MANILA (September 29) — Air travelers will pay more for tickets from Oct. 1 to 15, 2026, as airlines are allowed to impose higher fuel surcharges, with the increase reaching P299 per passenger on domestic flights and as much as P2,505.87 on international flights, depending on distance.
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said Monday it will raise the fuel surcharge to Level 17 for the first half of October, from Oct. 1 through Oct. 15. This is three levels higher than the Level 14 surcharge in effect from Sept. 16 through Sept. 30.
For domestic flights, the allowable fuel surcharge will rise from P457–P1,336 to P559–P1,635 per passenger, one way.
That means an increase of P102 to P299 in the fuel surcharge alone, with the maximum increase applying to the longest domestic flight-distance band.
For international flights, the surcharge will increase from P1,509.08–P11,220.71 to P1,846.10–P13,726.58, or an additional P337.02 to P2,505.87 per passenger, one way.
The fuel surcharge is added to the base airfare to help airlines manage fluctuations in aviation fuel costs.
For families, workers, students and other travelers who regularly fly between Mindanao and Metro Manila or other major destinations, the increase adds another cost to air travel.
But the higher surcharge does not automatically mean every passenger will pay the maximum increase. The CAB rates are ceilings that airlines may impose. Carriers intending to collect the surcharge must apply with the CAB, and their charges cannot exceed the Level 17 cap.
The increase also applies only to the fuel surcharge, not the entire airfare. A P299 increase, for example, does not mean the total ticket price will rise by exactly P299.
For travelers booking flights between Oct. 1 and Oct. 15, the higher fuel surcharge should therefore be factored into the travel budget. The next surcharge level will be covered by a subsequent CAB advisory for the Oct. 16–31 period.
