Airfares to lower as airline fuel surcharge reduced anew for July 16-31, 2026

Airfares are set to be lowered anew for the second half of July, as the passenger fuel surcharge has been reduced by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), marking the sixth straight cut under the 15-day review cycle.

In an advisory, the CAB set the fuel surcharge at Level 8 from July 16 to 31, 2026, allowing airlines to collect from P253 to P787 for domestic flights, and from P835.05 to P6,208.98 for international.

This is lower than the Level 9 implemented in the first half of the month, when surcharges were allowed to range from P287 to P839 for domestic, and from P947.30 to P7,044.27 for international.

The CAB is implementing a shorter period of 15 days, from one month, for fuel surcharge level adjustment as an interim and temporary measure amid high volatility in fuel prices to allow faster response to market changes to cushion its impact and manage increasing costs.

Fuel surcharges are optional fees, apart from the base fares, which airlines may pass on to passengers to recover costs icurred due to the volatility of jet fuel. These are adjusted in relation to global price movements.

Airlines that wish to impose or collect such surcharge will have to file their applications with the CAB on or before the effectivity period. For those collected in other currencies, the applicable conversion rate will be $1:P61.43. — RSJ, GMA News