First time?
Your first international flight out of Manila, from drop-off to the gate.
Flying out of NAIA for the first time? Here is the whole departure in order, so you know what happens next before it happens. Pick your flight type below, and if you already have a flight number, the page can fill in your terminal and check-in counter.
Make it about your flight
OptionalType your flight number and the steps below fill in your terminal and check-in counter. Skip it and the guide still works.
eTravel and travel tax
Two bits of paperwork you can finish at home, days before the flight, so the airport part stays easy.
eTravel. Everyone leaving the country needs an eTravel QR code. Registration is free on the official government site, so watch out for lookalike sites that charge for it. Screenshot the QR code once you have it, immigration will ask for it.
Travel tax. The Philippine Travel Tax is a government fee, not an airline one. Check your booking before paying anything, some airlines already collect it with your ticket.
Who pays
- Filipino citizens
- Foreigners with permanent residence in the Philippines
- Foreign visitors who have stayed more than a year
Usually exempt
- OFWs flying to their country of employment
- Filipinos who are permanent residents abroad
- Infants two years old and below
Pay online through TIEZA before your trip, or at the TIEZA counters near check-in. Either way, keep the receipt. The check-in counter will ask for it.
Go to the right terminal
Which terminal does my airline fly from?NAIA's terminals are separate buildings a few kilometres apart, and they are not connected inside. Walking into the wrong one costs you a taxi ride and a big chunk of your buffer, so double-check the terminal on your ticket or your airline's confirmation email before you leave the house. Aim to arrive three hours before your flight.
Find your check-in counter
Find your airlineTerminals 1 and 3 are long buildings with counters numbered end to end, so knowing your counter range saves a lot of walking. Type your flight number into the box above and the counter shows up right here, or open your airline's page to see the counters it usually uses. Already at the terminal? The screens near the entrances list every flight and its counters.
Check in, drop your bags
Have these ready before you join the queue:
- Your passport
- Your ticket or itinerary
- A visa, if your destination requires one
- Your travel tax receipt, if you paid online or at the airport
Check-in closes one hour before your flight, so don't cut it close. If you have bags to check, this is where they go.
Clear immigration
Avoid getting offloadedAfter check-in, immigration. Have your passport, boarding pass, and eTravel QR code ready before you reach the booth. Officers sometimes ask first-time travellers a few extra questions about their trip, and being unprepared for those is how people get offloaded. Ten minutes of reading now can save the whole trip.
Get through security
What you can and can't bringEverything goes through the x-ray: bags, jackets, sometimes shoes. Liquids over 100 ml in your carry-on and power banks inside checked bags are the usual reasons a tray gets pulled aside, so sort those out while you wait in line. When in doubt, check the rules before you pack.
Find your boarding gate
Watch departures liveYour gate is printed on the boarding pass, but gates move, so glance at a screen once you're past security. Boarding usually starts 30 to 45 minutes before departure, and the doors close earlier than the time on your pass. Some piers are a solid walk, so find your gate first, then wander.
Or eat first
See what's open at your terminalMade it through with time to spare? That's the goal. Every terminal has food both before and after security, from a quick silog to a proper send-off meal. Enjoy it, you've earned the calm part of the trip.
That's the whole walk through the terminal.
Ingat sa biyahe, and enjoy the flight!