NAIA for n00bs: Which Airlines Fly From Which NAIA Terminals? by EJ dela Vega

Let’s face it, our NAIA Terminals aren’t worth bragging about. After bagging the title of being one of the world’s worst airports
for several years, the number of improvements have yet to turn the
Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s image and reputation around.

Photo Credit: skyscrapercity.com

For locals and foreigners alike, flying through NAIA has become quite
the chore. Never mind the issues about cleanliness, congestion, and the
lack of decent dining options.

The biggest frustration that travelers face is the fragmentation of
its terminals. Most major cities/countries have two major terminals, one
for international/legacy carrier flights, and the other for low-cost
airlines. With its 4 different terminals, NAIA seems to be an example of
“the more, the merrier” gone wrong.

Making flight transfers, finding transportation options from terminal
to terminal, and just getting to the right one from the get-go are
issues for most NAIA first-timers, and are major setbacks for excited
travelers. That being said, we thought we’d put together a simple guide
that should help ease the pain:

Which terminal do I go to?

Here’s a list of which airlines fly out from their respective terminals:

NAIA Terminal 1 (a.k.a. “the International Terminal”)

*Tiger Airways: International Flights Only

NAIA Terminal 2 (a.k.a. “the PAL Terminal”)

*PAL Express: Only for flights departing for/arriving from: Tagbilaran, Bacolod, Cebu, Laoag, Davao, GenSan, Iloilo, Kalibo)

NAIA Terminal 3 (often referred to as “the CebuPac Terminal”)

*PAL Express: All other flights aside from those listed above for Terminal 2

**Air Asia: Only for flights departing for/arriving from: Incheon, Jinjiang

NAIA Terminal 4 (a.k.a. “Old Domestic Airport”)

*AirAsia: For Air Asia Zest, Air Asia X, all other flights aside from those listed above for Terminal

**Tiger Airways: Domestic Flights Only

Where ARE the different terminals?

Particularly useful for those planning on hopping from airline to
airline, we’ve also put together this map locating each terminal and the
approximate distances between each:

Distance Table (via car/taxi)

	Terminal 1	Terminal 2	Terminal 3	Terminal 4
Terminal 1		2.1 km	4.9 km	2.4 km
Terminal 2	2.1 km		6.2 km	2.7 km
Terminal 3	4.9 km	6.2 km		3.9 km
Terminal 4	2.4 km	2.7km	3.9 km

Hopefully, these little bits of information have armed you with
enough know-how to make your next trip to or from NAIA a little less of a
headache. Come unprepared, and, well… buckle up, you’re in for a
turbulent ride.