More than half a million travelers have now moved between flights through the CEB Connects facility at Mactan-Cebu International Airport, a milestone operator Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation reports for the transit service since it opened in April 2025. ACAC puts the total at 48% above what the program handled in its launch period, counting both domestic and international connections.
The facility lets passengers switch flights without hauling their bags to re-check them or exiting the secure zone to pass back through screening on their own. ACAC says it runs on connection windows of 35 minutes for domestic links and 60 minutes for international ones, and that travelers use it on roughly 73% of eligible transfers — a rate the operator reads as a sign the process can absorb still more passengers inside those same windows.
Ricia Montejo, who manages the airport for ACAC, tied the volume to what she described as shifting expectations among travelers. “The strong adoption of CEB Connects shows that modern travelers demand efficiency, speed, and absolute peace of mind when choosing a layover hub,” she said.
She credited the agencies posted at the airport for keeping transfers moving. “Through close collaboration with our key government partners, such as the Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs, Office for Transportation Security, and Bureau of Quarantine, we have established an agile operational model. By drastically shortening transfer times and removing the need to re-check baggage, we are delivering true operational excellence that seamlessly links all types of travelers to the heart of the Philippines while showcasing our signature Cebuano hospitality from the moment they land.”
A run of airline sign-ups fed that passenger count over the year. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific started the service on international-to-domestic connections on April 7, 2025, adding the reverse direction that June. Singapore Airlines activated both directions on September 15, 2025, and AirAsia Philippines followed that November. Two long-haul carriers rounded out the roster this year — China Airlines on April 30, 2026, and Emirates on May 26, 2026 — opening the transfer facility to passengers arriving from North Asia and the Middle East.
