Airline Fuel Surcharge Drops Starting July 16
The Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board has reduced airline fuel surcharge for July 16–31, 2026.
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) reduced the fuel surcharge level for domestic and international flights for the period of July 16-31, 2026.
CAB, the Philippine government agency that handles economic regulations of the air transportation industry, set the surcharge level to Level 8, according to a July 13, 2026, advisory.
The fuel surcharge is an optional fee airlines can charge to their passengers to alleviate the companies’ cost of fuel, especially during periods of fuel price spikes.
Under Level 8, passengers pay P253-787 in fuel surcharge for domestic flights, depending on flight distance. The surcharge is set at P835.05-6208.98 for international flights.
The Level 8 set for the rest of July represents a continued downward trend in the cost of fuel surcharge, which is linked to the global price of jet fuel.
The average jet fuel price stood at $127.06 per barrel (or P7,832.80) for the week ending July 10, 2026, according to the International Air Transport Association.
On April 13, 2026, CAB set the surcharge to Level 19 in response to higher fuel prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
Jet fuel prices at the time rose to $197.83 per barrel (or P12,196.22) for the week ending April 10, 2026
Under Level 19, the domestic flight fuel surcharge is set at P627-1834. The surcharge for international flights ranges from P2070.77 to 15397.15.
The April 13 advisory also put in place a fifteen-day price monitoring and implementation cycle for the imposition of fuel surcharge, temporarily suspending the one-monthly cycle.
“This is intended to cushion the impact of fuel price volatility and manage increasing costs,” CAB Executive Director Carmelo L. Arcilla said in the April 13 advisory.
“The more gradual and incremental implementation of fuel surcharge to be collected from passengers can be a way of softening the impact of higher fuel surcharge increases, and enable faster reduction when fuel prices decline,” he said.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) set the fuel surcharge to Level 8 for July 16-31, 2026. Under this level, domestic flight passengers pay between P253 and P787 depending on distance, while international flight passengers pay between P835.05 and P6,208.98.
The fuel surcharge fell as global jet fuel prices declined. The International Air Transport Association reported average jet fuel prices at $127.06 per barrel for the week ending July 10, 2026, down from the $197.83 per barrel recorded in April 2026, when the Middle East conflict pushed prices higher.
The fuel surcharge is an optional fee that the Civil Aeronautics Board allows Philippine Airlines to charge passengers to help offset rising fuel costs, particularly during periods of fuel price spikes. CAB reviews and sets the surcharge level periodically based on prevailing jet fuel prices.
Under Level 19, set on April 13, 2026, domestic flight passengers paid between P627 and P1,834 in fuel surcharge, while international flight passengers paid between P2,070.77 and P15,397.15, reflecting jet fuel prices that had risen amid the Middle East conflict.
CAB introduced a 15-day price monitoring and implementation cycle on April 13, 2026, temporarily replacing its usual monthly review. CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla said the shorter cycle cushions the impact of fuel price volatility and allows surcharges to fall faster when prices decline.
