Lower airfares seen in June 2025 amid fuel surcharge downgrade

The traveling public should expect cheaper airfares in the coming month as the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) downgraded the fuel surcharge level for domestic and international flights.

In an advisory, the CAB said the passenger and cargo fuel surcharge for domestic and international flights was set at Level 3 for the period June 1 to 30, 2025, down from the current Level 4 in May.

Fuel surcharge is an optional fee, apart from the base fare, that airlines may pass on to passengers to recover costs incurred due to the volatility of jet fuel.

The CAB adjusts fuel surcharges in relation to the price movement of jet fuel.

Under Level 3, passengers on domestic flights will pay an additional P80 to P300, and P273.36 to P2,032.54 for flights abroad originating from the Philippines.

Under the current Level 4, the passenger fuel surcharge ranges between P117 and P342 for domestic flights, depending on the distance, while for international flights originating from the Philippines, the surcharge ranges from P385.70 to P2,867.82.

"Airlines wishing to impose or collect fuel surcharge for the same period must file its application with this office on or before the effectivity period, with fuel surcharge rates not exceeding the above-stated level," the CAB said.

"We welcome the decision of the Civil Aeronautics Board to lower the fuel surcharge for the month of June. This recent adjustment supports our efforts to offer more affordable travel to even more destinations, as seen by our increase in routes—especially in our hubs outside of Manila such as Clark, Iloilo, Cebu, and Davao," said Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer Xander Lao.

"With summer travel upon us, we at Cebu Pacific encourage our passengers to book early, take advantage of our various promos, and enjoy our lowest fares. We look forward to flying everyone to their much-awaited vacations this season," said Lao.

AirAsia Philippines, likewise, welcomed the CAB's decision to lower the fuel surcharge for June.

"This lower fuel surcharge is the lowest released by the CAB for 2025 so far—great news for our guests. It's the perfect chance to plan ahead and book future travels at even lower costs. While most passengers usually book 15 to 30 days before their trip, they can actually save more by booking flights three months in advance," said AirAsia Philippines Communications and Corporate Affairs head Steve Dailisan said. — VDV, GMA Integrated News