Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA ; ; ), also known as Manila International Airport (MIA), is the main international airport serving Metro Manila in the Philippines. Located between the cities of Pasay and Parañaque, about south of Manila proper and southwest of Makati, it is the main gateway for travelers to the Philippines and serves as a hub for PAL Express and Philippine Airlines. It is also the main operating base for AirSWIFT, Cebgo, Cebu Pacific, and Philippines AirAsia.

Manila International Airport was officially renamed for former Philippine senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., who was assassinated at the airport on August 21, 1983. NAIA is managed by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), an agency of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). It is currently operated by the New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC), a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation.

Both NAIA and Clark International Airport in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, serve the Greater Manila Area. Clark caters mainly to low-cost carriers because its landing fees have been lower ever since former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo called for Clark to replace NAIA as the Philippines' primary airport. NAIA is operating beyond its designed capacity of 35 million passengers, clogging air traffic and delaying flights. As a result, it has consistently been cited as one of the world's worst airports. In response, a private consortium has been overseeing the airport's operation and rehabilitation since September 14, 2024. Two nearby construction projects meant to reduce congestion at NAIA are also underway: one being the New Manila International Airport in Bulakan, Bulacan and the other being to upgrade Sangley Point Airport in Cavite City into an international airport.

In 2024, NAIA served more than 50 million passengers, 47% more than the previous year and an all-time record high, making it the busiest airport in the Philippines, the 17th busiest in Asia, and the 38th busiest in the world.

History

Early history

Manila's original airport, Grace Park Airfield (also known as Manila North) in Grace Park, Caloocan (then a municipality of Rizal), opened in 1935. It was the city's first commercial airport and was used by the Philippine Aerial Taxi Company (later Philippine Airlines) for its first domestic routes.

In July 1937, Nielson Airport, located in the land in Makati, also then in Rizal, was inaugurated and served as the gateway to Manila; its runways now form Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas. Following World War II and Philippine independence, Grace Park Airfield ceased operations, while Nielson Airport continued to operate until it was decommissioned in 1948.

Move to Nichols Field site

Airport operations were moved to the current site, Nichols Field, due to the flatter terrain, expanse of greenfield land, and the existing USAF base runway (Runway 13/31), which could be used for the airport. The original one-story bungalow terminal was built adjacent to the runway and served as Terminal 4.

In 1954, the airport's longer international runway (Runway 06/24) and associated taxiways were built, and in 1956, construction was started on a control tower and an international terminal building. The new terminal was designed by Federico Ilustre and was built on the current site of Terminal 2. It was inaugurated on September 22, 1961. On January 22, 1972, a fire caused substantial damage to the terminal, resulting in six casualties.

A slightly smaller terminal was built the following year. This second terminal would serve as the country's international terminal until 1981 when it was converted to a domestic terminal, upon the completion and opening of Terminal 1, a new, higher-capacity terminal. Another fire damaged the old international terminal in May 1985.

Assassination of Ninoy Aquino

On August 21, 1983, oppositionist politician Ninoy Aquino attempted to return to the Philippines from exile in the United States, hoping to convince president Ferdinand Marcos to let go of political power after having held his position for nearly two decades. Aquino was assassinated mere moments after exiting his plane at Terminal 1's Gate 8 (now Gate 11) after returning to the Philippines from exile in the United States. Aviation Security Command (AVSECOM) personnel escorted Aquino out of the plane to the tarmac, where an agency van awaited. A single gunshot killed him. Several shots were fired, killing alleged assassin, Rolando Galman. Seconds later, gunfire erupted, causing chaos in the plane, the tarmac, and the terminal.

The incident triggered constant protests for the next three years, and along with the crash of the Philippine economy earlier in 1983, is credited as one of the key events which led to the February 1986 People Power Revolution which removed Marcos from power.

Renaming

Four years after the incident, during the presidency of Ninoy's widow Corazon Aquino in 1987, ''Republic Act No. 6639'' was enacted without executive approval, renaming the airport in Ninoy's honor. Presently, a body mark of Aquino's assassination is on display at the departures area of Terminal 1, while the spot at Gate 11 (formerly Gate 8) where he was killed has a memorial plaque.

Construction of Terminals 2 and 3

Plans for a new terminal were conceived in 1989 when the Department of Transportation commissioned the French company Aéroports de Paris to conduct a feasibility study to expand capacity, which recommended to build two new terminals. Construction of Terminal 2, originally designed as a domestic terminal, began in 1995 and opened in 1999. It served as the hub of Philippine Airlines until 2023. Meanwhile, the larger Terminal 3, which was beset by construction delays and legal issues, opened in 2008 and became fully operational in 2014, serving Cebu Pacific and most international airlines.

