LAPULAPU CITY -- Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) kicked off December 2025 with three major international milestones with the launch of new direct flights to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 2; Hanoi, Vietnam and Brisbane, Australia on December 3, boosting Cebu’s role as a fast-growing aviation hub and expanding Cebu’s air network and open possibilities for travelers in the region and beyond.
“Welcoming direct flights to Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi and Brisbane is another step forward for MCIA. We want to give travelers more choices and open Cebu to more markets in the region. These routes support tourism and help strengthen Cebu’s role as a gateway for commerce and cultural exchange. We will continue working to bring in more strategic connections that benefit our passengers and partners, and promote MCIA as the main tourism transfer hub through our CebConnects project,” Titonis said.
Firefly Airlines, the low-cost subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, began operating its Kuala Lumpur–Cebu service on December 2 flying five times weekly, becoming the second carrier to serve direct flights to Malaysia’s capital.
With Firefly’s entry, Cebuano travelers gain easier access to Kuala Lumpur’s food scene, cultural districts, and shopping hubs. Malaysian travelers now enjoy direct access to Cebu’s beaches, dive sites, islands, and hospitality.
The Cebu–Hanoi route also opens a direct bridge for the first time between the two cities, making it easier for Cebuanos to explore Hanoi’s heritage sites, cozy cafés, and cultural attractions. Vietnamese travelers can now reach Cebu directly to experience its natural beauty, flavors, and world-class islands.
“Direct flights connect people, economies, and cultures. By adding Kuala Lumpur and Hanoi to our network, MCIA helps bring Southeast Asian communities even closer. These routes create more reasons for visitors to discover Cebu, and we thank our airline partners for their confidence in our airport and the region,” Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) General Manager and CEO Julius Neri Jr. emphasized the importance of these new direct links in deepening regional cooperation.
Jetstar Airways launched its first-ever direct, nonstop flight to Brisbane, Australia by Melbourne-based airline Jetstar Airways, flying three times weekly from December 3, 2025 to end of January 2026, then increasing the frequency to four times weekly beginning February 1, 2026 until end of March 2026.
The new route is expected to boost tourism, trade, and cultural exchange between Cebu and Australia. Cebuano travelers can now easily explore Brisbane’s lively city life, scenic riverfronts, parks, museums, and thriving food and arts scene.
Meanwhile, Australian visitors can directly experience Cebu’s world-class beaches, diving spots, islands, local flavors, and warm Filipino hospitality. Brisbane was chosen as the first Australian destination from Cebu due to its growing popularity as a tourism and business hub, as well as strong demand for direct access to the Philippines.
“Opening direct flights to Brisbane is a historic achievement for MCIA. This connection not only gives travelers more options but also positions Cebu as a key gateway to Australia. This new route is important to Cebu’s global network and in realizing the vision of making MCIA the main Tourism Transfer hub in the Philippines,” Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation Chief Executive Officer Athanasios Titonis said.
Value and benefits of these new international routes
Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Vice Chair of the MCIAA Board, in her message (read by her staff) during those inaugural flights highlighted the value and economic benefits of these new routes for Cebu and Philippine tourism.
Frasco said these routes fundamentally change how tourists experience the Visayas through direct access to Central and Southern Philippines. Instead of routing through Manila and adding hours to their journey, travelers from Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi and Brisbane now land directly at Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
From here, they are within easy reach of Cebu’s beach resorts, Cebu City’s Spanish colonial landmarks, and ferry connections to neighboring islands such as Bohol and Siquijor, a previously complicated trip becomes a straightforward choice, she added.
With these new international routes, visitors’ preferences support local jobs and business. Tourists are vacation-focused which means they are primed to spend on leisure activities, accommodations, and dining.
About 58 percent of foreign visitors buy local food products and delicacies, directly benefitting Filipino retailers, food producers, and airport shops. Each traveler supports a chain of livelihoods, from hotels and tour operators to farmers and small enterprises.
“These new international routes align with our
goal of spreading visitor traffic beyond Manila. By positioning Cebu as a
direct international gateway, we encourage tourists to explore lesser-known
destinations across Central and Southern Philippines,” Frasco said. (Photos: MCIA)
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