MCIA bolsters case as top transfer gateway
Sometimes, getting from one flight to another can feel like a journey in itself.
That travel pain point is exactly what Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) seeks to address with its CEB Connects facility, which aims to streamline the often-laborious process of transferring from one flight to another, whether domestic to international or vice versa.
Through the facility, the Aboitiz-run gateway—a major aviation hub in southern Philippines—has already connected more than 500,000 transfer passengers, marking a 48-percent increase since its launch in April 2025.
Apart from handling a growing volume of transfers, MCIA is also banking on efficiency, with minimum connecting times set at 35 minutes for domestic flights and 60 minutes for international flights.
It does so by reducing the need for self transfers and baggage rechecking.
MCIA says the facility has logged an average utilization rate of 73 percent across domestic and international transfers.
“The strong adoption of CEB Connects shows that modern travelers demand efficiency, speed and absolute peace of mind when choosing a layover hub,” says Ricia Montejo, general manager for MCIA at Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation.
MCIA is doing this while handling the traffic of the country’s second-busiest airport, which accommodated 11.6 million passengers in 2025.
Apart from close coordination with concerned government agencies, MCIA also credits the growth of its transfer system to a widening network of participating airlines that use the Cebu gateway to connect passengers between flights.
Among the latest to join the fold is Emirates, one of the world’s largest international carriers, which began using CEB Connects in May for both international to domestic and domestic to international transfers.
MCIA also works with China Airlines, AirAsia Philippines, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific for its transfer operations.
Already, the Cebu gateway has international recognition to show for its success, including Airport of the Year in Asia at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025.
And MCIA believes strengthening its position as a primary transfer gateway will be an important part of sustaining that success.
“By drastically shortening transfer times and removing the need to recheck baggage, we are delivering true operational excellence that seamlessly links all types of travelers to the heart of the Philippines while showcasing our signature Cebuano hospitality from the moment they land,” Montejo says.
