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About CEBU Pacific Air

A Quick Overview of CEBU Pacific Air

Cebu Air, Inc., operating as Cebu Pacific (stylized in lowercase, airline code 5J), is the largest low-cost airline in the Philippines, headquartered in Pasay, Metro Manila. Founded in 1988 by John Gokongwei Jr. and incorporated on August 26, 1988, Cebu Pacific pioneered the low-cost carrier model in Asia, offering budget-friendly fares to make air travel accessible to Filipinos. Operating from six hubs—Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila (primary), Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB), Clark International Airport (CRK), Francisco Bangoy International Airport (DVO) in Davao, Iloilo International Airport (ILO), and Kalibo International Airport (KLO)—the airline serves 64 destinations, including 34 domestic and 30 international routes across 19 countries in Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and the United States. With a fleet of 79 aircraft and a workforce of over 3,200, Cebu Pacific carried 24.5 million passengers in 2024, solidifying its dominance in the Philippine market. A member of the Value Alliance of low-cost carriers, the airline is known for its aggressive pricing, cheeky marketing, and slogans like “Why everyone flies” and “Low fares, made simple.”

History

Cebu Pacific began operations on March 8, 1996, with its first flight from Manila to Cebu, using a leased Douglas DC-9-32. Initially focusing on domestic routes, it disrupted the market with fares as low as PHP 1 (plus taxes), earning a reputation for affordability. The airline expanded internationally in 2001, starting with flights to Hong Kong and Seoul. By 2010, it surpassed Philippine Airlines (PAL) to become the Philippines’ largest carrier by passenger numbers, carrying 2.45 million in Q1 2010 compared to PAL’s 2.34 million.

Key milestones include:

• 2007: Ordered six ATR 72-500 turboprops for regional routes, later transferred to subsidiary Cebgo in 2015.
• 2009: Became the first Philippine airline to use social media, launching Facebook and Twitter fan pages.
• 2010: Completed an initial public offering (IPO) on October 26, raising PHP 23.3 billion for 30.4% of shares.
• 2011: Flew its 50-millionth passenger (Manila to Beijing) and ordered 30 Airbus A321neos.
• 2013: Launched long-haul flights to Dubai using Airbus A330-300s, followed by Sydney and Melbourne.
• 2016: Joined the Value Alliance with carriers like Scoot and Vanilla Air, enabling codeshare bookings.
• 2019: Ordered 31 Airbus aircraft (5 A320neos, 16 A330-900s, 10 A321XLRs) worth USD 6.8 billion at the Paris Air Show, becoming a launch customer for the A321XLR.