THE Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has once again clinched the Best Airport in Asia-Pacific (five–15 million passengers category) at the 2025 Airports Council International (ACI) World Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Customer Experience Awards.
The win reinforces Cebu’s position as the country’s premier gateway outside Metro Manila.
The annual ASQ Awards are considered the aviation industry’s most credible benchmark for customer service excellence, based on globally standardized passenger surveys measuring service efficiency, cleanliness, comfort, and overall experience.
This year, nearly 707,000 passengers were surveyed worldwide, and MCIA emerged as one of 88 airports globally recognized for departure excellence.
Athanasios Titonis, chief executive officer (CEO) of Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corp. (Aicac), said the recognition reflects direct passenger feedback and the airport community’s commitment to service excellence.
“We are not just a point of transit, but a gateway designed to make travel efficient, comfortable, and well-connected for all our passengers,” Titonis said, noting that the award affirms MCIA’s Cebuano warmth and world-class hospitality.
Julius Neri Jr., general manager and CEO of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), emphasized that the accolade highlights strong public-private sector collaboration and demonstrates Cebu’s readiness to handle growing global demand.
MCIA also won the same Asia-Pacific category in 2024 and was named Airport of the Year in Asia at the 2025 TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards. The ASQ Awards will be formally presented at the ACI World Airport Experience Summit in Istanbul, Türkiye, from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4, 2026.
MCIA’s latest recognition comes as it added close to 30 new weekly international flights, pushing total international frequencies to more than 100 weekly arrivals and departures.
Aicac attributed the surge to Cebu’s stronger positioning in priority source markets and growing interest in both Cebu and neighboring Bohol. The region’s hosting of the Asean Tourism Forum in January also helped reconnect destinations with long-standing partners and open new market access.
In the last quarter of 2025, several airlines expanded their Cebu routes. Philippine Airlines launched its first-ever nonstop Cebu–Guam service on Dec. 16, operating three times weekly via Airbus A321 aircraft. Malaysia-based Firefly Airlines began five weekly Kuala Lumpur–Cebu flights starting Dec. 2. Vietnam Airlines mounted a thrice-weekly Hanoi–Cebu service. Australia’s Jetstar Airways introduced a seasonal Brisbane–Cebu route operating three times weekly until May 2026, cutting travel time between the two cities by roughly half.
In a statement, Gelena Asis-Dimpas, officer-in-charge regional director of the Department of Tourism–Central Visayas, said the expanded routes improve access to the region’s leisure, heritage, English as a Second Language (ESL), and health and wellness offerings.
“These new direct flights bring Cebu, Bohol, and neighboring provinces closer to residents of Guam, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Australia,” she said.
Officials added that the new air links complement integrated ESL tour packages, medical travel offerings, and extended-stay programs aimed at increasing visitor spending and repeat travel. / DPC, KOC