For the airport, the latest recognitions reflect how several efforts to improve its services are translating into a stronger experience for passengers.
The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), under its current management, Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation (ACAC), has pursued investments and operational improvements across infrastructure, technology, connectivity, sustainability, and customer experience since 2024.
And just two years after the shift, the MCIA was named among the Best Airports in Asia-Pacific in the 5–15 million passengers category for the second consecutive year under the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Service Quality (ASQ) program and it is based on standardized passenger feedback across more than 50 airport touchpoints.
At the same time, the MCIA also advanced from Level 2 to Level 3 of ACI’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation, recognizing the airport’s progression from customer experience planning to active implementation across operations and service delivery.
The company said that this reflects an advanced customer experience strategy involving passengers, team members, and customer experience professionals.
“Our focus has been on making investments and improvements that create a better airport experience—from infrastructure and technology to operations and connectivity,” said Rafael Aboitiz, AIC Vice-President and Head of Airports
According to him, their group’s goal is to translate these efforts into a “safer, more efficient, and more connected journey for every passenger who passes through MCIA.”
Meanwhile, Ricia Montejo, General Manager of Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation (ACAC), noted: “These recognitions affirm that the improvements ACAC has made are being felt by our passengers and recognized against global standards.“
The development of the airport is being made in partnership between the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) and Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation (ACAC), the private-sector operator of MCIA.
Providing support and oversight are the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and other government and industry stakeholders.
Together, Montejo added, the recognitions also reinforce our responsibility to keep improving with the continued support of the government and stakeholders. “[W]e will continue advancing MCIA as a world-class gateway for Cebu and the Philippines,” she furthered.
The partnership also enables the airport to respond to evolving demands in aviation while contributing to broader government priorities around connectivity, tourism, trade, economic activity, and the competitiveness of the Philippines as a destination and investment hub.
One of the most visible examples of this approach is CEB Connects, which began operations in April 2025, which reengineered passenger flow and airport infrastructure to make air-to-air transfers through Cebu faster and more convenient.
The initiative introduced dedicated transfer facilities and streamlined processes, with passengers being able to conveniently connect to 28 domestic destinations and 13 international destinations, with minimum connection times of just 35 minutes for domestic-to-domestic transfers and 60 minutes for international-to-domestic journeys.
Since beginning operations in 2025, CEB Connects has facilitated more than 500,000 passenger transfers, reinforcing Cebu’s role as a key transfer point between domestic and international destinations.
Moreover, the MCIA was also subsequently named Airport of the Year – Asia at the 2025 TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards.
Also in 2025, the MCIA ranked the seventh Most Improved Airport in the World by Skytrax.
In 2026, MCIA became the first Philippine airport to join ACI’s Regional Operational Safety Committee. Later on, the airport also achieved Level 2 Airport Carbon Accreditation in August 2026—which established carbon management approach and demonstrated actions to reduce emissions, including a 1.64 MWp rooftop solar installation, energy-efficiency measures, smart sensors, LED lighting, and improved monitoring of HVAC systems and vehicle fuel consumption.
MCIA said that these improvement should and achievements within the past two years demonstrate what can be achieved when the government and the private sector work toward a common goal.
“It highlights how sustained collaboration can translate infrastructure investment and operational expertise into improvements that benefit passengers, businesses, and the communities the airport serves,” the management noted.
Mactan–Cebu International Airport is the Philippines’ premier gateway to the Visayas and Mindanao, which serves as a vital engine for regional tourism and economic growth.
The MCIA is fully owned and managed by Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC), the infrastructure investment platform of the Aboitiz Group founded in 2015, and operating critical assets across airports, water and wastewater, and digital infrastructure.
According to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), MCIA welcomed 6,467,538 passengers through its two terminals from January to June 2026—a 9.1% increase from the 5,926,929 passengers during the first six months of 2025. This also makes it the second busiest gateway in the country, next to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.
