Thirty-three airlines. One terminal. And a long list of people at the curb asking where Bay 12 is.

NAIA Terminal 3 is one of Manila’s three working terminals, the home of Cebu Pacific, and since spring 2026 the new address for Japan Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Air China and a few others that used to fly from Terminal 1. If you last flew out of Manila two years ago, some of what you remember is wrong now.

This guide covers what you need on the day: which airlines use NAIA Terminal 3, how to get there and away (with where to catch each ride), what to pay before you fly, what happens at immigration for Philippine passport holders, where to eat on each level, and where to sleep if your flight leaves at 5am. Everything here was checked against the airport operator’s own pages and other official sources in late October 2026.

A quick note: some links in this guide are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and it helps keep Two Monkeys running.

NAIA Terminal 3 at a glance

The short version, as of October 2026:

• Where: Andrews Avenue, Pasay City, right across the road from Newport World Resorts.
• Who flies here: Cebu Pacific (all its domestic and international flights) plus 32 foreign airlines, from Emirates and Qatar Airways to Scoot, Jetstar and Starlux, per the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) airline list.
• Who does not: Philippine Airlines and AirAsia. Their flights use Terminals 1 and 2.
• When to arrive: NNIC advises 2 to 3 hours before a domestic flight and 3 to 4 hours before an international one.
• Terminal fee: PHP 950 (about USD 15) for international departures and PHP 390 (about USD 6) for domestic ones since 14 September 2025. OFWs are exempt from the international fee.
• Travel tax: PHP 1,620 (about USD 25) for most Filipinos flying abroad in economy, unless you are exempt.
• Changing terminals: a free NNIC shuttle runs 24 hours a day for passengers with connecting flights.

USD figures in this guide use PHP 63.6 to USD 1, close to the record low the peso hit on 23 October 2026.

Which airlines fly from NAIA Terminal 3 in 2026

Terminal 3 handles both domestic and international flights. Here is the full list NNIC publishes for Terminal 3, checked on 26 October 2026:

What changed in 2026. NNIC moved Air China, China Eastern, Vietnam Airlines, Royal Brunei and Shenzhen Airlines from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 on 29 March 2026, and Japan Airlines followed on 1 April. The changes were announced by NNIC in February. At the same time, AirAsia moved all its international flights (AirAsia Philippines and AirAsia Malaysia) out of Terminal 3 and into Terminal 1 from 29 March, InsiderPH reported. Trust your booking and the NNIC list over anything written before March 2026.

One honest warning: being on the list does not mean an airline flies to Manila every day or every season. If your route is new, look at your e-ticket. If you are still shopping, you can compare fares out of Manila on Trip.com and filter by airline to land at the terminal you prefer.

Getting to and from Terminal 3

Photo: ShiminUfesoj / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

Most rides out of Terminal 3 have their own numbered bay on the arrival curbside. Knowing the number saves you from the men who walk up and offer “taxi, ma’am?” at three times the fare. This table uses the locations on NNIC’s transport page:

Coupon and yellow taxis give Filipino seniors, persons with disability and students a 20% discount. Whatever you ride, NNIC staff hand you a dispatch slip with complaint hotlines on it. Keep it; do not give it to the driver.

The cheapest way into the city is the Airport Loop bus. For PHP 40 (under USD 1) it takes you to the MRT station in Pasay, and from there the train runs up EDSA to Makati, Ortigas and Cubao. Great with a backpack, not with two balikbayan boxes.

The calmest way with luggage is UBE Express. Its buses leave from Terminal 3 for Pasay, Manila, Cubao, Alabang and Santa Rosa, Laguna. On Klook the regular fare starts at PHP 300 (about USD 5) and seats are first come, first served. You can book a UBE Express seat from Terminal 3 on Klook before you land.

Arriving late or with family? A pre-booked car is easier than queueing at Bay 6 at midnight with tired kids. Klook sells private transfers from NAIA to Makati, Taguig (BGC), Manila and other parts of Metro Manila in a sedan, an Innova-type car or a van. Tolls are paid to the driver in cash, so keep a few hundred pesos handy.

See private NAIA transfer prices on Klook

Driving and parking. Terminal 3 has open parking in front of the arrival area and a multi-level car park near Bay 14, with overnight parking on the rooftop of Level E. NNIC lists PHP 1,200 per 24 hours for cars (about USD 19) plus PHP 25 per extra hour. For a two-week trip, a ride is usually cheaper.

