Manila International Airport

[ewh1]

Terminal 4 is officially scrapped. Congrats SMC.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2026/08/27/2552086/naia-operator-scraps-terminal-4-rehab

[filipinoavgeek]

ewh1 wrote

Terminal 4 is officially scrapped. Congrats SMC.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2026/08/27/2552086/naia-operator-scraps-terminal-4-rehab

What a waste of time and money. To think they actually forced out the cargo operators there for nothing. They should have just pushed through with it anyway, it would have been better than nothing. SMC's flip-flopping is really frustrating.

[Gustavo J Oppenheimer]

T3 will have a two lounge config

First Meridian for general use of FSCs

Mabuhay Lounge for PAL and Oneworld airlines

https://www.rappler.com/business/two-years-later-naia-improvements/

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/inside-track/peek-naia-terminal-first-meridian-lounge/

[JNC03]

NNIC plans regarding terminal swap

- NNIC is looking to further develop the leftmost side of Terminal 3 as a hub for all public utility vehicles like buses and taxis to use.

- Philippine Airlines will move both its international and domestic flights to Terminal 3 as early as February 2027, consolidating there temporarily while more work is completed.

- Terminal 1 will handle international flights from low-cost carriers, led by Cebu Pacific

- Terminal 2 will handle domestic Cebu Pacific and AirAsia flights

- Terminal 3 will handle full-service international flights, led by Philippine Airlines

- Terminal 5, which will rise on the former Philippine Village Hotel site

[Gustavo J Oppenheimer]

And PAL will eventually transfer all of their Domestic flights to T5 once its completed

[JNC03]

NNIC will be more generous to PAL despite its bitter past with SMC due to the appointment of JJB in the BOD of SMC

[Solblanc]

Not sure if Cebpac is gonna take all of this sitting down.

Cebpac took the risk to move its ops to T3 when no airline wanted to touch it while the legal issues weren’t settled yet.

5J is also technically the largest airline in the Philippines.

Having them switch with PAL to worse facilities isn’t gonna be easy, unless NNIC compensates their move with lower fees for T1 and T2.

In addition, Cebpac can totally take on all of T2. You still need the new T4 for Air Asia. Cramming everyone in T2 is just going to lead to a worse passenger experience.

[filipinoavgeek]

Solblanc wrote

Not sure if Cebpac is gonna take all of this sitting down.

Cebpac took the risk to move its ops to T3 when no airline wanted to touch it while the legal issues weren’t settled yet.

5J is also technically the largest airline in the Philippines.

Having them switch with PAL to worse facilities isn’t gonna be easy, unless NNIC compensates their move with lower fees for T1 and T2.

In addition, Cebpac can totally take on all of T2. You still need the new T4 for Air Asia. Cramming everyone in T2 is just going to lead to a worse passenger experience.

We don't even know if AirAsia PH will still be around in a few years time given the financial struggles of the parent company. Maybe that was one factor as to why T4 was scrapped, since they weren't sure if there would even be anyone using it by the time it was finished.

[romantic_guy08]

JNC03 wrote

NNIC plans regarding terminal swap

- NNIC is looking to further develop the leftmost side of Terminal 3 as a hub for all public utility vehicles like buses and taxis to use.

- Philippine Airlines will move both its international and domestic flights to Terminal 3 as early as February 2027, consolidating there temporarily while more work is completed.

- Terminal 1 will handle international flights from low-cost carriers, led by Cebu Pacific

- Terminal 2 will handle domestic Cebu Pacific and AirAsia flights

- Terminal 3 will handle full-service international flights, led by Philippine Airlines

- Terminal 5, which will rise on the former Philippine Village Hotel site

 
As a frequent flyer of PAL... this is actually a downer for me... I love the convenience of T2 and T1... I prefer T1 though its old and cramped... its still more conveniet for me than T3... From check-in to security takes me no longer than 20 mins... and during arrival, I'm at baggage claim in 5-10 mins from exiting the aircraft..

[JNC03]

[Solblanc]

I saw that. Disappointing. They’re touting a new T2 bus gate area and the ground transport center for T3 while T4 was quietly dropped and zero news about whatever they’re gonna construct in Nayong Pilipino.

Let’s see if these actually come to fruition or if they change their minds again for whatever reason.

[markpaul]

Also a FF of PAL, finally I noticed last month faster transit now between T1 and T2.

