Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has been recognized among the best airports in Asia Pacific for the second consecutive year while becoming the first and only Philippine airport to reach Level 3 of the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Customer Experience Accreditation.
The two recognitions were announced during the ACI Airport Experience Summit 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye, where MCIA was named among the Best Airports in Asia Pacific in the 5 million to 15 million passengers category.
The airport also advanced from Level 2 to Level 3 of ACI’s customer experience accreditation, reflecting its progress in integrating passenger experience into airport management and operations.
At Level 3, airports are recognized for implementing an advanced customer experience strategy involving passengers, employees and customer experience professionals.
MCIA General Manager Ricia Vinelli O. Montejo and Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority General Manager and CEO Julius G. Neri Jr. attended the summit.
The latest awards mark the second consecutive ACI Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Customer Experience Awards recognition for MCIA under Aboitiz InfraCapital Airports (AIC Airports), which assumed airport operations in 2024.
MCIA first received the distinction in 2025.
AIC Vice President and Head of Airports Rafael M. Aboitiz said the recognitions reflect the airport operator’s efforts to improve the passenger experience.
“These recognitions affirm our commitment to making every journey through MCIA a positive and meaningful experience. More importantly, they challenge us to continuously raise our standards and find new ways to serve our passengers better,” Aboitiz said.
He said investments and improvements at MCIA are aimed at improving public service, strengthening connectivity and helping Cebu and the Philippines gain opportunities in tourism, trade and investment.
The ASQ Customer Experience Awards are based on ACI’s standardized passenger surveys, which measure travelers’ experiences across more than 50 airport touchpoints worldwide.
The latest recognition places MCIA alongside other leading airports in the Asia Pacific region within the same passenger category, including airports in India, China and Indonesia.
AIC Airports CEO Athanasios Titonis said MCIA’s customer experience performance serves as a benchmark for the operator’s other airports.
“The customer experience at MCIA sets the benchmark for service excellence across AIC Airports’ portfolio, with the same commitment to putting passengers first to be carried forward at Bohol-Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan International Airport,” Titonis said.
He also credited the continued partnership between AIC Airports, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority, the Department of Transportation and other government partners in strengthening MCIA as a competitive international gateway.
The Level 3 accreditation covers eight areas of customer experience management: customer understanding, strategy, measurement, operational improvement, governance, airport culture, service design and innovation, and airport community collaboration.
The advancement comes after AIC Airports invested in MCIA’s infrastructure, technology, operations and passenger services over the past two years.
The operator said the improvements are intended to create a more seamless passenger journey while strengthening the airport’s ability to meet international service standards.
MCIA’s latest recognitions also reinforce its role as a gateway supporting Cebu’s tourism, business and investment sectors.
AIC Airports said a stronger and more competitive MCIA can contribute to better connectivity and passenger services while supporting Cebu’s position as a regional economic hub.
Photo courtesy of MCIA
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