
Known in the Cebuano dialect as “Tugpahanang Pangkalibutan sa Mactan-Sugbo”, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is considered as the second busiest airport in the whole country, next to Manila’s NAIA or Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and even belongs to the top 20 airports in the ASEAN region in 2011. It is found on Mactan Island, specifically in Lapu-Lapu City, and has a total area of 1,970 acres or 797 hectares.
History and Development
This airport is managed by the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA). The single runway, which is over 10,000 feet, was built in 1956, thanks to the United States that decided to make the place an emergency airport for Strategic Air Command bombers. Back then, the airport was called Mactan Air Base. Aside from serving as an emergency airport, the MCIA also became a C-130 unit base for the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War in the 1960s. It was in 2008 when MCIAA announced the funding for the terminal expansion of Cebu’s busy airport, and to improve Philippine tourism and “address the increasing volume of passenger traffic”, President Benigno Aquino III decided to prioritize the completion of the airport’s expansion, including the finishing of the construction of the administration building. The new design of the terminal building is expected to finish by 2018.
Airport Facilities
Currently, MCIA has the following facilities:
- A souvenir and pasalubong shop in the pre-departure area
- Passenger Boarding Bridge
- safety and security machines
- spacious hallway
- snack bars and restaurants
- Flight Information Display System
- Electronic Clock System
- Public Address System
- baggage and cargo handling equipment
- entrance gate canopies
- airport taxi units with calibrated meters
- computerized check-in counters
- International Terminal Hall
- Pre-Departure Terminal Hall
- Duty Free Philippines store
- paging counters
- telephone services
The airport’s terminal houses domestic and international operations and is capable of catering up to 4.5 million passengers. Here’s a complete list of the different airlines (with their respective destinations) found there:
Airlines | Destinations |
---|---|
AirAsia | Kuala Lumpur (beginning July 24, 2014) |
AirAsia Zest | Manila, Seoul-Incheon |
Air Busan | Busan |
Air Niugini | Port Moresby |
Asiana Airlines | Seoul-Incheon |
Cathay Pacific | Hong Kong |
Cebu Pacific | Bacolod, Busan, Busuanga, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, Caticlan, Clark, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Hong Kong, Iloilo, Kalibo, Legazpi, Manila, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Seoul-Incheon, Siargao,Singapore, Surigao, Tacloban, Tandag (beginning June 30, 2014), Zamboanga Seasonal: Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi |
China Airlines | Seasonal: Taipei-Taoyuan |
Far Eastern Air Transport | Charter: Taipei-Taoyuan |
Jeju Air | Busan, Seoul-Incheon |
Jin Air | Seoul-Incheon |
Korean Air | Busan, Seoul-Incheon |
Philippine Airlines | Seoul-Incheon, Shanghai-Pudong, Taipei-Taoyuan, Tokyo-Narita |
Philippine Airlines (by PAL Express) | Manila |
Philippines AirAsia | Manila |
SilkAir | Singapore |
Tigerair | Singapore |
Tigerair Philippines | Manila |
Cargo Airlines |
---|
2GO (Air) |
FedEx Express |
Pacific East Asia Cargo Airlines |
Tri-MG Intra Asia Airlines |
Transglobal Airways |
(Source: Wikipedia)
Going To and From the Airport
The fastest way to reach Mactan-Cebu International Airport from Cebu City is through a taxi, which will cost around 250 pesos. If you come from the airport and want to go to a specific place in Cebu, on the other hand, you may take the yellow-colored airport taxis that are readily available near the airport’s exit, but know though that this kind of transportation is more expensive (estimated one-way fare would be almost 500 pesos) than the white regular taxis. To take a regular taxi, you need to walk for a few meters from the exit. There are also jeepneys, but most of them are only accessible in the MEPZA area, which is about 2 kilometers from the airport. If you are looking for a less costly (yet less convenient, too) way to reach your specific destination in Cebu, take a regular taxi from the airport, tell the driver to drop you off the PUJ area, and from there, you can then ride a jeepney going to SM City Cebu, where you can find a PUJ terminal and take a jeepney going to the particular place you wish to go to.
Aside from the transportation costs, know that you would have to pay a terminal fee of 550 pesos for international passengers and 200 pesos for domestic passengers upon reaching the airport and before boarding the airplane. For a complete guide, such as arrivals, departures, flight statuses, travel tips, and MCIAA profile, visit the official websites of Mactan-Cebu International Airport:
For info about the best hotels near Mactan-Cebu International Airport, click here.