Cebu Pacific
Philippines · CEBU AIR · Active
Airline Identity
History
Cebu Pacific was established in 1988 under Cebu Air, Inc. and began commercial flights on 8 March 1996 with a maiden Manila–Cebu service, positioning itself as the Philippines' first true low-cost carrier. Early growth was interrupted in February 1998 when Flight 387 crashed on approach to Cagayan de Oro, killing all 104 aboard, but the airline recovered and expanded aggressively through the 2000s, launching international service to Hong Kong in 2001 and long-haul flights to Dubai in 2013. Cebu Pacific listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange in 2010 and is controlled by the Gokongwei family's JG Summit Holdings.
Current Operations
Cebu Pacific operates an all-Airbus narrowbody-and-widebody fleet (A320/A320neo, A321neo, A330) from a multi-hub network anchored at Manila, with additional bases in Cebu, Davao, Clark, and Iloilo, making it the largest airline in the Philippines by fleet and passenger volume. It flies an extensive domestic network plus international routes across Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, and is a founding member of the budget-carrier Value Alliance rather than any of the three major global alliances. The airline returned to full-year profitability in 2023 after pandemic-era losses and continues fleet modernization with new Airbus deliveries into 2026.
Last verified 2026-09-02· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.