How to Get to Palawan: Flights from Manila, Clark and Cebu (Checked Oct 2026)

How this page is built: we compile operator timetables, government and park notices, and booking-platform listings. Each figure names its source and the month we checked it. Nothing here is first-hand, and airline schedules change by season, so confirm on the airline's own site before you book.

Figures marked "reported by", "secondary" or "as listed on 12Go" come from schedule databases, guides or booking platforms; confirm them on the airline's site or at the counter before you travel.

Which airport to fly into

Where you are going	Airport	Nonstop from Manila (NAIA)?	Nonstop from Clark?	Nonstop from Cebu?	Source, checked Oct 2026
Puerto Princesa, Underground River, Port Barton, Balabac	Puerto Princesa (PPS)	Yes: Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific	Yes: Cebu Pacific	Yes: Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines	Reported by FlyTeam (OAG); Clark Airport flights page; Reported by FlightMapper
El Nido	El Nido, also called Lio (ENI)	No, moved to Clark on Mar 29, 2026	Yes: Cebgo	Yes: Cebgo	Cebu Pacific help center; Reported by FlyTeam; Reported by FlightMapper
Coron	Busuanga, Francisco B. Reyes (USU)	No, moved to Clark on Mar 29, 2026	Yes: Philippine Airlines, Cebgo, Sunlight Air	Yes: Philippine Airlines, Cebgo, Sunlight Air	Cebu Pacific help center; PhilSTAR Life; Reported by FlyTeam
San Vicente, Long Beach, Port Barton	San Vicente (SWL)	No	No	Yes: Cebgo, 4 days a week	Reported by FlightMapper

Airport by airport detail, including transfers into town, is on Palawan airports.

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Flights from Manila

Puerto Princesa is the one Palawan airport with jet service from NAIA. OAG schedule data reported by FlyTeam, Oct 2026, listed Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines on the route, with the last nonstop of the day on Philippine Airlines at 18:20. Booking-platform prices for this route are low: 12Go's Oct 2026 search showed nonstop-length itineraries at roughly USD 28 to 60, as listed on 12Go in USD.

AirAsia Philippines is no longer a reliable option for this route. Aviation Updates Philippines reported in Jun 2026 that AirAsia would suspend Puerto Princesa flights from Oct 1, 2026, and the Oct 2026 OAG listing on FlyTeam shows only Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.

The bigger 2026 change is for El Nido and Coron. From Mar 29, 2026, both airline groups moved their turboprop flights out of NAIA to Clark:

Cebu Pacific group (Cebgo, formerly AirSWIFT): its help center lists Coron (Busuanga) and El Nido among the destinations that "no longer" have direct flights to and from NAIA.
Philippine Airlines: its Feb 2026 advisory, as reported by PhilSTAR Life, moved Manila to Busuanga flights to Clark to Busuanga.

AirSWIFT itself no longer exists as a brand. Cebgo has operated all AirSWIFT flights since Jul 1, 2026, under DG flight numbers, and they are booked through Cebu Pacific (Cebu Pacific help center; Philippine News Agency).

Route	Airlines	Flight time	Source, checked Oct 2026
Manila (NAIA) to Puerto Princesa	Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines	1 h 15 min to 1 h 40 min	Reported by FlyTeam (OAG data)
Clark to Puerto Princesa	Cebu Pacific, 4 days a week	Not captured	Clark Airport flights page; Reported by FlightMapper
Clark to El Nido	Cebgo	1 h 35 min to 1 h 45 min	Reported by FlyTeam (OAG data)
Clark to Busuanga (Coron)	Philippine Airlines, Cebgo, Sunlight Air	1 h 5 min to 1 h 25 min	Reported by FlyTeam (OAG data)

Getting to Clark from Manila adds ground time. Cebu Pacific's notice says it does not run transport between the two airports and points travelers to Genesis Transport's P2P bus, which it said would offer free rides from NAIA Terminal 3 to Clark from Apr 1, 2026. Check with Genesis whether that offer is still running.

Flights from Cebu

The Cebu schedules below are reported by FlightMapper and FlyTeam, Oct 2026. Cebu is the one hub with nonstop service to every Palawan airport, which makes it useful for travelers arriving on international flights into Mactan-Cebu.

