Cebu Pacific reported a strong surge in travel demand on its Dubai–Manila route, carrying 40,000 more passengers in the first half of 2025.
In an exclusive interview with Cebu Pacific, the airline said this represents a 25% increase compared to the same period last year.
The growth was attributed to strong demand, driven by low fares and expanded seat availability.
Data showed that 17% of passengers on the Dubai–Manila route and 5% on the Manila–Dubai route were classified as overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Most passengers were tourists, with the Dubai–Manila leg recording a higher tourist volume.
To meet growing demand, the airline increased seat capacity on the Dubai route by 20% compared to last year. However, there are currently no plans to add more flights.
The Gokongwei-led low-cost carrier also announced that it flew a total of 13.9 million passengers across its network in the first half of 2025, up from 11.5 million in the same period last year.
Of this total, 10.35 million were Philippine domestic passengers while 3.54 million were international.
“For the first half of 2025, our load factors have increased despite seat growth of more than 20 percent. This reflects the continued strength of air travel demand within our network,” said Xander Lao, president and chief commercial officer of Cebu Pacific.
However, Lao said the airline is reducing capacity in the second half of the year due to the off-peak travel season and to manage ongoing engine and supply chain challenges.
He noted that capacity growth will remain steady in the third quarter and is expected to rise again in the fourth quarter.
Cebu Pacific currently operates a fleet of 99 aircraft and serves 37 Philippine domestic and 26 international destinations across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.
The airline is set to receive more aircraft in 2025 to support its growing network, after adding 17 new aircraft last year.
