NNIC gears up for holiday season

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is forecasting a record Christmas and New Year peak travel season, with more than 2.3 million passengers expected between 20 December 2025 and 3 January 2026, the airport's private operator announced Wednesday.

The forecast surpasses last year’s holiday volume as tourism continues its post-pandemic rebound.

To manage the surge, the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) has rolled out a series of upgrades across all terminals, focusing on streamlining passenger flow from road access to immigration processing.

Curbside lanes at Terminals 1, 2, and 3 have been widened to ease congestion during drop-off and pick-up. Additionally, Terminal 3 now features a centralized transport hub to organize taxis and ride-hailing services.

Inside the terminals, travelers will experience upgraded air conditioning, the deployment of 2,500 new luggage trolleys system-wide, and airport-wide high-speed Wi-Fi. Over 400 additional seats have been installed in Terminal 1.

Terminal 1, which handles most international flights, has added more seating, increased cleaning rotations and opened a new OFW Lounge to accommodate the growing number of overseas Filipino workers arriving for the holidays. The lounge offers free meals, Wi-Fi and rest areas designed to absorb peak-hour crowds.

Meantime, Terminal 2 – now operating solely as a domestic terminal – has increased manpower at check-in counters and boarding gates after absorbing traffic from the closure of the old Terminal 4 for redevelopment. Airport officials said flight schedules at Terminal 2 have also been tightly staggered this month to prevent passenger buildup during peak departure hours.

On the other hand, Terminal 3, the country’s busiest gateway, is operating extended food and retail hours following the opening of its new 6,000-square-meter mezzanine food hall, which adds dozens of dining options. Additional check-in counters have been opened earlier in the day to clear morning peak departures, particularly for international flights.

Processing times are expected to improve with the rollout of biometric immigration e-gates at Terminals 1 and 3 this December. The system uses passport scans and facial recognition to speed up border control, supported by additional immigration officers and full staffing at security lanes under the government’s Oplan Biyaheng Ayos holiday plan.

Airlines have also responded by opening check-in counters earlier, adding ground staff and introducing more self-service kiosks. Officials are urging passengers to arrive at least three hours before international flights and two hours before domestic departures, especially on peak travel days.

For holiday shoppers, the duty-free experience is also expanding. At Terminal 3 alone, retail space is set to grow from roughly 1,000 square meters to as much as 6,000 square meters. Duty Free is widening its portfolio of luxury labels and trend-driven products, along with more affordable pasalubong while working with new brand partners.

Airport officials stated the upgrades are designed to ensure less waiting, easier transfers and greater convenience for the millions of Filipinos heading home for Christmas.

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