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We get it, winter is over and you’ve been dreaming of one tropical getaway for months now.
Your heart is set on an international destination – one with turquoise water and swaying palm trees – but your bank account says ‘domestic weekend away’.
The good news is: there are tons of them budget options. The Skytrax Awards 2024 revealed the best budget airlines for a long-haul flightwhich means you can save a lot of money – and get your dream vacation.
Cebu Pacific Airlines was in the top 10 of the list. This Filipino cheap airline offers scheduled flights to both domestic and international destinations.
This week, Cebu Pacific Ocean has unveiled some great deals to celebrate the airline’s 10th anniversary of flying to Australia, with prices starting from $199 one-way from Melbourne to Manila, and from $209 one-way from Sydney to Manila.
Taking a ‘budget’ flight to the Philippines recently I was lucky enough to see what all the fuss was about. I didn’t know what my eight-plus hour flight from Sydney would be like before a connecting flight to the beautiful island of Coron, Palawan.
But I was very grateful for the three things I realized for I took flight.
Paradise on a budget
Let’s get this out of the way: a no-frills flight is just that.
On this particular flight, the seats did not recline, there was no in-flight entertainment and no complimentary tea and coffee as you find on some Australian airlines.
But honestly, I would do it again. However, my friend learned her biggest long-haul lesson that day: don’t fly empty-handed on a budget airline. I’m glad I didn’t, here’s why:
1. It’s BYO entertainment
My international flight had no in-flight entertainment, only a paid Wi-Fi option. So unless you can sleep for eight hours or be alone with your thoughts, I recommend downloading a program or picking up a book.
Unlike my travel buddy, who didn’t get the memo.
“It’s a budget airline, I assumed there wouldn’t be any entertainment,” I told her, unfortunately a little too late.
On the plus side, the seats included USB and Lightning charging ports, which was a nice surprise. Put your charging cord in your carry-on and you won’t have to worry about your phone running out of battery mid-flight.
2. Budget can be comfortable
Okay, the seats didn’t recline, but luckily I had the entire row to myself (there and back), so I had plenty of room to spread out.
I packed an eye mask and a travel pillow made my trip, so be sure to take them with you if you have any doubts.
3. Fancy a snack? Plan ahead
Hot meals, snacks or drinks were not included in my ticket price. I was even surprised that I wasn’t offered free tea or coffee. But I was prepared!
Besides a selection of instant noodles, you can only get a hot meal if you pre-order one online. To save money, I recommend packing your own sandwich or wraps, snacks and water in your carry-on (if you’re leaving Australia) – especially if you have dietary requirements, like my friend here, who is vegetarian.
Unfortunately, a vegetarian hot meal was not an option unless you fancy a pre-packed egg sandwich.
During the flight you can purchase drinks, alcoholic drinks, snacks and a hot cup of noodles using Philippine pesos as currency. I had cash which wasn’t a problem, it helps to have a few smaller notes on hand.
When traveling back to Australia, Manila International Airport does not allow passengers to bring bottled water on the flight (even sealed and purchased at the airport), so keep that in mind.
Were there any delays?
Traveling from Sydney to Manila was seamless. When they returned to Sydney, they had to switch gates at the last minute and had to wait on the tarmac for almost an hour while they refueled the plane. The very friendly and smiley staff of Cebu Pacific certainly made up for this.
And remember, all airlines, regardless of budget, can experience unexpected delays. That’s all part of the fun of flying.
Would I fly budget again?
If you’re not looking for ‘an experience’ as such, a budget airline can get you from A to B for a much affordable price.
Pack your travel pillow, sweater, snacks and drinks (plus the movies of your choice) and you’ll have a pretty easy flight. So yes, I would definitely fly a budget airline again.
What’s a few hours when you have paradise on the other side?
The writer traveled as a guest of Cebu Pacific.
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