Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc. (AIC) capped a milestone year for Philippine aviation as its airport portfolio welcomed a combined 16.17 million passengers in 2025, underscoring the strong rebound and sustained growth of air travel across the Visayas and Northern Mindanao.
The figure makes AIC the country’s largest airport operator in terms of passengers served outside Metro Manila, anchored by the continued strength of Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), which handled 11.6 million passengers last year, up nearly three percent from 11.3 million in 2024.
Laguindingan International Airport (LIA) in Misamis Oriental recorded 2.35 million passengers, while Bohol-Panglao International Airport (BPIA) served 2.22 million.
Focusing only on the period following their turnover to AIC in 2025, LIA and BPIA logged 1.6 million and 1.07 million passengers, respectively, reflecting early momentum under the Aboitiz Group’s infrastructure arm. MCIA remains the country’s busiest airport outside Manila, while LIA and BPIA ranked as the sixth- and ninth-busiest airports nationwide.
“2025 has been a landmark year for our airports as we continued to expand connectivity for both domestic and international travelers,” said AIC Vice President and Head of Airports Rafael M. Aboitiz. “Passengers arriving at MCIA, LIA, and BPIA now have easier access to key destinations across Cebu, Bohol, and Northern Mindanao, making travel within the Philippines more seamless than ever.”
The record passenger numbers highlight the growing role of AIC Airports in enabling tourism, supporting business travel, and driving regional economic growth. Notably, the gains were achieved despite major disruptions that affected the Visayas and Mindanao in 2025, including the 6.9-magnitude Bogo City earthquake in Cebu, the 7.4-magnitude Davao Oriental earthquake, and Typhoons Tino and Uwan that battered Western Visayas.
MCIA’s performance was further strengthened by its expanding route network and connectivity initiatives. Named Airport of the Year – Asia at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025, MCIA introduced new exclusive nonstop routes that provide faster access to destinations best reached via Cebu.
These include direct services to Siquijor via Sunlight Air and San Vicente, Palawan via Cebu Pacific, both now accessible exclusively through MCIA.
In parallel, the airport rolled out three major connectivity programs in 2025 that played a significant role in driving passenger growth across the AIC Airports network. CEB Connects offers a streamlined air-to-air transfer service that significantly cuts transfer times between international and domestic flights.
CEB+ provides a short air-to-sea transfer linking MCIA to Mactan Wharf for travelers heading to nearby islands. CEB Balik, meanwhile, features an Overseas Filipino Workers facilitation kiosk aimed at positioning MCIA as the primary OFW gateway for the Visayas and Mindanao.
These initiatives have made travel through Cebu notably more efficient. From MCIA, passengers from the Visayas can conveniently reach Bohol and surrounding provinces via fast ferry through CEB+, or fly onward to Northern Mindanao via Laguindingan for work or leisure. For Mindanao-based travelers heading overseas, MCIA, accessible through LIA, has become a preferred gateway, with 20 airlines operating across 13 international routes.
As passenger volumes continue to rise, AIC Airports is positioning itself at the center of regional mobility, connecting communities while supporting the broader recovery and expansion of Philippine tourism and commerce.
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