Extortion scam

In October 2015, reports of an extortion scam concerning bullets planted by airport security officials in airline passengers' luggage (dubbed by the local media the ''tanim-bala'' iterally plant-bulletscam) spread, creating a scare among travelers. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, then a presumptive presidential candidate in the 2016 Philippine presidential election, further alleged that a syndicate was behind the incidents. He said the operation had continued for more than two years. Malacañang Palace and the Philippine Senate investigated the incidents. In April 2016, a similar incident occurred.

Terminal reassignments

In February 2018, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) proposed the rationalization of flights to decongest the terminals of NAIA. The original plan called for Terminals 1 and 3 exclusively handling international flights, while Terminals 2 and 4 would facilitate domestic flights. This revision would deviate from the practice where Terminals 2 and 3 operate both domestic and international flights, contributing to the congestion of both terminals. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez supported the initiative, with the latter proposing that airlines relocate some of their flights to Clark International Airport. However, Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services, voiced concerns that a hasty implementation might exacerbate existing issues, with Poe suggesting capacity expansion instead. She further highlighted Terminal 2's limited capacity of handling 9 million passengers compared to the current demand of over 16 million domestic passengers.

Despite initial plans for implementation in August 2018, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) announced its deferment a month prior due to "unforeseen operational constraints". The plan continued to be under review with no official implementation date set; however, some Philippine Airlines (PAL) flights to North America were relocated to Terminal 1 from Terminal 2 in July to accommodate the latter's rehabilitation. By October, four international airlines transferred operations to Terminal 3, freeing up space for United States flight operations at Terminal 1. Subsequently, more airlines from Terminal 1 were scheduled to relocate to Terminal 3.

On December 1, 2022, the MIAA officially implemented the Schedule and Terminal Assignment Rationalization (STAR) program, when PAL began gradually transferring its international flights from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1. Likewise, Philippines AirAsia transferred its two busiest flights (Boracay– Caticlan and Cebu)—from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3, to ease congestion at the former by transferring 40% of AirAsia's daily passenger volume to the larger terminal. From April to June 2023, eight foreign airlines moved to Terminal 3 to make space for PAL's international operations at T1. These changes were designed to offer international passengers at Terminals 1 and 3 a wider selection of food and retail outlets, and additional time for duty-free shopping. After PAL completed moving all its international flights to T1 on June 16, 2023, Philippines AirAsia and Royal Air Philippines began operating from Terminal 2 on July 1, thereby reverting the terminal to its original domestic design. While T2 is being expanded, Cebu Pacific's domestic and international operations remained at Terminal 3. Meanwhile, flights of AirSWIFT, SkyJet Airlines, Cebgo, and Sunlight Air remained at Terminal 4.

Ahead of the airport's privatization, the New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation—a consortium led by San Miguel Corporation—planned another set of terminal reassignments in August 2024, with an initial target implementation date before the Allhallowtide season. It then announced in September the planned reassignments: Terminal 1 would exclusively serve Philippine Airlines flights, while Terminal 2 would maintain its current status as an all-domestic terminal, and Terminal 3 would be fully dedicated to international flights of Cebu Pacific, the AirAsia Group, and all foreign airlines. This would require the remaining airlines operating at Terminal 1 to transfer to Terminal 3, and Philippines AirAsia to temporarily move its domestic flights back to Terminal 4 from Terminal 2 to accommodate Cebu Pacific's domestic flights until the latter's expansion is completed.

Turboprop reassignments

Ahead of NAIA's privatization, in July 2024, the Philippine government reportedly planned to reassign turboprop flights in Manila to secondary airports. At the time, the government had no official policy for the transfer, but Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan encouraged airlines to move its turboprop flights to Clark International Airport.

On December 3, 2024, the Manila Slot Coordination Committee (MSCC), a public-private regulatory committee which regulates NAIA's slots, issued a resolution to direct airlines to completely transfer its turboprop flights out of Manila to secondary airports by October 2025. The rationalization aims to maximize the use of airport slots in Manila, which would exclusively be dedicated to jet aircraft. It would be implemented in three phases: with the MSCC requiring scheduled domestic carriers to transfer 30% of its turboprop flights by March 2025, followed by all such flights by October, and finally, airlines with a turboprop fleet fewer than five planes would follow suit by March 2026.

The transfer also aims to maximize Clark International Airport's capacity, as it had been underserved since the opening of its expanded terminal in 2022, designed to handle eight million passengers annually. Cebgo, the turboprop subsidiary of Cebu Pacific, then announced the transfer of its Masbate and Siargao flights to Clark.

