How to get from Mactan-Cebu Airport to Cebu City and the resorts

Most visitors arrive at Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which sits on Mactan Island in Lapu-Lapu City, across a channel from Cebu City. It is a modern, easy airport, and getting out of it is simple once you know the options. Here is how each one works, and which suits you best.

Know your terminal

• Terminal 1 handles domestic flights.
• Terminal 2 handles international flights.

Both terminals have signs to the taxi queues, the bus stop and the ride-hailing pickup area as you leave arrivals. There are ATMs, money changers and SIM card stalls inside, so it is a good place to get some pesos and a local SIM before you head out. See our guide to SIM cards and internet.

Option 1: Grab

Grab is the Southeast Asian ride-hailing app, and the easiest choice for most people. You see the price before you book, you do not need to explain the address, and you can pay in cash or by card in the app. Follow the signs to the Grab pickup area outside your terminal.

• Download the app and set it up before you fly, as it needs a working phone number.
• Prices go up at busy times and when it rains.
• Check the plate number before you get in.

Option 2: Airport taxis

There are two kinds of metered taxi at the airport. Yellow airport taxis have a higher flag-down rate, so they cost more, but they are well organised: staff at the queue usually note the taxi details for you, which helps if you leave something behind. White taxis are the regular city taxis and are cheaper.

With either one, make sure the driver uses the meter. If a driver offers a fixed price instead, politely say no and take the next taxi. Having smaller notes ready helps, as drivers do not always have change.

Option 3: The airport bus

The budget option is MyBus, an air-conditioned bus that runs between the airport and the SM malls in Cebu City, including SM City Cebu and SM Seaside. The fare is low, and it is a good choice if you travel light and are staying near one of those malls, or are happy to take a Grab or taxi from there. Buses run from morning to evening, so check current times if you land late at night.

Option 4: Hotel transfers and private cars

Many resorts on Mactan and hotels in Cebu City offer airport pickup, sometimes free. It costs more than Grab, but someone will be waiting with your name, which is nice after a long flight or with children. For trips further away, such as Moalboal or Oslob, a private car or van transfer booked ahead takes you straight there without changing buses.

How long does it take?

• Mactan resorts: usually about 15-30 minutes.
• Cebu City (IT Park, Ayala, downtown): about 30-60 minutes, and longer in rush hour.
• Moalboal or Oslob: about 3-4 hours or more by car, longer by bus.
• Hagnaya or Maya ports for Bantayan and Malapascua: about 3-4 hours by car, more by bus.

Traffic around the bridges between Mactan and the mainland can be heavy, especially from about 7 to 9 am and 5 to 8 pm. Always allow extra time when going back to the airport.

Going straight to the south or north

If you want to head straight to the beaches, you have two choices:

1. The easy way: book a private transfer from the airport to your resort.
2. The budget way: take Grab or a taxi to the Cebu South Bus Terminal (for Moalboal, Badian and Oslob) or the Cebu North Bus Terminal (for Bantayan and Malapascua), then catch a bus.

If you land in the afternoon, it is often better to spend the first night in Cebu City or on Mactan and travel on the next morning. Long bus rides and boat crossings are easier in daylight. Our guide to getting around Cebu explains the buses and terminals.

Quick tips

• Get a few hundred pesos in cash at the airport ATM for tolls, tips and small fares.
• Ignore anyone in arrivals who offers you a ride outside the official queues.
• Save your hotel address and a pin on your phone map.
• Coming back, aim to reach the airport at least 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one.

New to the island? Read our first-time tips for Cebu and see where to stay in Cebu to choose your base.

Photo: "Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City (01) (2025-03-02)" by Wide Awake!, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0.