With the holiday rush in full swing, Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is gearing up for an influx of up to more than 2.5 million passengers between now and the end of the year.
According to airport officials, a projected 2,553,622 travellers are set to pass through all four of the NAIA’s terminals from 20th December 2025 to 4th January 2026.
This projected volume is slightly higher than the 2,432,021 passengers year-over-year reported last year.
The country's main gateway is also expecting 13,995 inbound and outbound flights during this period, also higher than the 13,327 flights reported towards the end of 2024.
Necessary preparations
Earlier this month, operator New NAIA Infra Corporation (NNIC) began the phased roll-out of 78 Immigration electronic gates (e-gates) to help ease congestion.
The system, powered by technology firm Amadeus, will allow passengers to clear immigration in about 20 seconds.
Office for Transportation Security (OTS) administrator Gilberto Cruz, declared that they conducted inspections at airports earlier, and security auditors are constantly deployed to ensure compliance with national and international standards.
More than 100 security screeners hired in October will be augmenting the airport workforce this Christmas season; there are currently 2,368 security screeners across all airports in the country.
Meanwhile, as part of enhancing passenger experience, the NNIC will soon launch an all-Filipino food hall and a new Dignitaries Lounge at Terminal 3.
The food hall features 17 home-grown brands, showcasing regional flavours and local products from across the Philippines.
