Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport - All You Need to Know

Manila is the prime tourist destination of the Philippines. It is the capital city of the country, and one of three recognized metropolitan cities. Currently, it is facilitated for tourists by the Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It is a fairly huge airport, although can be confusing at times for those who are new visitors. Here are some common queries about the airport.

Major Airlines Operating at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport

1. Air China
2. Air Asia
3. Cebu Pacific
4. China Airlines
5. Delta Air Lines
6. Emirates
7. Malaysia Airlines
8. Philippines Airlines
9. Qatar Airways
10. SkyJet
11. Thai Airlines

Transportation Services from the Airport

1. Bus: There are local and city buses to the metro city of Manila.

2. Taxi: You can easily hail a cab outside the airport, or use an app for the same. It’ll take approximately 30 minutes to reach Manila by taxi. 

3. Rail: The Light Rail Transport System (LRT) is also a convenient way to reach the city. 

4. Shuttle: The airport has a shuttle service as well, by the name of UBE Express. 

5. Car Rental: And if you like to drive on your own, you can rent a car at the airport itself and drive to the city. 

Service and Facilities at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport

1. ATMs, Bank Branches, Currency Exchange, and Wi-Fi

You can access all these facilities at the airport, and get cash and free wi-fi as per your needs.  

2. Food & Beverage

All the terminals have food and drink concession stands. You’ll find everything from chain stores to small coffee shops at this airport. 

3. Duty-free Shopping

No trip is complete without a little duty-free shopping. All terminals have plenty of stores and retail concession stands at your disposal for a little shopping spree. 

4. Baby Care Facilities

They also provide baby care facilities like changing rooms, supplies, and rooms for feeding. 

5. Medical Services and Pharmacy

You can easily fill up your prescription at their pharmacies and avail their medical services in case of emergency.

6. Lounges

Terminal 1,2 and 3- all of them facilitate airport and flight lounges for the passengers. Terminal 4 currently doesn’t have any lounges, it only provides the basic facilities. 

Terminals at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Terminal 1

Terminal 1 (the Ninoy Aquino Terminal) facilitates international services, mainly from the Philippines Airlines. It has two levels- Arrivals and Departures. This terminal has all the basic facilities along with the following lounges:

1. Dusit Thani Manila Hotel Lounge 
2. PAGSS Lounge (Fourth level, Gate 2, Gate 7)
3. Club Manila (Third Level)
4. Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge (Third Level)

Terminal 2

Terminal 2 (the Centennial Terminal) facilitates both domestic (South Wing) and international flights (North Wing) for Philippines Airlines. It has two levels and provides all the basic facilities, along with the Philippines Airlines Mabuhay Lounge. 

Terminal 3

Terminal 3 is the largest and the newest terminal of the airport. It has four levels and facilitates international flights. This terminal provides all the basic services, along with the following lounges:

1. PAGSS Lounge (Fourth level)
2. Pacific Club (Fourth level)
3. Sky View Lounge (International Departures) 
4. Wings Transit Lounge (Fourth level)
5. Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge (Fourth level)
6. Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge (Fourth level)

Terminal 4

Terminal 4 (the Manila Domestic Passenger Terminal) facilitates domestic flights and is the oldest facility at this airport. It doesn’t have any lounges, it only provides facilities like phone booths, medical centres, smoking areas, and of course, food, drink, and retail concessions. 

History of Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport is the closest airport to the city of Manila. Situated about 15 kilometres from the main town (Metro Manila), this airport has four terminals and two runways. It is commonly known as NAIA.

It was inaugurated in 1937 as the city’s first commercial airport. Since then, it has been upgraded several times, and in 2018, it served 45,082,544 passengers, breaking the annual average passenger record.