Over 1.35M passengers to pass through NAIA for Holy Week travel —NNIC

New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), operator of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), on Saturday said it is expecting over 1.35 million passengers to pass through the country’s main gateway during the peak travel period during Holy Week — March 28 to April 5, 2026.

In a statement, NNIC said its projection of a total of 1,353,265 passengers to use NAIA for the nine-day travel window is slightly higher than the 1,326,730 passenger volume recorded during the 2025 Holy Week.

The San Miguel-based airport operator said it expects passenger demand to remain strong, albeit the increase would be lower than earlier expected due to flight suspensions and operating restrictions affecting some Middle East services.

To help in managing the passenger influx, NNIC said it has put in place additional measures across the airport, including the deployment of more personnel at check-in counters, immigration and security screening areas, closer coordination with airlines and ground handlers, extended hours for passenger assistance desks, and real-time monitoring of terminal congestion.

The company said the measures are being implemented in coordination with government partners including the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Office for Transportation Security (OTS), as well as airlines, ground handlers, and other airport stakeholders.

NNIC, moreover, said April 5, Easter Sunday, is expected to be the busiest day of the period, with projected traffic of 158,884 passengers, followed by March 28 with 157,804. 

Daily passenger volume is expected to remain above 143,000 throughout the travel period, it said.

The NAIA operator said the airport’s Terminal 3 is projected to handle the largest share of traffic at 712,932 passengers, followed by Terminal 2 with 346,342 and Terminal 1 with 293,990.

NNIC advised passengers to check flight advisories, allow extra travel time, and arrive at the airport early as agencies and service providers work to manage the annual Holy Week surge. 

The company reminded international passengers are also reminded to complete their eTravel registration before proceeding to the airport to help avoid delays in processing. —KG, GMA Integrated News