Manila: Fuel surcharge jumps to Level 8 on April 1-15, 2026, as a result of the continued volatility of fuel prices, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) posted on its website on Tuesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the fuel surcharge is the extra fee that airlines may collect in addition to the base fare to cover the costs incurred from oil price volatility. Under Level 8, the fuel surcharge for domestic flights could range between PHP253 to PHP787, while for international flights, it is between PHP835.06 to PHP6,208.98, depending on the distance.

This marks a significant increase compared to the Level 4 fuel surcharge that the country has been implementing since August 2025. Under Level 4, the fuel surcharge ranges from PHP117 to PHP342 for domestic flights, and from PHP385.70 to PHP2,867.82 for international flights, depending on the distance.

In a statement on Tuesday, low-cost carrier AirAsia Philippines acknowledged that any increase in travel cost may affect passengers. "For our part, AirAsia Philippines continues to implement operational efficiencies to help mitigate the impact on travelers," it said.

In an advisory dated March 16, CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla stated that the adoption of the 15-day price monitoring and implementation cycle for the imposition of the fuel surcharge seeks to mitigate the impact of fuel price surge on air travel costs. Instead of the one-month cycle, the shorter period allows faster response to market changes, reducing the lag between actual fuel costs and applicable fuel surcharge.

Airlines wishing to impose or collect the fuel surcharge must file their application with his office on or before the effectivity period, or on April 1. The applicable conversion rate is USD1 to PHP58.11.