Buses now traverse the road near/ fronting the cargo terminal between T1 and T2. I dont know the name of the street. So transfer now less than 10 minutes.

Last year, buses still go the main road with all the traffic.

I prefer T1 for PAL as well due to close proximity to

[ewh1]

Solblanc wrote

I saw that. Disappointing. They’re touting a new T2 bus gate area and the ground transport center for T3 while T4 was quietly dropped and zero news about whatever they’re gonna construct in Nayong Pilipino.

Let’s see if these actually come to fruition or if they change their minds again for whatever reason.

I think Terminal 5 will just be a 1:1 extension of the new T2 bus gates. But maybe slightly nicer.

Think about it. They can just make the whole facility lnto a departures level with jet bridges and the ground level with bus gates. With T4 gone, they’ll just update their plans to accommodate more bus gates and done, no need for the terminal building, just shuttle everyone to the T4 stand.

I have a feeling though, they cancelled T4 because they found something that would be a bigger problem to deal with. Maybe support beams are not up to code and are weakened? T1 added all those structural beams, so maybe they found out they’d have to do something similar at T4 and said, F it.

[Arianespace]

ewh1 wrote

I have a feeling though, they cancelled T4 because they found something that would be a bigger problem to deal with.

According to MIAA official cargo terminal as T4 is not yet cancelled contrary to earlier reports. NNIC is reconsidering its connection as a satellite concorse with T2 instead of independent terminal.  

Just like what I said as originally envisioned by DOTr in 2018.

[Solblanc]

Arianespace wrote

ewh1 wrote

I have a feeling though, they cancelled T4 because they found something that would be a bigger problem to deal with.

According to MIAA official cargo terminal as T4 is not yet cancelled contrary to earlier reports. NNIC is reconsidering its connection as a satellite concorse with T2 instead of independent terminal.  

Just like what I said as originally envisioned by DOTr in 2018.

After 2 years of handling NAIA, shouldn’t they already know what they want to do in terms of expansion?

If they can connect the old cargo terminal to T2, they can also connect it to T1. That’s one way to make a large, contiguous terminal. Wonder what’s stopping them.

[Arianespace]

Actually, that was the old DOTr plan, ie interconnection. But NNIC is in charge now. It doesn't mean however they can do whatever they want, ie fate of T4.

And the transport hub was integrated with subway, yet they fastracked it without the train component on it. Somewhat misplaced allocation of resources wheh they should be building terminals.

[ewh1]

Ahh, yes I had that thought too since I don’t think it’s a good use of space to add a separate check in there.

It could even just be a barebones satellite. Instead of fitting it out with furnishings,just have just a set of ramps and jetbridges, just like Changi uses. Unless that’s what you were talking about in regards to Satellite?

[Arianespace]

This kind of satellite concourse with no tubes to cover 5 gates 17, 18A, 18B,18C, and 19A, and possibly 25-28 too. NNIC already said it wont have bridges since it is an LCC terminal. Note too the construction of West wing extension with bridge, as originally envisioned. The north wing extension is about to be completed according also to original plan.

[Solblanc]

For domestic flights, online check-in, mobile boarding passes, self-check-in and bag drops make it easy enough to operate with a smaller check-in area. The predeparture area, though, could really use more space, so a satellite won’t be bad. I would vote to give it narrowbody gates, though. There’s space for it. Not to mention that it’s more retail space for SMC to make money.

Arrivals might be a little congested if they stick to existing belts. Perhaps a hybrid satellite, which would have its own baggage claim? Though that would also complicate ground transport when leaving the terminal.

The north wing and the possible satellite combined would be enough to take on all domestic flights (albeit in the cramped NAIA style). Makes it easier for PAL to move to T3 and make T3 completely international.

They still have to build T5 for sure, though.

Anyway, time will tell what SMC will do. We really don’t know their next move.

[Arianespace]

According to today's budget hearing on DOTr, NNIC declared that NAIA already increased its passenger capacity to 62 million from its actual design capacity of 35 million.
https://youtu.be/JvXHuMdOvP4
While no specifics was disclosed, it said all terminal capacity were increased.

Terminal 1-  6.5 million pax, now 12 million
Terminal 2-  7.5 million pax, now 14 million
Terminal 3-   13 million pax, now 26 million

NAIA handled 52.02 million in 2025 which is short by 3 million. This could be the reason why construction of T4 is deferred.

By deduction, T4 should have
Terminal 4- 10 million pax, total of 62 million
Terminal 5- 35 million pax