Departing from Terminal 3: check-in, fees and immigration

The departure hall is on Level 3. Check-in islands are lettered, and there are self check-in kiosks for some airlines. NNIC says biometric check-in and boarding is live only on selected flights from airlines that have finished the integration, so do not count on it.

Liquids. The usual 100 ml rule applies, all in one resealable bag of up to 1 litre. Bring an empty water bottle and fill it after security.

Terminal fee (passenger service charge). PHP 950 for international and PHP 390 for domestic departures, the first increase in about 20 years, according to the Inquirer. OFWs remain exempt from the international fee. Look for it in your fare breakdown so you know whether you paid it.

Travel tax, for Philippine passport holders. TIEZA’s rates as of October 2026 are PHP 1,620 in economy and PHP 2,700 in first class. The standard reduced rate is PHP 810 in economy, and qualified dependents of OFWs pay a privileged reduced rate of PHP 300. OFWs with valid documents, and some other groups, are exempt. The House passed a bill to abolish the travel tax in March 2026, but it is not law yet, so you still pay it. Our guide to Philippine travel tax and terminal fees explains exemptions and refunds.

Immigration for Filipinos. Departing Filipinos who are 18 or older, carry an ePassport valid for at least six months, have an updated eTravel record, have no hit in BI’s derogatory records and have travelled abroad before (or are OFWs with a valid OEC, or CFO-registered emigrants) can try the automated eGates. The Bureau of Immigration rolled out e-gates at Terminals 1 and 3, and Philstar Life listed the full eligibility rules in September 2026. If the gate refuses you even though you qualify, a BI officer will send you to a manual counter. First-time travellers go to the manual counters.

OFWs have their own OFW Lounge on Level 3 of Terminal 3, open 24 hours. Our balikbayan travel checklist covers the documents to have ready before you leave the house.

Arriving at Terminal 3: eTravel, customs and money

Photo: Wide Awake! / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

eTravel first. Every arriving passenger, Filipino or foreign, must register on the official eTravel site within 72 hours before leaving for the Philippines. It is free. Ignore look-alike sites that charge a fee. NNIC’s passenger guide says most departing passengers do not need to register; the exceptions are mainly diplomats and some visa holders.

Immigration. Where arrival eGates are open, Filipinos with an ePassport and an updated eTravel record can use them if they stand between 1.2 m and 1.8 m tall. Everyone else queues at the counters.

Customs allowances. Per the NNIC passenger guide, you can bring in two reams of cigarettes (or two tins of tobacco) and two bottles of liquor or wine of up to 1 litre each without tax. Cash rules come from the Bangko Sentral: you can carry up to PHP 50,000 in pesos (about USD 790) and up to USD 10,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency. More pesos than that needs prior written BSP authorization and a declaration, and more foreign currency than that must be declared in full.

Balikbayan status. A Filipino who has been out of the country continuously for at least a year counts as a balikbayan, and so do OFWs and former Filipinos, plus the spouse and children travelling with them.

Money. Achievers Money Changer on Level 1 of the arrival area is open 24 hours, and there are more exchange counters and ATMs (Bank of Commerce, RCBC) upstairs on Level 3. Change only what you need for the first ride and a meal. If you hold foreign currency, a multi-currency card such as the Wise card for spending and withdrawing in pesos lets you skip the exchange counter entirely; just check the ATM operator’s own fee on screen.

Data. You can buy a local SIM landside, but if your phone supports it, setting up an eSIM before you fly means Grab works the moment you switch off airplane mode. Check Airalo’s Philippines eSIM plans a day before you leave.

Lost luggage. Go straight to the Interline Baggage Section in the baggage claim hall with your ticket and baggage tag. There is also a medical clinic on the left side past customs.

Changing terminals at NAIA

Photo: Wide Awake! / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Changing terminals at NAIA means leaving the building and riding to the other one. If you land at Terminal 3 on Emirates and fly on to Cebu with Philippine Airlines from Terminal 2, you exit, ride across and check in again.

The NNIC inter-terminal shuttle is free, runs 24/7 and leaves every hour from each terminal. Show your onward ticket to board. At Terminal 3 the pick-up for terminal transfers is on the arrival level. Philippine Airlines runs its own shuttle for its connecting passengers, so ask PAL staff if that is you.

If you are staying on Cebu Pacific, things are simpler, because its domestic and international flights both use Terminal 3. Tell the ground staff about your connection when you get off the plane and they will point you to the transfer desk.

On separate tickets, give yourself several hours: no airline owes you a seat if the first flight is late.

