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The Department of Transportation will extend regional and provincial airport runways to at least 2,100 meters to support jet aircraft operations
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Policy aligned with President Marcos’ directive to make domestic air travel more affordable
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Runway extensions to apply to all airports, except those constrained by terrain
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DOTr and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines prioritizing night-rating of tourist airports to increase flight options and lower fares
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Airlines previously urged to cut high fares to Siargao; alternative sea travel options are also in place
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DOTr, CAAP reviewing possible reductions in terminal fees at government-run airports
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is accelerating upgrades at regional and provincial airports, including extending runways to a minimum length of 2,100 meters, as part of efforts to reduce domestic airfare and improve access to key tourist destinations such as Siargao.
The initiative follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to make domestic travel more affordable while encouraging tourism across the country.
The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines – composed of flag carrier Philippine Airlines and its low-cost unit PAL Express, Cebu Pacific and its regional arm Cebgo, and AirAsia Philippines – pointed out earlier this week that domestic flight fares will remain high in areas where airports cannot accommodate bigger jet aircraft that are more cost-efficient to operate.
READ: Limited runways, fees and charges keep domestic airfares high
Acting transportation secretary Giovanni Lopez, in a statement posted on the department’s Facebook page, said all airports with runways falling short of the 2,100-meter standard required for jet aircraft will be upgraded, except those limited by topographical constraints. He did not give a timeline for the plan.
“Our policy at the DOTr is that for new airports being built, all runways must be at least 2,100 meters long to be prepared for larger aircraft in the future,” Lopez said.
READ: Dizon orders immediate expansion works for Siargao airport terminal
Beyond runway extensions, the DOTr and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) are also pushing to night-rate airports in tourist destinations to allow early morning and late-night flights, which typically offer lower fares due to increased scheduling flexibility.
“We are currently implementing a program called ‘night-rating’. Essentially, we are testing its capabilities. Our airports have night-rating capability, prioritizing our tourist airports first. Once an airport is night-rated, travelers can fly at night or in the early morning. As we often say, these are called red-eye flights, which are usually more affordable,” Lopez said.
He noted that last year, the DOTr urged Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific to bring down one-way fares to Siargao from as high as P17,500 to around P11,700. The lowest one-way ticket is currently priced at around P3,908.
As an alternative to air travel, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has constructed a cruise terminal in Siargao to accommodate passenger vessels offering lower-cost travel options.
“We are also looking for other alternative methods. Here in Siargao, the PPA has built a cruise terminal, and there is now a vessel operating there called 2GO, similar to the Super Ferry back in our day, and the fare is only P3,500,” Lopez said.
READ: 2GO Travel starts weekly Manila-Siargao trips on Nov 10“That option is also available. The trip is longer, about 28 hours more or less, but at least that ship is like a cruise vessel,” he added.
Meanwhile, Lopez said the DOTr and CAAP are also reviewing terminal fees at airports under CAAP’s jurisdiction as part of broader efforts to reduce travel costs.
“Regarding the terminal fee, that is under the jurisdiction of the CAAP. For airports under the CAAP and DOTr, we will look into how to reduce the terminal fee. We will check and, if possible, lower it,” Lopez said.
