Cebu Pacific carried over 2.1 million passengers in August 2025, underscoring its continued strong performance despite a slight dip from last year and temporary domestic headwinds.
The budget airline flew 2.103 million passengers during the month, just 0.4% lower than the 2.111 million recorded in August 2024. While the modest decline reflects the seasonal slowdown in domestic travel, Cebu Pacific reported an improvement in operational efficiency, with its seat load factor (SLF) rising to 83.7% from 81.3% year-on-year.
Domestic routes accounted for the bulk of the decline, with 1.562 million passengers flown, down 4.4% from the previous year. Still, the airline was able to fill more seats, pushing domestic SLF up to 87.6% from 81.9%.
Cebu Pacific CEO Mike Szucs attributed the softer August figures to the typical travel lull in the Philippines, compounded by several operational factors.
“The softer year-on-year traffic in August reflects the usual lean travel season in the Philippines, particularly for domestic routes, while international passenger growth remained strong,” he said.
“We see this as an expected and temporary dip, with traffic rebounding in the fourth quarter as peak travel season begins and aircraft availability improves,” he added.
Szucs stressed that the airline had proactively scaled back domestic capacity in August to accommodate unscheduled engine removals, scheduled maintenance, and the ongoing wet-lease arrangement with Saudi low-cost carrier flyadeal. These measures, he noted, were designed to ensure Cebu Pacific’s fleet is fully optimized for the busy holiday months ahead.
Despite the August blip, the airline posted solid year-to-date growth. From January to August 2025, Cebu Pacific carried 18.125 million passengers — a 15.2% increase from the 15.729 million flown during the same period last year. The average SLF for the period held steady at 85.2%.
In a separate milestone, Cebu Pacific in July became the first Philippine carrier to operate a 100-aircraft fleet, following the arrival of its latest Airbus A330neo. The 459-seat aircraft is part of the airline’s ongoing modernization program, offering up to 25% fuel savings per flight and reduced noise emissions.
