There have been a lot of changes and updates being made to NAIA T3. Having flown in and out of NAIA…read morenumerous times in my lifetime, there is certainly a lot of room for improvement, but kudos also have to be made at an airport in Manila, where efficiency isn't always its strongest suit. Let's talk about arrivals first. The immigration line for foreign passport is always dreadfully long. You just have to pray and hope that your flight doesn't land at the same time as other international flights and isn't close to lunch time (otherwise there may be less counters open due to staff taking lunch break). On average, it takes around 20-30 minutes to get through immigration. And then if you don't have a priority baggage tag, it can take an additional 20 minutes of waiting on top. Luggage takes way too long to come out, and you'd think for an international airport, they'd have it down to a tee. Unfortunately in Manila, efficiency doesn't quite fall in their vocabulary. As for international departures, you definitely need to budget arriving at the airport at least 2.5 hours prior to your flight. The queues for immigration and security are a true gamble. You can breeze through in maybe less than 20 minutes if there is barely a queue, or that it will take over 45 minutes if there are too many departures at the same time and not enough staff at the counters. There are a few dining outlets at the airport, but nothing too outstanding. You're better off bringing your own snacks over paying for overpriced food at the gate area.

I was at Naia Terminal 3 last September for my trip to the Philippines and I was excited to explore…read morethe airport. It was not like this 20 years ago. The airport is huge, and a busy one based on the long lines at the airport wether you are departing or arriving in the Philippines. It has a range of facilities like numerous duty free shops, restaurants, cafe's, lounges, free wifi and charging stations, a chapel/prayer room and a 24 hour medical center and pharmacy. As busy as it is, the airport is organized, and a lot of airport staff around the area to help every passenger in need. Arriving was a breeze. Everything was fast, got my luggage without any problem. Departing was a different story. I suggest you should be at the airport at least 3 hours before your flight because it is one of the busiest domestic and international airport, so there are long lines to check in, go through TSA and all that. There was another line to go through security checkpoint to enter my gate. Overall I am just happy to be home and I do not mind to go through all of these again in my next trips. Aside from the long lines, everything else was hassle free. Check it out!

I made my first trip to the Manila on the 8th of March. The 14 and a half hour flight was tiring…read moreafter working a full 8hour day but definitely got sleep on the plane. Arriving in Terminal 1 was pretty stressful free for me as I prepared ahead of time by watching videos. Wasn't sure what immigration and customs was going to be like after watching the videos but it went pretty quick as there was only 5 people ahead of me. When I left Manila going back to the states I was not really sure where I needed to go so me being the outgoing person that I am always asked security for directions without any hesitation and everything went smooth. They are friendly so be afraid to ask questions. They won't bite. They are human and want you to be relaxed anyways so just get out of the American uptight ass shells we all live in and be friendly. I had heard that you need to prepare for long wait times at immigration and security screening so after my hotel checkout time I did some last minute running around with my girlfriend before she left to go home and then I booked a grab 8 hours before my flight departure time. Getting there early was stress free, lines were short, and screening was easy. What I didn't like was after I got to the gate and been there for 4 hours already, everyone around the gates had to go back through screening and get a pat down. I know what to expect for next year and I am already prepared so if you are flying here into or out of terminal 1 just do some quick online research to make it easier and be friendly don't be afraid to start conversations

Oh boy--we did it! From LAX to Manila's NAIA Terminal 1, then racing to Terminal 2 for our Coron…read moreconnection with just enough time to wonder, "Is this how travel-induced ulcers are made?" The international flight arrived early (hallelujah!), but the wait for our luggage? Pure psychological warfare! Absolute torture! I was pacing like a contestant on "The Amazing Race: Airport Edition" while silently saying goodbye to my fingernails. Meanwhile, my sister dubbed me full-on kray-kray for attempting this tight a connection in the Philippines of all places--and honestly? She had a point. As if the ticking clock wasn't enough, the PAL app decided to stress me out even more with hourly "your flight is boarding soon" push notifications. Calm down, PAL. Let me breathe. Then came the classic NAIA twist: flying with PAL? Logically, you head to the PAL entrance to check-in. Makes sense right? BUT NO, a very chill security guard casually points--with his lips, of course--toward the AirAsia building. "Check in ober der ser." HUH?! Is this a crossover episode? A budget travel influencer collab? What is happening? After our brief scavenger hunt, plus a weigh-in battle at the luggage scale (nothing says family bonding like accusing each other of being "suspiciously dense"), we finally made it to our gate. The biggest surprise - Terminal 2! It's not bad at all! Spacious, clean, and bright. It even has that "recently renovated and not haunted" vibe, A far cry from the haunted-Jurassic vibes of NAIA T1 (bless its aging soul). The PAL crew? Absolutely wonderful. Friendly, efficient, and clearly trained in crisis management for stressed travelers like yours truly LOL. Moral of the story: be nice, people. Always remember the Golden Rule. Kindness might be your boarding pass to sanity. So here we are--connection secured, spirits high, and officially on vacation mode. From panic to paradise, all before lunch. Final Verdict: Solid 4 out of 5 lost brain cells. Would definitely run this airport obstacle course again... in cross-trainers next time.