Privatization and rehabilitation

On February 12, 2018, a consortium of seven conglomerates consisting of Aboitiz InfraCapital, AC Infrastructure Holdings, Alliance Global, Asia's Emerging Dragon, Filinvest Development Corporation, JG Summit Holdings, and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (which later pulled out in March 2020) submitted a , or , 35-year unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate, expand, operate, and maintain the airport. The consortium's proposal was divided into two phases: the improvement and expansion of terminals in the current NAIA land area and the development of an additional runway, taxiways, passenger terminals, and associated support infrastructure. Changi Airport Consultants Pte. Ltd., was to provide technical support. Singapore's Changi Airport Group eyed a 30% stake in this venture.

On March 1, 2018, Megawide Construction Corporation and its India-based consortium partner GMR Infrastructure (the consortium which revamped Mactan–Cebu International Airport), submitted a ₱150 billion, or US$3 billion, proposal to decongest and redevelop the airport. GMR-Megawide did not propose a new runway, claiming that it would not significantly boost capacity.

On July 7, 2020, the NAIA consortium's proposal was rejected by the government, allowing GMR-Megawide to take over the project. On December 15, however, the MIAA revoked the original proponent status (OPS) of GMR-Megawide, who then filed a motion for reconsideration. The MIAA denied the motion for reconsideration. In August 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced plans to rebid the public–private partnership project within the year.

Following a major airspace closure on January 1, 2023, plans to privatize the airport were pitched again. Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno supported such plans, but maintained that it should be "thoroughly studied". On April 27, the Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC), composed of six organizations (Alliance Global, AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp nder Ayala Corporation">Ayala_Corporation.html" ;"title="nder Ayala Corporation">nder Ayala Corporation Infracorp Development, Filinvest Development Corporation, and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings) submitted a ₱100 billion 25-year unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate the airport. This proposal was subsequently rejected by the administration of President Bongbong Marcos on July 19, which opted to go through solicited bidding instead.

The solicited Concession (contract), concession agreement is set for fifteen years, with a ten-year extension if needed in case the opening of New Manila International Airport in Bulacan and Sangley Point Airport in Cavite would be delayed. The bidding opened on August 23, 2023. Four consortia submitted bids on the December 27 deadline: MIAC, Asian Airports Consortium (consisting of Lucio Co's Cosco Capital, Inc.; Asian Infrastructure and Management Corp., Philippine Skylanders International, Inc., and PT Angkasa Pura II), GMR Airports Consortium, and SMC SAP & Co. Consortium, a consortium led by San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and Incheon International Airport Corporation—the operator of Incheon International Airport in South Korea, with RMM Asian Logistics Inc. and RLW Aviation Development Inc. The Asian Airports Consortium was disqualified in the bidding after it was deemed non-compliant.

On February 16, 2024, the DOTr awarded the contract to SMC SAP & Co. Consortium, later renamed as New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC). the contract was signed on March 18, witnessed by President Marcos. NNIC offered the biggest revenue share with the government at 82.16%—more than double the proposed revenue shares of GMR Airports Consortium (33.30%) and MIAC (25.91%). The consortium also made the initial payment to the government. With the privatization, the national government is expected to earn , or annually. On September 14, 2024, the Manila International Airport Authority turned over the operations and maintenance of the airport to NNIC. While SMC is constructing New Manila International Airport (NMIA) in Bulacan, it decided to instead prioritize the rehabilitation of NAIA over the construction of the NMIA.

The turnover was followed by a series of airport fee hikes. On October 1, NNIC increased parking fees. The overnight parking fees, which quadrupled from 300 to 1,200 pesos, drew criticism from motorists; however, both NNIC and the DOTr defended the move, as it is designed to deter the misuse of parking slots. According to NNIC, previous parking rates were used by non-passengers, which contributed to congestion. Nevertheless, NNIC is developing a area near Terminal 3 for a 2,500-slot parking space. On the same day, it increased takeoff and landing fees, causing Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Philippines AirAsia to propose a "terminal enhancement fee" to cover the higher fees, pending approval of the Civil Aeronautics Board. Additionally, passenger service charges are expected to increase in September 2025 — the first increase since 2000.

Structures and facilities

Terminals

Ninoy Aquino International Airport has four passenger terminals, with plans to build another terminal.

Terminal 1

Covering , Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was designed to handle six million passengers annually. It is often referred to as the Ninoy Aquino Terminal, as it was the site of the former senator's assassination in 1983. The terminal, opened in 1982,''TERMINAL 1''
is the airport's second oldest and exclusively handles international flights.

The development of the Manila International Airport, which includes Terminal 1, was approved by Executive Order No. 381 immediately after the former airport was destroyed by a fire a month earlier. The project's feasibility study and master plan were conducted by the Airways Engineering Corporation in 1973, supported by a US$29.6 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The detailed engineering design was created by Renardet-Sauti/Transplan/F.F. Cruz Consultant, and the architectural design was developed by Leandro Locsin's L.V. Locsin and Associates.Airport : Terminal 1Manila International Airport Authority
Accessed September 7, 2006 In 1974, the designs were approved by the Philippine government and the ADB. Construction began in the second quarter of 1978 on a site close to the original Manila Airport, within the jurisdiction of Parañaque, then a municipality of Metro Manila.

