Mactan Cebu International Airport (IATA: CEB, ICAO: RPVM) is located on Mactan Island in Metro Cebu which belongs to the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. Cebu is the second busiest airport of the Philippines with 52.000 flights and 6,5M passengers in 2015. All the Philippine carriers are serving Cebu (PAL Express, Air Asia Zest/Air Asia Philippines, Air Swift, Seair) and it is home of Cebu Pacific Air (ATR-72, A320).

Foreign carriers during daytime are Cathay Pacific (Hongkong), Silkair (Singapore) and Tigerair (Singapore). During the nighttime, the Korean carriers are coming with Korean Air, Asiana, Air Busan, Jejuair and Jinair. There is one Seair B737-200 still in service, leaving CEB to Clark every evening with cargo for UPS and returning the next morning around 8/9am from Clark – during the day, the 737 is parked on the ramp.
New routes during daytime are announced for March 2016 with Xiamen Airlines, Eva Air and Emirates. Also Philippine Airlines will start a new route with direct flights from Cebu to Los Angeles in March, using A340 and from the third quarter B777.
The airport developing is in progress and a new apron and terminal-building is under construction.
Cebu has a single runway that was built by the USA in 1956 and a full-length taxiway that it shares with the current Mactan Air Base of the Philippine Air Force.
From Cebu it is easy to reach all the beautiful islands around like Boracay (Caticlan Airport), Bohol, Bantayan, Malapascua, Siquijor, Camotes and many more of the 7,107 islands in the Philippines.

Written by Dirk Grothe – last visited December 2015

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
04/22	3.300 m (9,320 ft)
Terminals	One Terminal for International and Domestic flights
Spotting Information
Ladder	No ladder necessary.
Car/Public Transport	No car necessary and not recommended due to chaotic traffic, taxis or trikes (kind of sidecar motorcycle) are very cheap or rent a small motorbike/scooter to move between the spots (beware of the traffic!)
Restrooms	Only at the terminal
Drinks/Food	small stores (Sari-Sari stores) are everywhere near by, but it is recommended to bring your own drinks to be independent (very hot temperatures, you need plenty of water)
Hotels	Lots of hotels in Lapu-Lapu City near the airport (e.g. Goldberry, Dulcenia, Waterfront Hotel) – search at hotels.com
Season	Best season is December until March (avoid Easter – holy week), June until November is rain-season incl. typhoons, the hottest time is April/May (holiday season in the Philippines)
Runway Usage
04/22	04 during the dry north-east trade winds (Nov-May) 22 during the humid south-west monsoon (Jun-Oct)

	Spot #1 – General Aviation Road (04 morning)
WHERE	The spot is located at the General Aviation Road. Best spot for the morning arrivals 04. The aircraft fit perfect between the fence and the landlines.
WHAT	Morning approach 04.
TIME	From sunrise until noon.
MISC.	Less shadow, there is a wooden shelter you can use and the owners are friendly and will bring you a chair. It’s a very poor environment, so leave a 50 or 100 Peso bill (1 or 2 Euro) after using – that would be a complete dinner for the family.
FOCAL LENGTH	145mm (A320), 85mm (A330)

CEB-Spot1

CEB-Spot1

CEB-Spot1

CEB-Spot1

CEB-Spot1

CEB-Spot1

	Spot #2 – Cebu Light Industrial Park (04 afternoon)
WHERE	+++CURRENTLY SOME WIRES BLOCKING THE SIGHT SO WE RECOMMEND TO STAY AT SPOT 5 INSTEAD+++ At Basak Road, main road between Lapu-Lapu and Basak. It is the entrance area to the Cebu Light Industrial Park. Stay at the right where the parking area for the motorbikes is located.
WHAT	Afternoon approach 04.
TIME	From around 3pm until sunset.
MISC.	Busy road with a lot of chaotic traffic, Sari-Sari stores with food/beverage on the other side of the road. Shadow place to sit at this time of the day.
FOCAL LENGTH	90mm (A320)

CEB-Spot2

CEB-Spot2

CEB-Spot2

	Spot #3 – Firestation
WHERE	Once again this spot is at the General Aviation Road,  next to the Fire Station. You can easily shot over the fence from here as the runway is on a higher level.
WHAT	04 arrivals and departure, 22 arrival and departure
TIME	From sunrise until noon.
MISC.	Heat haze starting around 9am for the aircraft on the runway, better for 04 arrivals go to spot No. 1 and for 22 arrivals go to spot No. 4. It’s the best spot for 04 departure in the morning. No shadow, wear cap and use sun-lotion (SPF 30-50).
FOCAL LENGTH	130-160mm (A320), depending on the position runway, taxiway or airborne

CEB-Spot3

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	Spot #4 – Line-up 22
WHERE	General Aviation Road, opposite of the taxiway for line-up 22 near the threshold. There is a little hill of small stones from where you can shot over the fence without ladder.
WHAT	Line-up for take-off 22 and 22 approaches.
TIME	From sunrise until noon.
MISC.	Sari-Sari store with food/beverage and a place to sit in the shadow.
FOCAL LENGTH	130mm (A320), 80mm (A330)

CEB-Spot4

CEB-Spot4

CEB-Spot4

	Spot #5 – Lapu Lapu City College, afternoon arrival 04, line up 04
WHERE	The Lapu Lapu City College is located at the Basak Road, opposite of Spot #2. Ask the guard at the gate to enter the courtyard of the college for taking photos (5a). If denied, go to the big empty lot right hand side of the College (5b).
WHAT	Arrival 04 possible at 5a and 5b. The line-up for 04 only at 5a!
TIME	From around 14.00 until sunset for arrivals, for the line-up light is good from noon.
MISC.	Busy road with a lot of chaotic traffic, Sari-Sari stores with food/beverage on the other side of the road. Shadow place to sit at this time of the day.
FOCAL LENGTH	100mm (A320)