Filipino travelers are increasingly broadening their travel preferences and looking beyond traditional holiday choices, leading AirAsia Philippines (Z2) to record substantial growth across its Fly-Thru service network in 2026. The shift in outbound travel trends is headlined by a massive surge in travel demand toward Central Asia, specifically Almaty, Kazakhstan. According to official passenger flown data tracked by the low-cost carrier between 2025 and 2026, air traffic originating from Manila and connecting to Almaty posted an unprecedented increase of as much as 1,000%.
This growing appetite for unconventional overseas routes extended across several other Asian destinations within the airline’s transit network. AirAsia recorded a remarkable 705% jump in passenger movements between the Philippines and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Solid double-digit increases were also logged on other regional legs, including the Manila–Penang route in Malaysia, which advanced by 50%, and routes linking Manila to New Delhi, India, which grew by 43%. These robust growth figures underscore emerging opportunities for Filipino travelers to venture deeper into Asia and neighboring regions through the airline’s coordinated network operations.
AirAsia President and General Manager, Anna Victoria Lu said, “It’s exciting to see more Filipinos becoming open to exploring destinations they may not have considered before. Travel is not just about visiting the usual holiday spots anymore, it’s about discovering new places, experiencing different cultures, and making more meaningful memories. The strong growth in Almaty is a good example of this changing interest. Through AirAsia’s Fly-Thru network, we want to make these journeys more accessible and convenient, giving more Filipinos the opportunity to go further and discover more at low fares without the hassle of booking separate flights.”
The airline’s Fly-Thru model simplifies journey management by linking multiple connecting flights under a single reservation, while ensuring passenger baggage is tagged and routed directly to the final port of entry. Travelers departing from Manila can tap into diverse itineraries that span the mountainous terrain of Almaty (ALA), the urban landscapes of Jaipur and New Delhi (JAI), the cultural districts of Penang (PEN), the resort beaches of the Maldives (MLE), Phuket (HKT), and Chiang Mai (CNX), as well as Shenzhen (CNX), Yangon (RGN), Sarawak (KCH), Sabah via Tawau and Sandakan (TWU and SDK), and Sri Lanka (CMB). From Cebu, the airline connects travelers to key leisure and commercial hubs including Penang (PEN), Bali (DPS), Siem Reap (SAI), Hanoi (HAN), Da Nang (DAD), Singapore (SIN), Phuket (HKT), Jakarta (CGK), Sri Lanka (CMB), and Phnom Penh (KTI).
These seamless connections are facilitated primarily through AirAsia’s core operational transit hubs located in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, and Bangkok. By consolidating connections, passengers can easily access more than 130 destinations across Asia and Australia. Beyond single-ticket booking, single check-in clearance, and straight-through baggage transfers, eligible flights also provide passengers with the option to upgrade their long-haul comfort through Premium Flatbed seating.
Digital integration plays a major role in streamlining the passenger airport flow. Passengers are encouraged to check in ahead of time using the AirAsia MOVE mobile application or the official web portal. For travelers traveling with checked baggage, bag tags can be printed via self-check-in kiosks before drop-off at designated baggage counters, or directly at the AirAsia Philippines check-in desk. Each checked bag receives a designated green Fly-Thru sticker to ensure straight-through transfer handling across connecting airports. Upon reaching their transfer point, passengers need only follow dedicated terminal transfer signs, clear necessary airport security and immigration checkpoints, and proceed directly to their connecting gate, collecting their bags only upon reaching their final destination carousel. Supporting this momentum, the carrier is rolling out its biggest Fly-Thru seat sale from 03 to 09 November 2026, offering promotional fares starting as low as PHP 7,699.