By 1991, Terminal 1 reached its capacity with a total passenger volume of 4.53 million. From that year, the terminal has been over capacity, recording an annual average growth rate of 11%. To accommodate this, improvements have been made, increasing its capacity to six million passengers. In the same year, an extension arrival area was constructed at the ground level to decongest the terminal's original arrivals area. The main arrivals curbside was later designated for VIPs and passengers with special requests until 2025, where it was reopened to all passengers.

From 2011 to 2013, Terminal 1 was ranked among the worst airports in Asia by the travel website ''The Guide to Sleeping In Airports''. As a result, plans were developed to rehabilitate the terminal, including expanding the arrival area, adding parking spaces, and enhancing facilities. Renovations began on January 23, 2014. Part of the project involved the installation of buckling restrained braces to enhance the building's structural integrity.

Terminal 1 once served almost all foreign-based carriers (except All Nippon Airways). After the full completion of the larger Terminal 3 in 2014, eighteen airlines moved to the larger terminal to decongest Terminal 1. Since June 16, 2023, flag carrier Philippine Airlines uses Terminal 1 as its international hub. Low-cost carrier Royal Air Philippines also uses the terminal for its international flights. Other airlines operating at Terminal 1 include Air China, Air Niugini, Asiana Airlines, China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Kuwait Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Royal Brunei Airlines, Saudia, Shenzhen Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, XiamenAir, and Zipair Tokyo.

Terminal 2

Terminal 2, situated at the end of the old MIA Road (now NAIA Road), covers an area of . It occupies the land where the 1961–1972 terminal stood. Construction began in December 1995, and the terminal started operating in 1999. It received the name Centennial Terminal in commemoration of the centennial year of Philippine independence. French company Aéroports de Paris (ADP) initially designed the terminal for domestic use, but later modified the design to accommodate international flights. With 12 jet bridges, the terminal can accommodate 2.5 million passengers per year in its north wing and five million in its south wing, for a total of 7.5 million passengers per year. After its conversion to a domestic terminal in 2023, its capacity was increased to ten million.

The French government funded a study that led to the terminal's construction and submitted the review to the Philippine government in 1990. In 1991, the French government provided a 30-million-franc soft loan to the Philippine government to fund the detailed architectural and engineering design. ADP finished the design in 1992. The Japanese government followed suit in 1994, providing an soft loan to the Philippine government to finance 75% of the construction costs and the entirety of the supervision costs. The construction of the terminal officially began on December 11, 1995, and the Philippine government took over the completed terminal on December 28, 1998. The terminal became fully operational in 1999.

In August 2014, authorities announced a plan to expand Terminal 2, incorporating a structure to interconnect Terminals 1 and 2. In order to do so, the plan called for demolishing the adjacent unused Philippine Village Hotel complex and relocating a fuel depot, as well as the international cargo complex. Rehabilitation of the terminal began in September 2018, and by February 16, 2021, the partially expanded Terminal 2 was inaugurated, adding to the terminal area. However, Terminal 2 has not been interconnected with Terminal 1 yet, nor have the adjacent complexes been demolished. In 2024, the New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC) announced that it will interconnect the two terminals after demolishing the hotel and relocating the fuel farm and the cargo terminal as part of its rehabilitation plan. This plan will increase the terminal's capacity by about 23 million passengers.

From 1999 to 2023, flag carrier Philippine Airlines and its domestic subsidiary PAL Express exclusively used Terminal 2. It facilitated both domestic and international flights for these airlines, notwithstanding the operation of select PAL Express flights from Terminal 3 from 2012 to 2018. On June 16, 2023, PAL moved its international flights to Terminal 1, leaving its domestic flights at Terminal 2. This allowed the entry of low-cost carriers and former Terminal 4 users Philippines AirAsia and Royal Air Philippines on July 1, thereby converting T2 to exclusively serve domestic flights.

Terminal 3

Terminal 3, the newest and largest terminal, covers and extends , occupying a site on Villamor Air Base. With construction beginning in 1997, the terminal partially opened on July 22, 2008, increasing the airport's capacity by 13 million passengers. The terminal's development, part of the 1989 expansion plan, commenced in 1997 but was beleaguered by legal battles, red tape, and arbitration cases in the United States and Singapore, as well as technical and safety issues including repeated incidents of collapsed ceilings that led to repeated delays. Japan-based Takenaka Corporation undertook the terminal's rehabilitation, and it became fully operational on July 31, 2014.

