strategic growth center and alternative gateway for Southeast Asia and beyond.

The low-cost carrier will base two aircraft at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) starting Nov. 15, 2025, with plans to expand to at least five by 2026, president and chief executive officer (CEO) Capt. Suresh Bangah said at the relaunch event on Sept. 23 at Fili Hotel, Nustar Resort Cebu. The move restores Cebu as AirAsia’s 16th hub globally, two years after it was shuttered due to aircraft shortages.

“Cebu is a key driver for growth,” Bangah said. “This comeback is about more than connectivity — it’s about creating jobs, encouraging local tourism, and supporting communities that depend on travel and trade.” The airline has hired additional pilots, cabin crew, and ground staff in Cebu to support the reopening.

The carrier will initially mount three domestic and two international routes out of MCIA. These include Cebu-Davao with 18 weekly flights, Cebu-Caticlan with 11 weekly flights, and Cebu-Iloilo with four weekly flights. On the international front, it will fly Cebu-Kuala Lumpur 14 times weekly and Cebu-Macau three times weekly. More than 10 new international routes — including Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and India — are targeted over the next 24 months.

Ease congestion

Amanda Woo, AirAsia Aviation Group’s chief commercial officer, said Cebu is “a cornerstone” of the next growth phase in the Philippines.

“By linking domestic feeders from across the Visayas and Mindanao into international gateways like Macao and Kuala Lumpur, we are creating a stronger bridge between local communities and the wider region,” Woo said. “Through Kuala Lumpur alone, travelers from Cebu can connect seamlessly to more than 3,500 routes across Asia and beyond.”

The relaunch is expected to ease congestion at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport while giving Central and Southern Philippine travelers more direct international options. Woo noted her own 12-hour journey from Kuala Lumpur to Cebu via Manila underscored the need for improved connectivity.

AirAsia Philippines, which employs more than 1,900 staff, has carried six to seven million passengers since its 2022 relaunch under new ownership. The broader AirAsia Group, operating across 15 countries, now serves 136 destinations and 258 routes, including Istanbul and Kazakhstan launched this year. It has flown more than 800 million passengers since 2001.

Welcome development

The expansion is being welcomed by both government and airport officials.

“With this hub, Cebu will experience enhanced connectivity, more flights, and new opportunities for businesses and communities,” said Department of Tourism regional director Riza Macaibay.

Mactan-Cebu International Airport CEO Athanasios Titonis called the partnership “a powerful synergy” that strengthens Cebu’s position as both a destination and a tourism transfer hub.

To celebrate the hub’s comeback, AirAsia is mounting a music festival on Nov. 15 at SM Seaside Cebu ground, featuring Original Pilipino Music artists, a nod to Cebu’s role at the center of the airline’s renewed ambitions.

Despite competition from other carriers, Woo said the Philippine market is “large enough for multiple players.” She added: “Our strength is Asean connectivity — we bring in traffic from markets where we are already number one.” / KOC