NAIA Terminal Fees Are Set to Soar by September 2025
Airfare is likely getting a bump, too.
(SPOT.ph) Much speculation has been made about the looming increase in Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s (NAIA) terminal fees—and now we have clarity. The New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC) has confirmed that travelers can expect higher costs as part of the airport's long-overdue modernization plan.
With fees unchanged for more than 20 years, the planned adjustments will see domestic terminal fees rise from P200 to P390 and international fees rise from P550 to P950 starting September 14, 2025. Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) will continue to be exempt from paying international departure fees.
This confirmation follows NNIC’s official takeover of NAIA’s management and operations on September 14, 2024. The consortium is now pressing ahead with a P170.6-billion rehabilitation plan to improve everything from infrastructure to passenger experience at the NAIA.
NAIA’s terminal fees currently stand as one of the cheapest in the world, according to DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista in February 2024. He pointed out that other local airports under private management, like Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Clark International Airport, already charge around P750 for international flights.
The NNIC said it has no hand in setting the fee adjustments, as these were pre-determined by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) using global standards.
Also read: New Terminal With 50 Boarding Gates? Here Are Ramon Ang’s Plans for NAIA
Not just the NAIA terminal fees
Another thing to keep in mind: Airlines will also face higher aeronautical charges, which means travelers could see a rise in airfares, too.
Aviation officials like the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP), Board of Airline Representatives (BAR), and Airline Operators Council (AOC) assured the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) in a June letter that proposed charges to fund upgrades like air traffic control and runway capacity are still below inflation-adjusted rates.
"It would appear that the market demand is strong and would be able to accept a small additional increase in air fares if the adjustments in AO-1 were to be passed through to passengers by the airlines in full.”
Do note that the terminal fee is still separate from travel tax, which is required to be paid to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).
Also read: SMC Bares New Terminal Assignments as Part of NAIA Overhaul