At a meeting of the aviation industry’s most brilliant minds, Cebu Pacific was named Asia’s Low-Cost Airline of the Year by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), a global authority in aviation research and analysis. The CAPA Asia Aviation Awards for Excellence were given during a gala dinner of the 2025 CAPA Airline Leader Summit Asia last October 30, 2025 at Capella Singapore on Sentosa Island.
The honor highlights Cebu Pacific’s strong business performance amid its mission to make air travel more accessible for everyone. CAPA’s annual awards honor the airline that demonstrates outstanding strategic leadership, innovation, and lasting industry impact. Winners are chosen through the independent research by CAPA’s international panel of judges and analysts, who evaluate nominees by a stringent set of performance metrics rather than customer surveys.
Previously, CAPA had given Cebu Pacific a Gold rating for sustainability in 2023, making it one of only two low-cost carriers in Southeast Asia to earn the recognition. The airline had also been named Asia Environmental Sustainability Airline/Airline Group of the Year at the 2022 CAPA Environmental Sustainability Awards for Excellence.
With this year’s win, Cebu Pacific sets the standard for all low-cost carriers across the region.
Cebu Pacific Chief Executive Officer Michael Szucs (center) receives the plaque on behalf of Cebu Pacific after it was named Asia’s Low-Cost Airline of the Year by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). Left: Aviation Week Network's Region Vice President, Paul Burton; Right: APAC Network's CEO Oriel Morrison.
“We are deeply honored to receive this award from CAPA. It recognizes the passion and commitment of every Cebu Pacific employee who works hard each day to make flying safe, affordable, and accessible for our passengers,” said Mike Szucs, CEB Chief Executive Officer. “As we expand our reach, our purpose remains clear—to connect people and communities, and to help fuel tourism and economic growth across the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific.”
Cebu Pacific earned the award in large part due to its record-breaking passenger growth and strong financial performance. From January to September 2025, CEB has flown nearly 20 million passengers, a 13.9% increase from the same period in 2024. Domestic passengers grew 12.7% to 14.9 million, while international passengers grew 17.7% to 5.1 million. The seat load factor averaged 84.8% for the period, while overall capacity in seats went up by 14% to 23.5 million.
The airline’s success stems from its low-cost model, which has transformed air travel in the Philippines by expanding connectivity, opening new routes, and keeping fares affordable for more travelers.
To meet growing demand, Cebu Pacific has also invested heavily in its fleet and network expansion, including a record-breaking order for up to 152 Airbus A321neo aircraft – the largest in Philippine aviation history. In December 2024, the airline’s fleet expansion achieved a major milestone through securing a brand-new A321neo via a Sustainability-Linked Loan (SLL), making Cebu Pacific the very first low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia to do so.
The airline’s big win at the CAPA Asia Aviation Awards for Excellence follows Cebu Pacific’s back-to-back win for Best Airline at the 2025 Routes Asia Awards earlier this year.
Learn more about Cebu Pacific at cebupacificair.com.
