Iloilo Airport: Gateway to Western Visayas

Posted under Antique Guimaras Iloilo Travel Guide on Thursday, 8 April 2010 by Eddie Mendoza Jr.

The Iloilo Airport (IATA: ILO, ICAO: RPVI) is one of the major gateways to Panay Island and the rest of Western Visayas. Officially named Iloilo International Airport after it has been chosen between Panay International Airport and Graciano Lopez-Jaena International Airport as proposed. Although it is not yet serving international flights, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines classified it to be with the international standards. It has been inaugurated on June 13, 2007 as a replacement to the century-old Iloilo Airport in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

Located in the borders of Cabatuan and Sta. Barbara towns, Iloilo Airport is some 19 km northwest of Iloilo City or approximately a 30-minute drive. It lies on a 188-hectare site in Barangay Duyan-Duyan, split between the municipalities of Cabatuan, where the airport proper is located, and Santa Barbara, where the airport entrance and access road are located. It boosts to have one of the most modern facilities in the country today and ready to serve international flights sooner. Furthermore, it inherited the spot of the old Airport in Mandurriao as the 4th busiest airport in the Philippines after Ninoy Aquino International Airport – Metro Manila, Mactan-Cebu International Airport – Cebu and Francisco Bangoy International Airport – Davao.

Currently there are at least five airlines servicing the flights from Iloilo to Manila, Cebu and Davao vice versa; namely, Cebu Pacific Air, Air Philippines, Philippine Airlines, Zest Air and PAL Express (operated by Air Phil). The airport is presently serving the travelers from the provinces of Iloilo, Guimaras and Antique.

How to get there:

The Iloilo International Airport is a 30-minute drive away from Iloilo City through a wide and smoothly paved highways traversing the towns of Pavia and Sta. Barbara. There is an Airport Shuttle at SM City Iloilo travelers lounge area. Jeepneys and taxis are also available. For more details see: How to get to Iloilo

Watch the video below for the detailed tour of the Iloilo International Airport.

Eddie Mendoza Jr. (Junnjun Mendoza) is a blogger, an amateur photographer and a musician by heart. He is currently based in Iloilo City, Philippines. A Masbateño and an adopted Ilonggo, he made blogging his passion - a way of expressing his thoughts.

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