Route	Airlines	Flight time	Frequency noted	Source, checked Oct 2026
Cebu to Puerto Princesa	Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines	1 h 20 min to 1 h 35 min	Several daily	Reported by FlightMapper (schedule database)
Cebu to El Nido	Cebgo	1 h 40 min to 1 h 50 min	Two daily listings	Reported by FlightMapper (schedule database)
Cebu to Busuanga (Coron)	Philippine Airlines, Cebgo, Sunlight Air	1 h 20 min to 1 h 40 min	Several daily	Reported by FlyTeam (OAG data)
Cebu to San Vicente	Cebgo DG 6628	About 1 h 55 min	Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun, 13:30 departure	Reported by FlightMapper (schedule effective to Oct 29, 2026)

The San Vicente schedule in the table is listed only through Oct 29, 2026. Check Cebu Pacific's site for the season after that date.

Flying in from abroad

Only domestic routes into Puerto Princesa (Manila, Clark, Cebu, Davao and Iloilo) are reported by FlightMapper, a schedule database, Oct 2026. We found no scheduled international flight into any Palawan airport, so international visitors connect through Manila, Clark or Cebu. Allow for a terminal change or an airport change: NAIA to Clark for El Nido and Coron is a road transfer, not a connection inside one airport.

Everyone arriving in the Philippines registers on eTravel. The official site says registration is free and can be done within 72 hours before arrival; use only etravel.gov.ph or the eGovPH app.

By ferry from Manila

2GO publishes two Manila sailings to Palawan on its schedule page (updated Jan 15, 2026), listed under different ship names: MV Francis Xavier to Coron and MV 2GO Masigla to Puerto Princesa.

Sailing	Departs	Arrives	Time at sea	Source, checked Oct 2026
Manila to Coron	Fri 5:30 PM	Sat 6:30 AM	About 13 hours	2GO sailing schedule
Manila to Puerto Princesa	Fri 5:30 PM	Sat 10:30 PM	About 29 hours	2GO sailing schedule
Coron to Manila	Sun 8:30 PM	Mon 9:30 AM	About 13 hours	2GO sailing schedule

2GO asks passengers to be at the gate 1 hour before departure. 12Go's route summary in Oct 2026 showed Manila to Puerto Princesa ferries from about USD 79, as listed on 12Go in USD; we did not capture 2GO's own fares. More on the Coron sailings, including the slower Atienza ferry, is on How to get to Coron.

Partner link Manila to Puerto Princesa ferries and flights on 12Go

Once you land

Most first trips link two or three bases. The common road and sea legs each have their own page:

Puerto Princesa to El Nido by van or bus: Puerto Princesa to El Nido
El Nido to Coron by fast ferry, flight or expedition boat: El Nido to Coron
Port Barton, between the two: Port Barton

Local fees start on arrival. Coron's environmental fee is collected at Busuanga Airport, and El Nido's eco-tourism fee applies to tours there; see Palawan fees. For total budgets see Palawan trip cost.

Season note

PAGASA's national calendar has a rainy season from June to November and a dry season from December to May. Small turboprop flights and inter-island boats are the first to feel bad weather, so leave a buffer day before an international departure. Month by month data is on Best time to visit Palawan.

Last checked Oct 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page; tell us if an airline has changed a route or schedule.

FAQs

What is the easiest way to get to Palawan from Manila?

Fly NAIA to Puerto Princesa on Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes nonstop. For El Nido or Coron, the nonstop flights now leave from Clark, not NAIA.

Can you fly directly from Manila to El Nido?

Not from NAIA since Mar 29, 2026. Cebgo moved its El Nido flights to Clark, and they take about 1 hour 35 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes from there.

Can you fly directly from Manila to Coron?

Not from NAIA since Mar 29, 2026, according to both Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines notices. Philippine Airlines, Cebgo and Sunlight Air fly Clark to Busuanga in about 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes.

Which airport is best for Palawan?

Puerto Princesa has the most flights and suits the Underground River, Port Barton and the south. El Nido (ENI) and Busuanga (USU) put you closest to El Nido and Coron, at the cost of fewer, smaller flights.

Is there a ferry from Manila to Palawan?

Yes. 2GO's schedule lists two Friday 5:30 PM departures from Manila: to Coron, arriving about 6:30 AM Saturday (MV Francis Xavier), and to Puerto Princesa, arriving about 10:30 PM Saturday (listed under MV 2GO Masigla).

Do I need eTravel to fly to Palawan?

eTravel is for arrival in the Philippines, so international visitors complete it before their first flight into the country. The official site says it is free and opens 72 hours before arrival.