The construction of a third terminal was proposed by Asia's Emerging Dragon Corporation (AEDP). AEDP eventually lost the bid to PairCargo and its partner Fraport AG of Germany. Originally scheduled to open in 2002, a contract dispute between the government of the Philippines and the project's main contractor, Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco), delayed its completion. While the original agreement allowed PairCargo and Fraport AG to operate the airport for several years after its construction, followed by a government handover, the government offered to buy out Fraport AG for US$400 million, to which Fraport agreed. However, before the terminal could be completed, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo called the contract "onerous" and formed a committee to evaluate the buyout agreement. The contracts were declared null and void by the Supreme Court in May 2003, the Philippine government took over the terminal in December 2004. Piatco sued the Philippine government before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), while Fraport separately sued the government at the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The ICSID decided in August 2007 in favor of the government, while in January 2012, the ICC case became final and executory in favor of the government.

Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) designed the US$640 million terminal, which has 20 jet bridges and four remote gates served by apron buses. The terminal's apron area spans and can service up to 32 aircraft simultaneously. It has the capacity to serve 33,000 passengers per day or 6,000 per hour. Since April 2017, a long indoor footbridge called Runway Manila has been connecting the terminal to Newport City.

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific was the first to operate at Terminal 3 on July 22, 2008. PAL Express (then Air Philippines and Airphil Express) followed suit, and used it until 2018. The first foreign carrier to operate out of Terminal 3 was All Nippon Airways on February 27, 2011. From August to October 2014, Delta Air Lines (later terminated in 2021), KLM, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific moved to Terminal 3. Between 2018 and 2020, United Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Etihad Airways followed suit, as did Jetstar Asia, Jetstar Japan, Scoot, China Southern Airlines, Starlux Airlines (later terminated in March 2024), Jeju Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Thai Airways International, and Gulf Air in 2023. Other operators at Terminal 3 include new entrants Aero K, Air Canada, Air France, Greater Bay Airlines, and HK Express. Terminal 3 has also been used by the AirAsia Group for its international flights since September 15, 2014.

Terminal 4

Constructed in 1948, Terminal 4, also known as the Manila Domestic Passenger Terminal or the Old Domestic Terminal, was the first and original structure of the airport, as well as its oldest and smallest terminal. Positioned on the old Airport Road, the Domestic Terminal was located near the north end of Runway 13/31.

Philippines AirAsia was a primary user of Terminal 4 from 2013 to 2023. In December 2022, to decongest the terminal, it transferred its two busiest flights—to Cebu and Boracay ( Caticlan)—to Terminal 3, while all other domestic flights remained at T4. It continued to operate under this scheme until all flights were transferred to Terminal 2 on July 1, 2023.

Since then, T4 has been specifically assigned for turboprop aircraft, functioning exclusively with ground-loaded gates. This terminal, which accommodates up to three million passengers annually, primarily hosts domestic flights by regional airlines such as AirSWIFT, SkyJet Airlines, Cebgo, and Sunlight Air.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport authority closed Terminal 4 to minimize operating costs, while the remaining three terminals resumed operations in June 2020 upon the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon. During its temporary closure, the terminal was utilized as a vaccination site for airport employees. As such, AirAsia temporarily transferred its domestic operations to Terminal 3. After a two-year hiatus, Terminal 4 reopened on March 28, 2022.

Under NNIC's management, Terminal 4 temporarily closed on November 6, 2024, to give way for major renovations until February 2025. As such, AirSWIFT, Cebgo, and Sunlight Air relocated to Terminal 2. However, NNIC halted its renovation on the terminal, identifying the structure as a safety hazard following the crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 in South Korea. The original T4 has been undergoing demolition since the start of late February 2025, and a replacement will be built at the International Cargo Terminal building. The demolition was done as part of a broader land optimization plan to create space for a new taxiway that will enhance aircraft movement between Terminals 1, 2, and 3.

Terminal 5

Under NNIC's management, Terminal 5 would be built next to Terminal 2. With demolition in progress at the Philippine Village Hotel, tree clearing has also started at the Nayong Pilipino complex. Terminal 5 is expected to be complete by 2029.

Runways

NAIA's primary runway is long and wide, running at a true bearing of 060.3°/240.3° (designated as Runway 06/24). Its secondary runway is long and wide, running at 134.8°/314.8° (designated as Runway 13/31). The primary runway was oriented at 06/24 to harness the southeast and southwest winds. Of the 550 daily flights, 100 take the secondary runway. It mainly caters to private planes and narrowbody aircraft such as the ATR 72-500, Airbus A320, and Airbus A321, and acts as the main runway of the original Terminal 4.

Runway 13/31 closed in 2020 for rehabilitation. The runway was reopened on February 16, 2021, along with a newly constructed taxiway.

Third runway plan

In 2014, Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Abaya proposed a new runway adjacent to the existing Runway 06/24. The proposed runway has a length of that could allow the landing of an Airbus A320 and increase capacity from 40 planes per hour to 60–70. A Dutch consultant hired by the government also suggested to build another terminal to cause less disruptions to the general public.

