Higher airfares loom as fuel surcharge hiked to Level 13 for August 1-15, 2026

Passengers should brace for higher airfares in the first half of August as the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) passenger hiked the fuel surcharge level for the period amid renewed tensions in the Middle East which triggered rise in global fuel prices.

In an advisory, the CAB announced that the fuel surcharge for August 1 to 15, 2026 will be set at Level 13, an upgrade from the current Level 8 for the July 16 to 31, 2026 period.

Under Level 13, passengers will be paying P423 to P1,237 in fuel surcharges for domestic flights, depending on the flight distance, while for international flights originating from the Philippines, the surcharge ranges from P1,396.74 to P10,385.42.

Meanwhile, under the current Level 8, the passenger fuel surcharge ranges between P253 and P787 for domestic flights, while for international flights, the surcharge ranges from P835.05 to P6,208.98.

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.

It is not part of the basic airfare and maybe adjusted upward or downward depending on the price of jet fuel in the market.

Airlines that wish to impose or collect such surcharge will have to file their applications with the CAB on or before the effectivity period. — RSJ, GMA News