Cebu Pacific Traffic Down by 1% in April, Seat Load Factor at 74.4%

​Cebu Pacific (CEB) carried nearly 2.3 million passengers in April 2026, a 0.7% decrease from the same month last year. Overall seat load factor (SLF) decreased to 74.4% from 83.8% last year while seat capacity grew by 11.9%. 

Domestic passengers decreased by 0.1% year-on-year on 15.8% higher seats, resulting in a domestic SLF of 73.9%. International passenger traffic, meanwhile, decreased by 2.3% year-on-year, with seat capacity up by 2.0%, bringing international SLF down by 3.4 percentage points to 75.6%. 

For year-to-date 2026, CEB has flown over 9.8 million passengers, marking a 6.2% increase from 9.2 million in 2025. Domestic passengers grew 6.0% to 7.3 million, while international passengers grew 6.7% to 2.5 million. SLF averaged 81.3% for the period, while overall capacity in seats was up by 10.5% to 12.1 million. 

“In response to fuel price pressures linked to geopolitical tensions, we implemented measured fare adjustments and surcharges across parts of the network. While these were initially absorbed by the market, we subsequently saw signs of demand softening, reflected in slower booking momentum and weaker April load factors,” said Xander Lao, CEB President and Chief Commercial Officer. “We have since recalibrated pricing, including rolling out targeted seat sales, with early indications of a booking recovery emerging in our late April and May booking trends. Our approach remains iterative and data‑driven—carefully balancing demand stimulation and affordability, while maintaining discipline on cost and capital.”

Cebu Pacific (CEB) is the Philippines leading airline. It entered the aviation industry in March 1996 and as a low cost-carrier, it pioneered the “low fare, great value” strategy. Since its inception, it has flown over 280 million passengers.

CEB offers the widest network coverage in the Philippines with 35 domestic and 25 international destinations. It operates one of the youngest fleets in the world, with a fleet of 101 aircraft.