Terminal 1

Most Cebu Pacific domestic flights still use Terminal 1 at CEB

Terminal 1 handles mainly domestic routes for Cebu Pacific, AirAsia, and Philippine Airlines, and it shows its age compared with the newer Terminal 2. Check your booking carefully: local flights almost always say “Terminal 1” or just “T1,” while many international departures now leave from Terminal 2. Arrivals and departures sit on separate levels, and security for departures can back up quickly in the early morning bank around 05:00–07:00.

Layout and check-in flow

Check-in for Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and AirAsia sits on the main departure level in T1, with counters grouped by airline and flight number. After you clear initial security at the entrance, you’ll find the check-in desks directly ahead, then a second screening point before the main gate area. Most domestic gates are on a single concourse, so walking from one end to the other usually takes under 10 minutes, even at a relaxed pace.

Food: lechon, noodles, and fast food standards

Ayer's Lechon inside Terminal 1 draws people in with plates of lechon and rice that run roughly PHP 150–250, handy if you skipped lunch in town. For quick coffee before boarding, Bo's Coffee and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf both operate in the departures area, often opening by 05:00 and closing after the last evening departures. If you want something familiar, Jollibee and McDonald's sit near the main boarding corridor and usually have long lines during the noon Cebu Pacific and AirAsia waves.

Snacks, sweets, and quick bites

For lighter bites, llaollao sells frozen yogurt cups and toppings, while DIMSUM BREAK and TSIM SHA TSUI focus on dim sum, noodles, and rice plates that land around PHP 120–200 per order. Leylam serves shawarma-style wraps and rice meals, and Cebu Ho Ngohiong offers local ngohiong and fried snacks if you want something more regional. Smokey's fills the hotdog-and-snack niche near some of the domestic gates, useful for a sub-30-minute turn when you just need something handheld.

Lounges in Terminal 1

Terminal 1 has a domestic pay-per-use lounge that typically sits airside, past security, and is used by multiple card programs and walk-in passengers paying at the door. There is also an Overseas Worker lounge meant for OFWs, plus another independent lounge sometimes used by smaller airlines or lounge networks. Expect basic hot food, soft drinks, coffee, Wi‑Fi, and relatively few power outlets, with space filling up fast during evening Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific departure banks.

Shopping: duty free and local souvenirs

On the shopping side, Terminal 1 offers a Duty Free shop with liquor, tobacco, and chocolates, useful if you skipped Duty Free in town and still want a last-minute bottle. A dedicated local souvenirs shop sells Cebu-made items like dried mangoes and handicrafts, while a local sweets kiosk stocks multiple brands of dried mango, otap, and other pasalubong-friendly snacks. You'll also see a luggage and bags shop plus a travel essentials outlet with chargers, SIM cards, and basic toiletries right along the main departures corridor.

Books, magazines, and last-minute gear

A newsstand and books shop in the terminal carries local newspapers, Cebuano and Tagalog magazines, and a modest English-language section with paperbacks and travel guides. The same area often stocks basic stationery and puzzle books, helpful for keeping kids busy on the 1–2 hour domestic hops that make up most of Terminal 1's schedule. Prices for books and magazines run higher than in Cebu City malls, so buy anything long-form in town if you can.

One practical tip

Plan your arrival at Terminal 1 so you clear the first security checkpoint at least 90 minutes before a Cebu Pacific or AirAsia domestic departure, especially in the 05:00–09:00 window, and grab food airside at Ayer's Lechon or DIMSUM BREAK, since lines at Jollibee and McDonald's near the gates regularly eat 20–30 minutes on their own.