AirAsia Philippines: The Reopening of the Cebu Base and the Plan to Reach 21 Aircraft

The fleet

The 2025 fleet counts 15 aircraft, with the stated goal of reaching 21 aircraft by year-end and continuing to grow by two to four units a year through 2026. The future fleet strategy relies on the Airbus A220 and A321neo as the backbone of the medium-haul network, joined by further Airbus A320s arriving in the short term.

Routes and network

In mid-November 2025 the airline reopened the Cebu base with seven new routes: among the domestic ones, Caticlan twice daily, Davao twice daily, Iloilo four times a week and Puerto Princesa three times a week; among the international ones, Bangkok Don Mueang four times a week, Kuala Lumpur daily and Macau three times a week, all operated with Airbus A320-200s in an all-economy 180-seat configuration.

Fares and baggage

The fare model remains the low-cost one typical of the AirAsia group, with a base fare that includes only transport and with baggage, meals and seat selection purchasable separately at booking or later online.

What passengers say

• Most cited strength: competitive fares on Philippine domestic routes, particularly to tourist destinations such as Caticlan for Boracay.
• Most common criticism: extra costs for baggage and additional services which, as in any low-cost model, can push the final price above the initially advertised fare.

AirAsia Philippines is a good option for those traveling light on Philippine domestic routes or on some regional connections to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Macau, especially after the reopening of the Cebu base. It is less suitable for those who prioritize a generous included baggage allowance, given the separate-cost model typical of the AirAsia group.

If you fly from the new Cebu base, check carefully the exact operating days of your route: many of the new destinations do not operate every day of the week, unlike the more established routes from Manila.