Even with the previous announcement on the increase in passenger terminal fees that will take effect in the third quarter of 2025, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will remain among the most affordable major airports in Asia.

Based on the article in Singapore’s Straits Times published last Friday, 8 November, it stated that beginning September next year, the NAIA’s terminal fees for international flights will increase from P550 to P950, or approximately $16.25. Meanwhile, terminal fees for domestic flights will increase from P200 to P390.

In contrast to Changi Airport in Singapore, which is consistently ranked as one of the greatest airports in the world, it intends to gradually increase its costs until they reach $79.20 SGD (about P3,500 or around $60) by April 2030.

NAIA’s fees will continue to be substantially lower than those of other key regional hubs even after the fee hike in September 2025. It is anticipated that this cost advantage will keep drawing airlines and tourists on a tight budget, strengthening Manila’s standing as a competitive entry point in Southeast Asia.

As for Hong Kong International Airport, before the gradual fee increases begin next year, currently, each traveler was charged $34 to $45. Incheon Airport in Seoul charges $18 per passenger, Bangkok charges $22.60 per passenger, and Dubai charges $34 per passenger. While passengers at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport are currently paying $100 before the price increases, start next year.

According to the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), these modifications are required to uphold safety and service requirements and to assist the airport’s modernization initiatives.

These increased costs, which will take effect in the third quarter of 2025, are part of the government’s mandatory hikes under the concession deal agreed by the Asian Development Bank with the private firm that won the bid to run the country’s primary aviation gateway.

Although the fee hike might have a minor effect on travelers, NNIC officials indicated that NAIA’s comparatively low fees in comparison to other major airports in the region are expected to maintain its attraction among visitors looking for affordable travel alternatives.

By Anthony Ching
November 11, 2024 2:18 pm