Previously, the Japan International Cooperation Agency proposed Sangley Point in Cavite as the site of an international airport serving the Greater Manila Area, meaning Sangley could serve as NAIA's third runway.

NAIA road

The NAIA Road (Ninoy Aquino International Airport Road), formerly known and still commonly referred to as the MIA Road (Manila International Airport Road), is a short 8-10 lane divided highway connecting Roxas Boulevard and the Manila–Cavite Expressway ( R-1) with NAIA. It is also a major local road that links the cities of Pasay and Parañaque running approximately underneath the elevated NAIA Expressway from R-1 in Tambo, Parañaque to NAIA Terminal 2 in Pasay. En route, it intersects, from west to east, Quirino Avenue, Domestic Road, and Ninoy Aquino Avenue. The road ends at the entrance of NAIA Terminal 2.

The road also houses a small strip of shops across from the former Coastal Mall, Tambo Elementary School at Quirino Avenue, Park 'N Fly at Domestic Road, and the old Nayong Pilipino (site of the future NAIA Terminal 5) close to Terminal 2. The old NAIA Terminal 1 is accessible by turning south at Ninoy Aquino Avenue, which also leads to the Duty Free FiestaMall and continues on to Sucat as Dr. Santos Avenue. The new Terminal 3, on the other hand, is located on Andrews Avenue which can be accessed from Domestic Road. The road was originally named as MIA Road and was only renamed in 1987 when the airport was renamed in honor of the late Senator Ninoy Aquino, who was assassinated there in 1983.

Maintenance

Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) (formerly PAL Technical Center) was founded in 2000 as a joint venture of German firm Lufthansa Technik (51%) and Philippine aviation service provider MacroAsia Corporation (49%). Lufthansa Technik Philippines offers customers aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services.

The company performs maintenance checks for the Airbus A320 family and A330/ A340 aircraft. Seven hangar bays and workshops provide industry standard maintenance, major modifications, cabin reconfigurations, engine maintenance, and painting for the A320 family, A330/A340, as well as the Boeing 747-400 and 777 aircraft. A new widebody hangar was recently added to meet the increasing demand for A330/A340 maintenance.

The company also opened an Airbus A380 maintenance hangar to allow the aircraft to be repaired at the airport facility. It also provides technical and engineering support for the entire Philippine Airlines fleet and other international airline fleets.

Aviation Partnership (Philippines) Corporation is Cebu Pacific third-line maintenance. It was a former joint venture of SIA Engineering Company (51%) and Cebu Pacific Air (49%) until November 2020 when Cebu Pacific decide to take 100% ownership of the company. It provides line maintenance, light aircraft checks, technical ramp handling, and other services to Cebu Pacific Air and third-party airline customers.

Training

Philippine Airlines (PAL) operates the PAL Learning Center within the airport's premises. The center includes training facilities for pilots and cabin crew, catering services, a data center, and an Airbus A320 flight simulator.

DHL

The airport is a gateway facility for DHL. On March 12, 2006, the company opened its first quality control center.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Cargo

*Philippine Airlines also maintains integrated airport ground handling services, cargo operations and a full catering service for it and other airlines. This is composed of PAL Airport Services, Philippine Airlines Cargo and the PAL Inflight Center.
*Based at both the Centennial Terminal (Terminal 2) and International Cargo Terminal of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, PAL Airport Services offers ground handling for seven international airlines calling at Manila, while Philippine Airlines Cargo processes and ships an average of 200 tonnes of Manila publications and 2 tonnes of mail daily throughout the country and 368 tonnes of cargo abroad daily.

Statistics

Data from Airports Council International and the Manila International Airport Authority.

Ground transport

Inter-terminal shuttle

NNIC operates a free landside shuttle service between all terminals for passengers making connections.

UBE Express operates a paid landside shuttle service between all terminals called the "NAIA Loop" for passengers making connections.

Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines both operate airside shuttle services between their respective terminals.

Bus

UBE Express "Route 43/PITX-NAIA Loop" buses operate Premium Point-to-Point Bus Services between the airport (Terminal 3) and the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), for onward connections to LRT Line 1. The service costs 150 pesos.

UBE Express also provides point-to-point services to/from Manila, Makati, Muntinlupa, Quezon City, Pasay and Parañaque, all in Metro Manila; and Santa Rosa in Laguna. The Pasay service stops at the JAM Liner, Philtranco and Victory Liner terminals for passengers going to/coming from the provinces in Northern and Southern Luzon.

Genesis Transport provides service to/from Clark International Airport. HM Transport provides service to/from LRT Line 1's EDSA station and MRT Line 3's Taft Avenue station.

