Cebu Pacific is prepared to increase its flight frequencies to China following the Philippine government’s decision to implement a visa-free entry policy for Chinese tourists, according to a top executive.
The new policy, which began Jan. 16, 2026, allows Chinese nationals to enter the Philippines without a visa for stays up to 14 days. The waiver applies specifically to those arriving through Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu.
Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer Alexander Lao said the development puts the Philippines at par with its Southeast Asian neighbors.
“I think it’s a really great development for the Philippines. It finally puts us at par with our Southeast Asian neighbors. Right now, we haven’t necessarily seen any movement just yet in terms of overall bookings, but to be honest, it’s quite early—the government just announced it,” said Lao.
“But we are excited if we do see a build-up in terms of traffic from China. Then, clearly we have the capacity to add flights. It was a key market for the Philippines back in 2019 and clearly that’s something we’ve love to reestablish,” he said.
The airline’s current operations to China remain significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels. Cebu Pacific operates seven flights a week to China, down from 35 weekly flights prior to COVID-19.
Lao said current traffic is primarily led by Filipinos traveling to China, but the visa change makes the Philippines more competitive for inbound tourism.
The shift comes as tourism data show a decline in Chinese arrivals. Visitors from China reached 237,101 last year, down from 276,566 in 2024. China was a key market for the Philippine tourism industry in 2019, and the airline aims to reestablish its presence in that sector.
Beyond its China strategy, Cebu Pacific expects to grow its passenger seat capacity by 10 percent this year, maintaining the growth rate recorded in 2025.
The airline reported carrying 26.9 million passengers last year, an increase from 24.5 million in 2024.
Domestic passenger volume rose 8.1 percent to 20 million, while international traffic grew 14 percent to 6.9 million.
Despite the growth in volume, the airline’s seat load factor dipped slightly to 84 percent last year from 84.4 percent in 2024. Total seat capacity rose 10 percent to 32 million.
Cebu Pacific operates a fleet of 100 aircraft, serving 37 domestic and 26 international destinations.
