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Clark International Airport reported a 100% jump in cargo shipments for the first five months of the year to 35,903 tons
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This is due to the growth of cargo charters by China-based airlines handling e-commerce shipments
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Cargo flights at CRK also increased from five destinations pre-pandemic to 12 with 70 weekly flights
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Construction of CRK’s second runway will start next year and is aimed to be operational by 2030
Clark International Airport (CRK) reported a 100% jump in cargo shipments for the first five months of the year to 35,903 tons, according to private operator Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD).
In a presentation at the recent 3rd Central Luzon Transport and Trade Conference 2025 hosted by PortCalls and Philippine Multimodal Transport and Logistics Association, Inc., LIPAD Traffic Development head Jasmin Reyes said this is due to the growth of cargo charters by China-based airlines handling e-commerce shipments.
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These carriers include YTO Cargo Airlines, China Postal Airlines, Central Airlines, Jiangsu Jingdong Cargo Airlines, and Tianjin Air Cargo. Other freight operators in CRK include Skyway Airlines, FedEx, United Parcel Service (UPS), and Seair International.
International cargoes soared 102% year-on-year to 34,755 tons while domestic cargoes rose 43% to 1,148 tons.
In terms of destination, majority of cargoes originated from China, with Shenzen accounting for 31% of volume followed by Guangzhou with 25% and Hubei with 13%.
Cargo flights at CRK also increased 45% year-on-year in the first five months of the year to 2,522 flights. From five destinations pre-pandemic, CRK now has 12 destinations with 70 weekly flights.
Aside from freighters, Reyes said commercial flights also offer belly hold space for cargoes.
CRK’s network currently connects the hub to 21 destinations —10 international and 11 domestic — operating 209 weekly frequencies and serviced by 13 airlines.
Three commercial airlines operating widebody aircraft and servicing routes to Dubai, Doha, and Taipei can handle a minimum of 10 tons and a maximum of 20 tons per flight. Narrowbody aircraft can handle 2 tons per flight while turboprops can handle 300 kilos per flight.
Reyes also highlighted that CRK is a more affordable option for airlines and freight charters to operate.
Its landing and take-off, and parking charges for widebody aircraft are 77% lower than Manila’s, and 76% lower for a narrowbody aircraft.
Moreover, CRK offers more than 20,000 square meters of storage capacities with cold chain capabilities through its private operators. Paircargo’s facility accounts for 1,033 sqm of the total available storage; Clark Airport Support Services Corp., 4,900 sqm; Cargohaus, 15,500 sqm; and new entrant GALGO, 3,500 sqm.
LIPAD last year also signed agreements for the expansion of UPS and FedEx’s facilities at Clark.
Reyes said UPS’s expanded facility will be operational by the third quarter of 2026 while FedEx’s new facility will be operational by the third quarter of 2028.
Second runway
Relatedly, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the grantor and owner of the land where CRK is located, is eyeing to start building the airport’s second runway next year. Reyes said the second runway is expected to be operational by 2030.
BCDA earlier said the construction of the second runway, as well as taxiways, aprons, and other essential facilities, is to accommodate the growing demand from major logistics firms operating in the region. The second runway is also aimed to attract more airlines and provide redundancy.
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Meanwhile, passenger traffic at CRK grew 40% year-on-year to 1.33 million in the first five months of the year as flights rose 34% to 10,053. Seat load factor also improved by 3.25 to 77%.
Reyes noted that domestic passenger traffic at CRK is “already catching up,” in part due to the transfer of turboprop operations from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to CRK last March. The transfer is in compliance with the Department of Transportation-Manila Slot Coordination Committee resolution issued on December 3, 2024 to gradually transfer some turbo prop operations out of NAIA to other secondary gateways, including CRK, starting March 2025 to help decongest the country’s main gateway.
Cebu Pacific last March 30 transferred its Masbate and Siargao flights to CRK.
Reyes said they are anticipating further growth in domestic passenger traffic by the end of the year as there is a chance that more turboprop operations may transfer to CRK due to its proximity to NAIA. – Roumina Pablo