City buses provide service to/from PITX, Diliman in Quezon City, and Balagtas and San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, respectively. In addition, Citylink bus routes to and from Eastwood City in Quezon City have a terminal in Newport City, which is just across Terminal 3.

Jeepney

Jeepneys provide service to/from Parañaque and Pasay.

Rideshare

Rideshare pick up and drop off is available at the multi-level parking building of Terminal 3.

Train

The nearest train station to NAIA is the LRT Line 1's Ninoy Aquino Avenue station, inaugurated in November 2024. However, there is no direct connection between the station and the airport terminals. The absence of a direct link is attributed to regulatory constraints imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), which mandates a radius clearance from airport runways to ensure aviation safety. Right-of-way considerations also influenced the station's placement.

From the Ninoy Aquino Avenue station, passengers can access NAIA via secondary transport modes such as jeepneys or taxis. While the station is from Terminal 1, the distance and lack of pedestrian-friendly pathways may make walking with luggage challenging.

To address the absence of a direct rail link to the airport, the Metro Manila Subway is under development. The project includes a station at NAIA Terminal 3, accessible via a spur line. Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Jeremy Regino described this as the "best solution" to the current connectivity issues. The subway is projected to commence partial operations by 2032. Once operational, it is expected to reduce travel time between Quezon City and NAIA to approximately 35 minutes.

Renaming proposals

Repeated efforts to rename the airport have not succeeded. In May 2018, then-lawyer Larry Gadon led an online petition at change.org aiming to restore the original name of the airport, ''Manila International Airport'' (MIA). Gadon said the renaming of MIA to NAIA in 1987 was "well in advance of the 10-year prescription period for naming public sites after dead personalities".

In June 2020, House Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte, citing the need of the airport to represent the Filipino people, filed a bill seeking to rename the airport to ''Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas'' (). The bill was coauthored by Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco and ACT-CIS Representative Eric Go Yap.

In August 2020, Gadon filed a petition before the Supreme Court questioning the validity of Republic Act No. 6639, the law that named it NAIA. Gadon asserted that Aquino was not among the "pantheon" of the country's declared official heroes. A month later, the Supreme Court unanimously denied the petition to nullify the law for lack of merit.

In April 2022, Duterte Youth Representative Ducielle Cardema filed a bill returning the airport to its original name, claiming the name should not have been "politicized in the first place". Cardema had the bill refiled in July 2022.

In June 2022, Negros Oriental 3rd district Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. filed a bill renaming the airport to ''Ferdinand E. Marcos International Airport'' after former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who authorized the airport's rehabilitation and development through an executive order in 1972. Teves stressed that it is "more appropriate to rename it to the person who has contributed to the idea and execution of the said noble project". The bill drew criticism from former senator Franklin Drilon, who said that the renaming would entail historical revisionism.

In February 2024, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said that renaming the airport was not included in the privatization proposals of the San Miguel Corporation–SAP and Company Consortium, which won the bid to operate and maintain the airport.