Crowded full of people, chaos everywhere! Parking is scarce…read morewith all the vehicles everywhere. Strict enforcement and regulations direly needed.

Went to the international terminal and everything is super smooth. Clean and easy directional…read moresigns. They have staff to help with customers with questions. Went through the custom with smooth sailing. Plenty of shops, restaurants and coffee places to checkout. Also lounges are at 114 on 2nd floor.

We were at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 for our roundtrip flight to Japan. We were…read moreable to use the Mabuhay Lounge with breakfast buffet while waiting for boarding. Staff at Mabuhay Lounge was great as we noticed them non stop replenishing hot food items on the tray during breakfast as well as fresh fruits. The staff were very friendly and helpful. They even asked our party of 15 if we needed assistance on anything. We will be using the Mabuhay Lounge for our international travels when in Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Since we booked our upcoming cruise to Australia and New Zealand through our local travel agency,…read morewe worked with the local agent dedicated to cruise travel arrangements. About a month before our March cruise, our agent provided us with our flights and pre- and post-cruise hotel stays. Since we wanted to extend our trip, we were flying such a long distance and staying abroad for about three weeks. However, a month before our cruise, we noticed that the agent had arranged our flights with Philippine Airlines, with a stopover and connecting flight in Manila before continuing to Sydney, AU. The total time with a stopover was 24 hours, whereas a direct flight would only take around 10 hours. Undeterred, we left the arrangements alone and decided to start our adventures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the Philippines' international airport. We've never flown on Philippine Airlines before and found the flights to be comfortable, with friendly, polite air crew and very safety-minded. Before we departed from Honolulu, our agent sent us instructions to complete the Philippine Government's Travel Documents as foreign visitors, even though we were only going to be in the Philippines to catch a connecting flight and not leave the airport. After completing the online Arrival into and Departure from the Philippines to Australia, we understood the necessity of these immigration documents for residents and foreign visitors. After deplaning in Manila, we were informed that we needed to be screened by airport security, which we found odd because we and others had just gotten off the plane, had boarding passes for our connecting flight, and weren't planning to leave the airport. Then a series of misunderstandings occurred, and our 5-hour stopover was spent being ping-ponged between security screening on the 2nd floor and the security guard on the 3rd floor. What happened, you ask? Well, after passing through security, the last agent told us to climb the stairs to the third floor to our gate, as we had presented our connecting flight tickets and asked if our checked luggage was being transferred with us. The agent told us we'd have to go to baggage claim downstairs to identify and unlock our bags before entering Australia, but then directed us upstairs. We were puzzled by her direction and worried that if we went to baggage claim, we might have to go through TSA to re-enter the terminal. However, after looking at the stairs' incline, I asked if there were elevators, as I am still healing from my knee replacement and had a carry-on bag and purse in hand. The agent then took us to the elevator next to their Transit Desk and told us to go upstairs. When we got out, a security guard stopped us, looked at our boarding passes, and asked us why our tickets weren't stamped. We asked, "What Stamp?" Because we had just gone through connecting flight or transit screening, and they directed us upstairs without a stamp. However, he sent us back downstairs to security check again. None of the agents remembered us going through, so we stood in line and went through the screening process again. When we reached the end of the process and were repacking our belongings after inspection, I was fortunate to see an agent who had helped me with my carry-on bag before sending us to the elevator going up a floor. He asked why we were back. I told him the upstairs inspector/agent sent us back for some "stamp." We were then sent back upstairs, but this time we were told to tell them we had a connecting flight, had already passed the transit inspection, and needed to identify our checked luggage, but didn't know where to go on the third floor. All of a sudden, we could see a "light bulb" go off in the head of this security guard as he then told us we needed to go around the corner by the WH Smith store, take the elevator down to baggage claim or holding, identify and open our bags to be screened before they could send the bags onto the connecting flight. We got a little worried because we weren't sure whether the elevator would take us outside the airport, and then we'd have to go through security again! But no, there was a sign and an agent from the Australian DHA Baggage Check who assured us we wouldn't have to leave the airport. Once the agents downstairs clear our baggage, they'd stamp or approve it on our boarding passes, allowing our bags to follow us onto the connecting flight. I thank our lucky stars that we didn't have to leave the International Terminal where we arrived and take a shuttle to one of their other two terminals, since it was quite warm outside and we could at least enjoy the cool air-conditioning there. Also, should we ever fly through the Philippines again, we'll know what to do if we have a connecting flight with checked luggage.

