Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines’ biggest budget airline, carried over 2.3 million passengers in February 2026, according to their recent traffic performance report. This means 7.9% more people flew with them compared to February last year.
To understand this better, think of an airplane like a school bus. The airline added more “seats” (9.5% more to be exact) so more people could ride. Out of all the available seats, 85.6% were filled with passengers – this is called the “seat load factor” or SLF. Last year during the same month, they filled 86.8% of seats, so it’s slightly lower but still very good.
Breaking Down the Numbers: Local vs International Flights
Domestic flights (flights within the Philippines) carried 1.73 million passengers, which is 7.6% more than last year. These flights were 86.6% full.
International flights (flights to other countries) carried 610,000 passengers, growing by 8.8% compared to last year. These flights were 82.6% full.
How Did the First Two Months of 2026 Look?
From January to February 2026, Cebu Pacific flew almost 5.1 million passengers total – a 7% increase from the same period in 2025. Here’s the breakdown:
- Domestic passengers: 3.7 million (up 6.2%)
- International passengers: 1.3 million (up 9.2%)
- Overall seat load factor: 84.5%
- Seats increased by 9.7%
The Fuel Price Problem
Mike Szucs, the Chief Executive Officer (the person in charge) of Cebu Pacific, explained that while the airline is doing well with healthy bookings and strong demand, they’re worried about something important: fuel prices are going up sharply.
According to the company, there’s a crisis happening in the Middle East that’s causing uncertainty and pushing fuel prices higher. Since airplanes need a lot of fuel to fly, this could hurt their business.
However, Szucs pointed out that Cebu Pacific has some advantages that can help:
- A strong network of domestic flights across the Philippines
- Modern airplanes that use fuel more efficiently (don’t waste as much fuel)
- A low-cost structure (they keep their expenses low)
The airline says they will continue reviewing their pricing and deciding which routes to fly to minimize the negative effects of higher fuel prices.
About Cebu Pacific
Cebu Pacific is the leading airline in the Philippines. It started flying in March 1996 as a low-cost carrier, meaning they offer cheap ticket prices while still providing good service. Since they began, they’ve flown over 280 million passengers.
The airline now flies to 37 destinations within the Philippines and 26 international destinations, making it the widest network in the country. They operate 100 aircraft, which is considered one of the youngest (newest) fleets in the world.
Source Note:This article is based on the company’s official press release and disclosures filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange’s Electronic Disclosure Generation Technology (PSE EDGE) system. For the complete and official version of the announcement, readers may visit the PSE EDGE website and search for the company’s filing directly.
