Outbound travelers queue at the NAIA 3 check-in and immigration counters at the on December 22, 2023 as holiday travelers head to various ports in the run-up to Christmas. Transportation officials estimate that around 140 thousand passengers are expected to travel to local and international destinations during the holidays. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN news

MANILA (UPDATE) --  Flights may soon get cheaper as airline fuel surcharges are set to get reduced next month.

The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has lowered the fuel surcharge that airlines can impose for October. 

In an advisory, the CAB lowered the fuel surcharge rate for October 2024 to Level 4. It was set at Level 5 in February.

Cheaper flights seen as CAB sets lower fuel surcharge in February

The fuel surcharge under Level 4 for domestic flights ranges from P117 to P342. This is down from P151 to P542 at Level 5. 

For international flights, meanwhile, it ranges from P385.70 to P2,867.82. This is also down from P498.03 to P3,703.11 at Level 5. 

AirAsia Philippines said it welcomes the reduced passenger fuel surcharge for October. The airline said this is expected to boost travel demand with the approach of the holiday season.

"This timely adjustment is expected to positively impact ticket prices, making it an opportunity for travelers to secure their holiday plans," the low-cost carrier said.

Last February, airlines said flights would get cheaper as CAB lowered the fuel surcharge from Level 6 to Level 5.

Oil prices on the global market have been decreasing recently amid concerns over lower demand as the Chinese economy, which is the second-largest in the world, continued to struggle. 

A strengthening peso has also made fuel imports less expensive compared to previous months. 

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