As an international visitor visiting the Philippines for the 7th time, Ninoy Aquino International…read moreAirport (NAIA) Terminal's 1 (primarily international) and 3 (mix of international/domestic flights) are where both locals and foreigners fly into for flights outside of the Philippines. As for Terminal 1, not much seems to have changed aesthetically (at least from the departure entrance area) although I was informed significant upgrades to the interior portion were done in 2014. Due to Manila traffic it's best that you arrive at the airport at least 4 hours (and that is prior to your commute here) from your flight time. I say this because the immigration process moves very slowly. I took a late afternoon flight and as I'd mentioned in my Metro Manila review, traffic is horrendous in Metro Manila. That being said, I chose to leave 90 minutes prior to. As soon as you step out of the car/Grab rideshare/Jeepney to enter through any of the 3 terminals, make sure you have your boarding pass and passport ready. All too often I see tourists fumble and block the doorway attempting to grab these things which hold up the line. Once settled in and you've checked in your bags/gone through immigration/done your business in the CR / bathroom (for you non Filipino folk). You're probably hungry. For food options, I've been to all 3 terminals. Terminal 1 has a Starbucks, sandwich shop, souvenir shop and a Duty Free. Terminal 2 has mainly snack stalls and a few airport lounges. Unless you're a PAL (Philippine Airlines Mabuhay traveler with extra perks for lounge access), there are a few other lounges like PAGSS Premium (depending on capacity) that you can get into which are open to the public. Granted you'll have to prepay around $27-45 USD for the exclusivity. PAGSS has food and WiFi but I don't believe they have showers. I can't tell you much more because I've never felt the need to use either lounge. The more modern, Terminal 3 has a helluva ton of food options. My favorites from Terminal 3 are Kenny Rogers Roasters (Roasted Chicken/Similar to Boston Market), Shake Shack (Burgers) Mama Lou's (Italian fast casual), Paris Baguette (Bakery) and Ramen Nagi (Japanese Ramen). One last thing I forgot to mention is to make sure you download and complete the eTravel app (etravel.gov.ph) to make the process through the immigration portion smooth upon arrival. This is crucial to do at least a few days before you fly out. Enjoy your time at NAIA and Mabuhay Pilipinas!

Getting off of my connecting flight to transition into the airport was smooth and the staff was…read morevery kind, resourceful and helped me get to where I needed to be. I immediately got a beer before navigating my way through the airport in which I found many convenient stores along the way with local snacks! I checked into the 3-hour lounge which allowed me just enough time before my evening flight. The food options were great! They had one of my favorite options: CHEESE & OLIVE plate! Aside from that, there were many local food options available. I was occupied with the white wine and scotch! The overall airport itself waiting at the gates was overcrowded, loud and many areas under construction. If you're not in the lounge area, I wouldn't recommend it as a long hang out spot.

there are no charging places that work in this entire airport! they do not let you go through…read moresecurity until 3 hours before your flight departs.

Friendly people, but horrible logistics are chronic at this airport, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE TO…read moreTRANSFER TO ANOTHER TERMINAL!!! Plan for an extra hour or 2!, or use a taxi for 530pp and an hour to get to terminal 4!!! Their apps for arrival are also very difficult to use and this added further delays.

