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Mactan-Cebu International Airport has been named among the best airports in Asia-Pacific for the second consecutive year and has advanced to the highest level of Airports Council International’s customer experience accreditation
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MCIA also advanced to Level 3 of ACI’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation, up from Level 2
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MCIA is the first and only Philippine airport to achieve Level 3 customer experience accreditation
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The ASQ awards are based on standardized passenger surveys covering real experiences across more than 50 airport touchpoints
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The back-to-back recognition follows Aboitiz InfraCapital Airports’ assumption of MCIA operations in 2024 and investments in infrastructure, technology, operations, and passenger experience
Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has been named among the best airports in Asia-Pacific for the second consecutive year, while advancing to the highest level of Airports Council International’s (ACI) customer experience accreditation.
MCIA was recognized in the 5-15 million passengers category at the ACI Airport Experience Summit 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye, through the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Customer Experience Awards.
The latest recognition marks MCIA’s second consecutive ASQ award under Aboitiz InfraCapital Airports’ management. The airport first received the distinction in 2025, following AIC Airports’ assumption of operations in 2024.
READ: Mactan-Cebu International Airport named one of Asia Pacific’s best airports
MCIA also advanced to Level 3 of ACI’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation from Level 2, making it the first and only Philippine airport to reach the level.
“These recognitions affirm our commitment to making every journey through MCIA a positive and meaningful experience. More importantly, they challenge us to continuously raise our standards and find new ways to serve our passengers better,” AIC vice president and head of Airports Rafael Aboitiz said in a statement. “Our investments and improvements at the airport are ultimately about creating better experiences for the public, strengthening connectivity, and helping Cebu and the Philippines capture more opportunities in tourism, trade, and investment.”
Investments target passenger experience
The consecutive recognition reflects AIC Airports’ ongoing investments in MCIA’s infrastructure, technology, operations, and passenger experience.
The ASQ Customer Experience Awards are based on ACI’s standardized passenger surveys, which measure actual passenger experiences across the airport journey. The program draws feedback from more than 50 airport touchpoints worldwide.
MCIA’s latest award places it alongside airports in India, China, Indonesia, and other major Asia-Pacific aviation markets in the 5-15 million passenger category.
READ: Record 1.3M passengers pass through MCIA in Jan 2026
“The customer experience at MCIA sets the benchmark for service excellence across AIC Airports’ portfolio, with the same commitment to putting passengers first to be carried forward at Bohol-Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan International Airport,” said AIC airports chief executive officer Athanasios Titonis.
“As Cebu continues Connecting You with more destinations and welcoming more travelers, we remain focused on building an airport experience that reflects the best of Cebu and the Philippines. We are grateful for the continued partnership of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority, the Department of Transportation, and our government partners in advancing MCIA as a globally competitive gateway we can truly be proud of,” Titonis added.
The Level 3 Airport Customer Experience Accreditation recognizes airports that have established an advanced customer experience strategy involving customers, employees and customer experience professionals.
ACI’s accreditation framework evaluates eight areas of customer experience management, including customer understanding, strategy, measurement, operational improvement, governance, airport culture, service design and innovation, and collaboration with the airport community.
Gateway role
AIC Airports said the latest recognitions reflect efforts to strengthen customer experience systems and practices through infrastructure investments and operational improvements at MCIA.
The company said the improvements demonstrate how private-sector investment and government collaboration can enhance airport services while helping Philippine gateways compete with leading airports globally.
The stronger passenger experience also supports Cebu’s role as a major gateway for tourism, business, and investment.
“For the government and the public, a stronger and more competitive MCIA means improved connectivity, a better passenger experience, and an airport that can better support Cebu’s role as a regional economic hub,” AIC Airports said.
The company said it will continue improving MCIA’s operations and passenger experience as the airport strengthens its position as one of the Philippines’ major international gateways.
READ: MCIA named Asia airport of the year for streamlined transfer operations
