Coming Soon: Direct Flights from La Union to Cebu City and Siargao

Stepping up to boost domestic tourism, the provincial government of La Union is eyeing to relaunch select commercial flights from the San Fernando Airport to parts of the Visayas and Mindanao. Among the trips it plans to include are Cebu City and Siargao. This follows talks between officials of La Union and the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

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There’s no specific date yet on when the trips could resume at La Union, but the provincial government is keen on pushing for the development of the San Fernando Airport to be able to mount the flights. Banking not only on the potential of the tourism industry, officials pointed out the possibility of gaining more investment opportunities for the province.

“I’ve always been optimistic about the great potential our airport has to offer, especially as someone who has personally flown and trained on our own runway,” La Union Governor Raphaelle Veronica Ortega-David said in a statement. 

Cebu City, known as a business district in the South, and Siargao, dubbed the surfing capital of the Philippines, are among key destinations attracting foreign tourists and investors alike. If La Union is able to mount domestic flights to Cebu City and Siargao, not only will all three areas benefit economically, but passengers will likewise enjoy another faster and more convenient travel option.

"This will also hopefully open up employment prospects for residents in Northern Luzon, who may now easily travel to job centers in key cities in the South,” said Ortega-David.

The San Fernando Airport (Poro Point), classified as a community airport, generally serves as a gateway to La Union. It was originally envisioned to become a regional airport that can accommodate trips to other tourist spots in Northern Luzon, as well as direct international flights. Apart from tourism, the San Fernando Airport has established itself as a destination for aviation training in the country, with at least 16 accredited aviation schools using the airport for long cross-country flight training.