The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) announced a slight reduction in fuel surcharge, lowering it from Level 19 to Level 18 for the period of May 1 to 15, 2026. This change offers some relief to air travelers who have been facing higher costs due to volatile oil prices.
New Surcharge Rates
Under Level 18, the fuel surcharge for domestic flights ranges from PHP593 to PHP1,734, while international flights will see surcharges between PHP1,958.44 and PHP14,561.87, depending on the distance. This is a decrease from the Level 19 rates, which were PHP627 to PHP1,824 for domestic flights and PHP2,070.77 to PHP15,397.15 for international flights.
Understanding Fuel Surcharge
Fuel surcharge is an additional fee that airlines may collect on top of the base fare to cover costs arising from oil price fluctuations. The CAB has been implementing a 15-day price monitoring and implementation cycle for fuel surcharge to mitigate the impact of fuel price surges on air travel expenses.
In an advisory, the CAB stated that this interim measure will remain in effect until the current situation stabilizes, or until it is revised or revoked. The applicable conversion rate for the period is PHP60 to the US dollar.
Airlines that wish to impose or collect fuel surcharges must file their applications with the office of the CAB executive director before the effective period.
