The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 different islands. A saying that you hear from time to time is that if you don’t like the Island where you currently are, there are 7,106 others that you can try! If you are in a country like the Philippines that is comprised of multiple islands, the easiest way to get from place to place is by flying. Yes, you can take a boat, and there is even a land route. Did you know that you can ride the bus all the way from Northern Luzon to the Southernmost point of the Island of Mindanao? But, for today’s column, let’s look at flying.
Flying around the Philippines is not expensive either. Generally, for about $100 (maybe a little more now due to the low value of the US Dollar) you can get a round trip ticket to and from nearly any major destination in the Philippines. If you are going to more remote places, it might require that you take two flights, but for the most part, you can fly to most destinations with only one flight needed. This is especially true if you are starting in Manila or Cebu.
One thing to really watch out for is the special fares that are run on Cebu Pacific Airlines. Cebu Pacific regularly offers great fares nationwide, but from time to time they run great sales too. For example, right now, you can get a ticket to any destination that they fly to for just P1 plus any taxes. Yes, the taxes do add quite a bit to the ticket, but how can you beat P1 for it? In the USA, when airlines have sales, they usually limit it to only a few seats on the plane getting the special fare, but when Cebu Pacific runs a sale, they offer a lot more than just 1 or 2 seats at the special rate. I have also seen them offer plenty of sales at P99 per seat. If you watch their website, you can catch these deals. When you can catch one of these deals going on, buy several tickets and tour the country a little bit! Another thing to watch is that when Cebu Pacific does offer such deals, often the other airlines will follow suit and offer some specials of their own. The other two major airlines in the Philippines are Air Philippines and Philippine Airlines (which are both owned by the same company). Cebu Pacific, though, is generally the budget airline that offers the best deals.
With today’s low airfares that are available, there is little reason to take a boat anymore, because the price is almost the same, and why travel for days when you can be at your destination in just hours or less?
I’m going to have to run now, so I can go book some tickets for the holidays… let’s see, where do I want to go? Hmm… Baguio? Boracay? Cebu? Ah… the possibilities are endless!
A bus from northern Luzon to southern Mindanao? Okay, I'm curious. How do you do that?
Hi Tom – Ha ha… I figured somebody would be intrigued by that! Through a combination of highways, bridges and ferries it is indeed possible to ride a bus from one end of the islands to the other. Now, you should note that the bus does not go to every island, not even every major island. It is primarily a bus trip from Luzon to Mindanao. The company that offers this route is Philtranco.
Hi Bob and Tom, at first, I agree with you, Bob, when taking a plane I always use Cebu Pacific, because one of their slogans is "to be on time". Usually it really happens. No airline can avoid bad weather conditions etc. – Tom, regarding by bus from Luzon to Mindanao. One of my German friends made this trip in his own car. He and his Filipina wife enjoyed very much this adventure trip, as they said.
Hi Klaus – I know several people who have traveled this route by car as well. It is a trip that I would certainly love to take someday. Perhaps from Davao to Baguio and back. If I get real adventurous I'll go all the way to Tuguegarao!
Hi Bon and Klaus, "to be on time" is more an expression of hope for Cebu Pacific than reality. I flew with them last Saturday from MNL to HKG and back (both on same day) and both my flights were more than an hour late – and this wasn't due to bad weather. And other people I know had a similar experience. But in terms of price, they can't be beat! And they have a pretty good network. Just factor in a little extra time when travelling (don't build in any tight conections to other flights) – and that's a pretty good rule generally for travelling in the Philippines!
Hi Chris – I agree that all airlines run late some of the time. Of the major carriers in the Philippines, though, Cebu Pacific is the most on-time available, I'd say. You are right, though…. never travel in the Philippines with tight connections! 😆
Hi Chris, I would agree wit Bob. As I said, my personal experiences with Cebu Pacific during the last time: Always on time or even earlier. But I must confess, I did take only national flights,,,
Hi Bob, thanks for that info that trip sounds interesting. I have been here for 3 months now, I have had a real problems trying to travel round. I've been into travel agents but no brochures or info on hand that you can take away and digest. I have always been an independant traveller but the Phils don't make it easy for tourists like Thailand does.
I am at this moment trying to work out an iternary to tour round Mindanao but maybe it's the wrong time of year, plus of course the latest British governments' warning doesn't help !!
Gerry,
Do you have a Lonely Planet guide ? I found mine to be quite accurate as regards accommodation and bus routes. I'm told that the Jens Peters guide is also quite good (he was the author of the original Lonely Planet guide to Philippines).
