Cebu Pacific Evaluates Longer Routes With A330s

PERTH, Australia—Cebu Pacific is laying the groundwork for further expansion into long-haul markets, fueled by fleet growth, a strong Philippine economic outlook, increasing demand from overseas Filipino workers and rising inbound tourism.

Speaking at Routes Asia 2025 in Perth, Australia, Director of Network Planning Angela Lugtu outlined the LCC’s ambition to deepen international connectivity beyond its current regional footprint—with additional longer-range destinations under consideration.

While much of Cebu Pacific’s existing network falls within a 4-hr. radius of Manila, Lugtu said the airline is evaluating new points within a 9-hr. range, leveraging its fleet of 11 459-seat Airbus A330-900 aircraft. The carrier’s current long-haul services include flights to Dubai, Melbourne and Sydney.

“In the coming years, we expect to see a change in the capacity split, as we grow the international network,” Lugtu said, referring to the current 73%-27% domestic-international seat capacity ratio.

The airline presently serves 26 international destinations and ended 2024 with 24.5 million passengers and a fleet of 99 aircraft. During 2024, the LCC signed a deal for up to 152 Airbus narrowbodies, including 102 firm orders for A321neos and 50 options for A320neo-family aircraft. A further five high-density A330-900s are also on order, according to the CAPA – Centre for Aviation fleet database.

Although engine-related supply chain issues have tempered short-term growth, Lugtu said the outlook remains strong and that the additional aircraft will allow the LCC to enter new markets. These plans are supported by a mix of strong economic fundamentals and favorable demographic trends.

“The Philippine economy is projected to sustain a 6% growth in the next few years until 2029,” she added. “The population is about 117 million people currently, and we expect it to grow to 130 million by 2030. The proportion of younger people who want to fly is also increasing.”

Additionally, the Philippines' sizable overseas worker population—estimated at over 2.3 million in 2023, primarily based in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar—represents a steady demand base for long-haul services.

Another catalyst for expansion is infrastructure development in the Manila metropolitan area, particularly the upcoming New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, expected to open by 2028 or 2029. Lugtu said the project “is going to be expected to function similar to that of Tokyo,” where there is a dual airport system.