# flying into Cebu on Philippine airlines



## mikelv49n (May 23, 2018)

I am flying to Cebu from LAX with a stop in Manila.
My question do i just change flight in Manila or am i going thru customs in Manila? My flight is just a 2 hour layover


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mikelv49n said:


> I am flying to Cebu from LAX with a stop in Manila.
> My question do i just change flight in Manila or am i going thru customs in Manila? My flight is just a 2 hour layover


Sounds like you might be using Philippines Airlines. Either way, in most cases where you have a layover of two hours or under you will be deplaned into and remain in a secure area and will not clear immigration or customs in Manila. To be sure it is best to call the airline(s) that you will be using to be sure.


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## mikelv49n (May 23, 2018)

yes sorry i am flying Philippine airlines.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Asian Spirit said:


> Sounds like you might be using Philippines Airlines. Either way, in most cases where you have a layover of two hours or under you will be deplaned into and remain in a secure area and will not clear immigration or customs in Manila. To be sure it is best to call the airline(s) that you will be using to be sure.


That's different.

Every other country I have flown into then gone on to my final destination, you will clear customs and immigration at first point of arrival, in this case Manila. (Flown into US, Canada, PNG and the EU then gone on to final destination.) Flying into the US then on to a foreign destination from Canada you have to clear US customs and immigration in Canada.

You often have to change terminals or at least transit from international to domestic sections of the terminal.

Only exception I know if is the PAL flight Manila to Vancouver then on to Toronto. There they deplane and re board in Vancouver but clear customs in Toronto. You cannot get on in Vancouver to fly to Toronto on that flight.

Call the airline and check to be sure.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Manitoba said:


> That's different.
> 
> Every other country I have flown into then gone on to my final destination, you will clear customs and immigration at first point of arrival, in this case Manila. (Flown into US, Canada, PNG and the EU then gone on to final destination.) Flying into the US then on to a foreign destination from Canada you have to clear US customs and immigration in Canada.
> 
> ...


You make a good point and I worked many years for the airlines and things to change. Would be a good idea for the original poster to contact his airline or travel agent to be very sure.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

Asian Spirit said:


> ........Would be a good idea for the original poster to contact his airline or travel agent to be very sure.



I am always amused when people ask for anonymous strangers on the internet for advice but will not simply call an expert ask ask them.

Remember what Abe Lincoln said, "Don't believe everything you read on the internet."


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Manitoba said:


> I am always amused when people ask for anonymous strangers on the internet for advice but will not simply call an expert ask ask them.
> 
> Remember what Abe Lincoln said, "Don't believe everything you read on the internet."


That's ok and why we are here to help steer each other in right directions - if possible.


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## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

hey mike lv49
yes you have to go through customs. You will get your luggage at international terminal and you have to go to the domestic terminal. If you are arriving at night then you will have to wait outside in the heat until domestic opens up at around 4 am. That is rare to have a flight with only a 2 hours delay. I have flown into manila international 8 times or more and then flown to Cebu and Davao. All the times my flight came in at night. I had to get my luggage and then ride bus around to domestic terminal.

I have flown both Philippine airlines and Cathay pacific. Both made me get my luggage in manila.

Maybe your flight is different.

art


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## mikelv49n (May 23, 2018)

Thanks Art.
That was helpful as i have a few choices as to the time of the connecting flight to Cebu.
I will give myself a 5 hour layover not the 2 hour , so i will not miss my flight to Cebu.
Thank you for the help


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## mikelv49n (May 23, 2018)

Must be a Canadian quoting Abe Lincoln. Thanks for your input


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## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

hey mike,

I have flown from lax several times to Manila. both Philippine and Cathay. Every flight I was on arrived at night time in manila. If that is the case then you will get there about 9 pm. Domestic does not open until around 4 am. There is another flight that goes to Singapore and to Cebu. that by passes Manila. Check that flight out.

art


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

greenstreak1946 said:


> hey mike,
> 
> I have flown from lax several times to Manila. both Philippine and Cathay. Every flight I was on arrived at night time in manila. If that is the case then you will get there about 9 pm. Domestic does not open until around 4 am. There is another flight that goes to Singapore and to Cebu. that by passes Manila. Check that flight out.
> 
> art


Depends who your onward flight is with. If Cebu Pacific there is a good chance you will be leaving terminal 3. only a few oddball flights from the old domestic terminal these days.


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## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

hey Gary, that is good to know about terminal 3. It is a pain in the azz to go up to the domestic flight area. There is never anything open that late at night. After flying for almost 17 hrs I would then have to sit outside in the heat until domestic opened about 4 am.

art


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

As per normal international flights, you will go through immigration at your first point of arrival. You need to collect your bags from the carousel and carry them through customs. You will then check in for your onward connecting flight. Depending where you are flying to, that may mean another terminal. That will show on your flight itinerary.


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## JRB__NW (Apr 8, 2015)

You will have to clear customs in Manila. 

I just came in on PAL from Honolulu, arriving at 4:30pm at International T2, with a 2 hour layover. Was through immigration in 10 min, waited 20 min for my checked luggage (including a bicycle in a case). Took them over to Customs, was cleared and back to the luggage belt. Walked outside and up to Domestic (same terminal) where I was still an hour early for boarding my Cebu flight. Amazing.

I do this once or twice a year and it never takes more than an hour to hour and a half max. But that's assuming you're flying in and out of terminal 2. And it helps that it's all on the same airline.


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## mikelv49n (May 23, 2018)

thanks for the info


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## greenstreak1946 (May 28, 2017)

have they changed the domestic check-in location? When I flew into international I had to take local transportation up to domestic with my luggage. Walking was out of the question with luggage. It has been 6 years since I flew in there.

Art


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

If you fly into the old NAIA yes you still change terminals but if you fly into the Cebu Pacific terminal, not sure if it's 2 or 3 it has both international and domestic in the same terminal.


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## JRB__NW (Apr 8, 2015)

Yes, Terminal 2 contains both International and Domestic for PAL, which is what makes it so expedient to fly PAL into the country if you have connecting flights. Other airlines like Delta, KLM, Cathay Pacific, United, ANA, and Singapore Airlines use the newer and nicer Terminal 3 for international flights, and I believe Cebu-Pacific and a few other carriers use it for Domestic, so that's another option as Cebu Pacific goes everywhere.

Easiest is simply to try and find flights that come into and leave from the same terminal as getting from one to another is a royal PIA.


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