Hi Laurence, I am sorry, if I involve myself, even you asked Gerry. I always used Jens Peter's travel guides since the 1980s. For me his books have been the best and most accurate as well as best-edited. Jens was my neighbour for some years in Berlin, although we had only communicate "by mail" and never met each other.
It is better and cheaper, i believe, to book with airline ticketing offices, for domestic flights that is, directly rather than with travel agents because travel agents have to charge a service fee. however the holiday season may not be the best time to travel since fares are higher.
Hi gerry – very true that travel (and many other things) are not easily done here. It always seems like the way they do things makes it easier to just skip it! 😡
Hi Cathy – True, but also the travel agent fees are pretty minimal. If the travel agent adds convenience, it's probably well worth while!
Hi Bob,
When tax is added to the cost of the airfare is that tax at a set percentage and if so can you give the percentage please.
Hi Richard – These are not percentage taxes, they are fixed fees for various things like airport use, and such. For example, a ticket that is being sold on a special for P1 might actually cost you P1800 to P2000 or so.
Hi Bob,
So the next question is are those fixed fees the same at every airport such as Davao or Manila or does each airport set its own fee? As I'm trying to "nail down" my costs for a coming honeymoon is there somewhere I can go on the net to find out these various charges? Paying only P1 for a flight is no good if there are many hidden charges and its those hidden charges I'm trying to find out about.
Hi Richard – As in every country, these things vary. Cities have different taxes, airport taxes vary, etc. Budget P5k per round trip and you'll come out way ahead! 😀
By the way, Richard – if it would help you, in the article I provided links to each airline. You can go to their websites and get prices for each flight.
Thanks for that Bob ….. have found the information required. Incidently here in New Zealand we have 12.5% GST (VAT) and by law it has to already be included in the price which is way easier to look at a price and know that is what you are paying without having to calculate extra charges onto the price. So that will be something else I will need to take into account when in the Philippines. Can you confirm if 12% VAT needs adding to all items being purchased or do some outlets add the price already to the "ticket price" and "what you see is what you pay"?
Hi Richard – In almost every case (99%+) the VAT is already included in the price marked on the item. I can only remember one time that I encountered when VAT was added at the time of purchase.
5k will be wnough for Cebu Pacific and all as my friend booked a ticket for january the PHP1 flight and her roundtrip ticket is little over 5k.
I have been to Manila back and forth a lot lately
Mabuhay class is almost PHP 12,000 roundtrip
and Economy is 6k plus plus on an earlier flight I got it for my maid for less.
It depends what time you are flying like the 4:30am flight (manila to davao) is cheaper than the 10am flight etc. So wierd!
@ Richard, as Bob said, VAT is almost always included except, typically that I have seeen, in hotel prices. I would submit, sir, that if you are budgeting closer than 12% you are budgeting way to close. get a ball park price, add on 15% or so and relax … trhe cost of tranisting one airport … the same airport … may vary by severla hundred pesos … it's just not worth the hassle of trying to get firm, fixed prices , they will vary. Domestic air travel here is ludicrously cheap compare to domestic air travel in the US, and in addition there are virtually no "advance purchase" savings, so I just go with the flow.
@ Cheryll Ann , I guess I'nm confused as to why it would surprise you there's a big variation in price based on time of day … and thus popularity of flights. The busiess of an airine is to put "bottoms" in seats, so just as in the US … ever checke dout 0200 departure flight prices? … the price is going to rise or fall depending on the available number of "bottoms".
There are als some absolutely great discount deals from Clark to variouis Asian locations … I've seen recently a slow as $30 USD to Banjkok and flights inside Thailand for &8 each leg more. Under $100 each way Clark to Singapore, $250 Clark to darwin Aistralia via Singapore, etc.
Seaair, Asian Spirit and Cebu Pacific all sometimes are serving Clark … again, they don't fly there when demand is low, but the prices are often good enough that's it's worth flying to Manila and hiring a car to get to Clark.
I have most of the sites and individual airline info on my blog, but I don't deal with current prices … go to the airlines direct for them.
Hi Dave Starr – I keep seeing advertisements for great travel deals out of Clark. It seems to have become the discount hub for Asian travel from the Philippines.
Indeed. A friend from Baguio recently went Clark to Macau and return for less that $100 US per person (incidently, Macau flights are generally much cheaper than Hong Kong flights and it's an easy 30 minute hydrofoil ride from the Macau airport to Central, hong Kong …. less time that it takes from the Hong Kpng airport (which is at the end of the earth, so to speak 😉 to downtown Hong Kong proper.
Prescient Arroyo named the new terminal at Clark after her dad and she is committed to building it proper before she leaves office. It's already the OFW departure capital of the Philippines, all government processing for OFW's is being shifted there.