Where to eat at Terminal 3

Photo: Wide Awake! / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

The food at Terminal 3 is much better than its reputation, as long as you know which level you are on. NNIC’s dining directory (last updated 2 October 2026) splits it like this:

TamBayan is the one to know if someone is picking you up. It is a whole hall of regional Filipino food in the Level 1 arrival area, from Batangas to Mindanao. Hours vary: Bale Pampangueno, Cosina Ilocos and Bo’s Coffee run 24 hours, but Via Mare and Abub’s close at 9pm.

Photo: Wide Awake! / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

On the Mezzanine, KFC, Popeyes, Watami and Seattle’s Best are listed as open 24 hours. Halal-certified options include Palm Grill Mindanao in TamBayan, Nanyang on the Mezzanine and Mamak in the pre-departure Food Village.

In the pre-departure area, the newer Airside Food Hall on Level 4 has Shake Shack and Ramen Nagi open 24 hours. A few spots there, such as Gloria Maris, were still marked “opening soon” in October 2026.

Pasalubong at the last minute? Inay’s Pasalubong in the South Wing pre-departure area is open 24 hours. Prices are airport prices, so do the big shopping in town.

Lounges, sleeping and other services

Long layover or a 5am flight? Here is what Terminal 3 offers:

• The Wings Transit Hotel and Spa, Level 4 concession area, open 24 hours. It has rooms for sleeping inside the terminal.
• OFW Lounge, Level 3 departure area, 24 hours, for OFWs with valid documents.
• First Meridian Lounge, Level 4 pre-departure, a business class lounge open 24 hours.
• Left luggage: Luggage and More, on the arrival level.
• Wi-Fi: free in passenger areas.
• Medical clinic: on the left past customs in the arrival area.

Where to stay near Terminal 3

Terminal 3 is the only NAIA terminal with hotels you can reach on foot. Newport World Resorts sits directly across from the terminal, and NNIC says an elevated walkway connects the hotel area to the terminal. The five hotels there are Manila Marriott, Hotel Okura Manila, Hilton Manila, Sheraton Manila and Holiday Inn Express Manila Newport World Resorts.

Holiday Inn Express is the budget pick of the five. For an early flight, the walkway means no traffic risk at all, which is worth a lot in Manila.

Compare hotel rates across from Terminal 3

If you are flying from another terminal, look at our layover stay at Resorts World Bayshore near NAIA instead. The map below shows live prices around Newport City and the airport:

FAQ

Which airlines use NAIA Terminal 3? Cebu Pacific for all its flights, plus 32 foreign airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, ANA, KLM, Qantas, United and Air Canada. Philippine Airlines and AirAsia do not use Terminal 3.

Is Japan Airlines at Terminal 1 or Terminal 3? Terminal 3, since 1 April 2026.

How do I get from NAIA Terminal 3 to Terminal 1 or 2? Take the free NNIC shuttle from the arrival level if you have a connecting flight. It runs 24 hours and leaves every hour. Without a connecting ticket, take a taxi or Grab.

How much is the terminal fee at NAIA? PHP 950 for international departures and PHP 390 for domestic ones, since 14 September 2025. OFWs are exempt from the international fee.

What is the cheapest way from Terminal 3 to Makati? The Airport Loop bus (PHP 40) to the MRT in Pasay, then the MRT north along EDSA. With luggage, UBE Express from Bay 12 is easier.

Can I sleep inside Terminal 3? Yes. The Wings Transit Hotel and Spa on Level 4 has rooms, and the Newport World Resorts hotels are across the walkway.

Do I need eTravel when leaving the Philippines? Most departing passengers do not, according to NNIC. You do need it within 72 hours before flying into the Philippines.

Before you go

Terminal 3 is easy once you know the numbers: Bay 4 for Grab, Bay 12 for UBE, Level 1 for TamBayan, Level 3 for check-in, and the free shuttle if you need another terminal. Check your terminal on your e-ticket, since the 2026 moves changed several airlines. And if anyone at the curb offers a “special rate”, smile and walk to the bay.

Safe flight, and kain muna bago lipad.

About the Author

Bianca Rei is a Filipino traveler, entrepreneur, and problem-solver who has called Serbia home for many years. She has been following Two Monkeys Travel Group since 2014, back when she was simply a reader dreaming, traveling, and collecting stories of her own, so being able to contribute to the blog now feels a little like coming full circle.

Bianca runs Rodi Solutions, where she helps people and businesses navigate life and business in Serbia, alongside website design, development, and management. When she is not working, she is usually traveling, boxing, chasing another adventure, or spending time with her family.

Find her work at rodi.consulting, or get to know her beyond work at biancarei.net.