I was picked up at my hotel and taken to their private terminal for my flight. I was immediately…read moregreeted upon arriving and they quickly assisted me with my items to be processed through security. They handled the rest of my luggage so all I really had to worry about was the personal item that was already on me. My luggage was quickly tagged and was given a claim tag for the item I was leaving in their locker. We were led to the lounge area where we were offered light refreshments. Hotel check-in was also performed in the lounge so when we arrived at the destination, we were able to immediately go to our room. They had games to play to occupy your time while we waited for our flight. Right before boarding, we were shown the safety video. Once they were ready for us, they opened up the door and were given the red carpet treatment, literally. They had the red carpet to guide us to our plane and we were given a chilled towel to help freshen us for our flight. The plane was small and seated about 15 passengers. Each seat had a chilled bottle of water, a woven fan, motion sickness bag and ear plugs since the propellers could get loud. The flight took off from NAIA airport but we had to taxi a bit to get to the runway. The flight actually wasn't too long and we arrived in about an hour. Overall a great experience but then again, it was to be expected since it was part of the Aman treatment.

Its Two Star 2uesday again!…read more PL was right next to our gate at MNL so we decided to give it a whirl. There were mainly negatives. Positives: Not much Negatives: The food is mediocre at best; There are two sections to the lounge. We were in the overflow area that doesn't have a restroom. You have to walk back to the main area; Asshole guests talking on the phone in the lounge. The next time I am in the PI, I hope I have access to a better lounge.

A co-worker invited us into PAGSS Lounge at NAIA Terminal 1, and it honestly made a difference…read morebefore our flight. Right now it's smaller than usual since the other lounge is closed due to construction from i heard, so seating is tighter than what you would expect from a full lounge setup. Still, it does the job. The space is clean and quiet compared to the main terminal. After dealing with the crowd outside, just having a calm place to sit down and breathe already feels like an upgrade. It's not luxurious, but it's comfortable enough to relax, charge your devices, and wait for boarding without stress. Food selection is simple but decent. There were hot dishes, some light snacks, and drinks available. Nothing over the top, but enough to keep you full before a flight. Staff kept things organized despite the limited space, and tables were cleared regularly. If you're expecting a huge premium lounge experience, this isn't it right now because of the construction. But if you just want a quieter space, decent food, and a break from the busy terminal, PAGSS still delivers. It serves its purpose well.

We travelled on Philippine Airlines from LAX to Manila, Philippines for our family get together and…read morevacation. Then we also travelled from Philippines to Japan for our family and friends vacation. As well as our Manila to Boracay trip. We haven't used Philippine Airlines for 8 years as we've been booking with other airlines for our previous flights to Philippines. We decided to try Philippine Airlines since they are the only airline that flies direct. Also because they were highly recommended to us by family and friends for the best customer care. We experienced excellent customer care for all our travels both international and domestic. Great experience for us from checking in at the counter to the flight attendants on board and all the way to the captain navigating the plane for take off and smooth landing. Philippine Airlines staff at check in as well as flight attendants onboard provided our child with specialized meals due to our child's peanut and tree nut allergies. They were accommodating. They catered to families with food allergies. The flight attendants were consistent with delivering our child's peanut free and nut free meals half hour before serving everyone's meals to avoid cross contamination. Thank you so much to the amazing staff of Philippine Airlines. You guys are excellent. Mabuhay!

Worst experience ever! We've traveled all over the world on different airlines and this by a wide…read moremargin has been the worst. We booked our flight through Hawaiian/Alaska connection through Japan via Japan airlines to Manila and PAL back to Japan. Upon checking in at NAIA the ladies told us we had to pay for our check in luggages $120 each even though we didn't pay anything at all as we were allowed 2 free checked bags each coming to Philippines. But because PAL wants to nickel and dime everyone to death they wanted to charge us so we paid for 4 bags and carried on 2. About a month prior to this we flew from Hawaii to Italy and back booked through KLM and no bags were charged even though WE DID NOT ACTUALLY FLY ON A KLM PLANE! Instead we flew delta, Air France and virgin Atlantic. They all honored the 2 free checked bags when traveling internationally. That wasn't the only time we've flown to Europe a few times as well as Asia and of course all over North America and never experienced this. We will never ever fly with PAL ever again and we will tell our friends and family not to either.to make things worse we had a senior traveling with us who had to stand over an hour at counter before we finished checked in! We could afford to pay $480 for 4 bags but what about people who can't afford it? The fact that they're the only airlines that do this says a lot about them. Next time we're in Philippines we'll use another airline for sure.