Accidents and incidents

*On July 25, 1971, a Pan American World Airways Boeing 707-321C named "Clipper Rising Sun" was on a cargo flight from San Francisco to Saigon. While on a VOR/ DME approach onto Manila runway 24, the aircraft struck Mount Kamunay at an altitude of . The four occupants were killed.
*On November 15, 1974, an Orient Air System and Integrated Services Douglas C-47A registered RP-C570 was damaged beyond repair after a forced landing in a paddy field shortly after take-off following failure of the starboard engine. One of the eight people on board was killed.
*On February 7, 1980, a China Airlines Boeing 707 from Taipei Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport operating as Flight 811 undershot the runway on landing and caught fire, causing two fatalities.
* On September 15, 1981, a Korean Airlines Boeing 747 originating from Seoul, South Korea, and bound for Zürich, Switzerland, overshot the runway during takeoff and hit the airport perimeter fence, with its nose blocking traffic on the service road of South Luzon Expressway. The plane had a one-hour layover in Manila when the accident happened. Forty of the 332 passengers and 20 crew were injured.
* On December 13, 1983, a Philair Douglas C-47B registered RP-C287 crashed shortly after takeoff following an engine failure. The aircraft was on a non-scheduled passenger flight. All ten people on board survived.
* On April 28, 1989, a MATS Douglas C-47A registered RP-C81 crashed shortly after takeoff on a non-scheduled domestic passenger flight to Roxas Airport following an engine failure. MATS did not have a licence to fly passengers. Seven of the 22 passengers were killed. The aircraft had earlier made a forced landing on a taxiway.
*On May 6, 1989, a Manila Aero Transport System (MATS) Douglas C-47A registered RP-C82 crashed on takeoff following an engine failure. The aircraft was on a domestic non-scheduled passenger flight, although it was not licensed to carry passengers. All 18 people on board survived.
* On July 21, 1989, a Philippine Airlines BAC One-Eleven operating Flight 124 overran a runway in poor visibility and heavy rain. No passengers or crew were killed but eight people on the ground were killed when the jet crossed a road.
*On May 11, 1990, a Philippine Airlines Boeing 737-300 operating Flight 143 suffered an explosion in the center fuel tank near the terminal while preparing for takeoff. The fire and smoke engulfed the aircraft before it could be evacuated. The explosion was similar to what happened to TWA Flight 800 six years later. Eight people died.
*On May 18, 1990, an Aerolift Philippines Beechcraft 1900C-1 operating a domestic scheduled passenger flight bound for Surigao Airport crashed into a residential area following takeoff. The aircraft reportedly suffered an engine failure. All 21 occupants and 4 people on the ground were killed.
*On September 4, 2002, an Asian Spirit de Havilland Canada Dash 7-102 operating Flight 897 to Caticlan carrying 49 occupants was on approach to Caticlan Airport when the right main gear failed to deploy. The approach was abandoned and the crew decided to return to Manila for an emergency landing. The plane circled for about 35 minutes over Las Piñas to burn off fuel. The crew then carried out an emergency landing with the right gear retracted. After touchdown, the aircraft swerved off the runway onto a grassy area. There were no reported injuries or fatalities, but the aircraft was written off.
*On November 11, 2002, a Laoag International Airlines Fokker F27 operating Flight 585 took off from Manila runway 31 just after 6p.m. for a flight to Laoag International Airport. Shortly after takeoff, trouble developed in the left engine. The pilot declared an emergency and attempted to land, but decided at the last minute to ditch into the sea. The aircraft broke up and sank in the water to a depth of about . 19 of the 34 occupants were killed.
*On November 8, 2003, former Air Transportation Office chief Panfilo Villaruel and Philippine Navy lieutenant Richard Gatchillar seized the control tower of Terminal 2 around midnight armed with guns and explosives, claiming that they wanted to expose government corruption. They forced out all six air traffic controllers and barricaded themselves inside the control room, causing the diversion of several flights. After three hours, police SWAT teams stormed the control room and opened fire, killing both men.
*On August 23, 2009, a South East Asian Airlines Dornier 328 registered RP-C6328 operating Flight 624 was hit by strong crosswinds when decelerating after landing on runway 13. The aircraft veered off the runway and came to a stop in the grass. None of the 32 passengers and 3 crew was injured. The airport had to be temporarily closed to tow the aircraft away.
*On October 17, 2009, a Victoria Air Douglas DC-3, registered RP-C550, crashed shortly after takeoff on a flight to Puerto Princesa International Airport after an engine malfunctioned. All on board died.
* On December 10, 2011, a Beechcraft 65–80 Queen Air cargo plane en route to San Jose crashed into houses next to Felixberto Serrano Elementary School in Parañaque after taking off. The crash was attributed to pilot error. At least 14 people including 3 crew members on board the aircraft died, and over 20 were injured. Approximately 50 houses in the residential area were set ablaze.
* On December 20, 2013, gunmen ambushed Ukol Talumpa, the mayor of Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, in front of the arrival hall of Terminal 3, killing him, his wife and two others and injuring five people.
* On August 16, 2018, Xiamen Airlines Flight 8667 crash-landed amidst heavy monsoon rains. The 737-800 skidded off the end of the runway. All 157 passengers and crew were unharmed, however, the aircraft was written off. According to Flightradar24 data, the flight aborted its first landing attempt.
*On March 29, 2020, a Lionair IAI Westwind registered RP-C5880 burst into flames on runway 24 during takeoff. The plane was conducting a medical evacuation mission bound for Haneda Airport, Japan. All eight occupants consisting of three aircraft crew, three medical crew, and two passengers died.
*On April 22, 2024, a grass fire caused by improperly disposed cigarette butts broke out during dry weather at an open-air parking space owned by the airport located about from Terminal 3, destroying 19 vehicles.
*On May 4, 2025, a car crash occurred after a SUV driven by a 47-year-old man crashed into the walkway near the departure area entrance of Terminal 1, killing a 29-year-old man and a five-year-old girl, and injuring four others.

See also

* Nichols Field
* Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base
* List of airports in the Philippines
* List of airports in the Greater Manila Area
* Ninoy Aquino International Airport dollar-eating incident

Notes

References

Further reading

''Fraport AG and the NAIA-3 Debacle: A Case Study''
Ben Kritz, GR Business Online © 2011

External links

Manila International Airport Authority

MNL Airport Departures

MNL Airport Arrivals
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Interactive satellite view of NAIA

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1948 establishments in the Philippines
Airports established in 1948
Airports in the Philippines
Buildings and structures in Parañaque
Buildings and structures in Pasay
Tourism in Manila
Tourism in Metro Manila
Transportation in Luzon
Transportation in Metro Manila
Brutalist architecture in the Philippines