Connecting at NAIA - Free Inter-Terminal Shuttle and Transfers

NAIA’s terminals were built in different decades on opposite sides of the runways and have never been joined by a walkway, a train or an airside corridor. Changing terminals means going outside and riding, and if your connection is international on both ends it also means entering the Philippines and leaving again. This guide covers the free shuttle, the alternatives and the time you really need.

The free NAIA inter-terminal shuttle

The airport operator, New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation, runs a free shuttle bus between Terminals 1, 2 and 3, 24 hours a day, for passengers transferring to another terminal for a flight. You need to show an onward boarding pass or ticket; it is not open to the general public. Pick-up points are on the arrivals level of every terminal, signed as terminal transfer or shuttle bus, and departures are about hourly, so a just-missed bus can cost most of an hour. Eight buses were added in early 2025 for a fleet of 12. The ride is landside on public roads: 15 to 25 minutes between Terminal 3 and Terminals 1 or 2, a few minutes between 1 and 2, and longer in the evening rush or heavy rain.

The UBE Express NAIA Loop

UBE Express, the airport bus company, runs a NAIA Loop between the terminals from about 4:00 am to 8:00 pm that anyone can ride, with or without a boarding pass: people meeting passengers, airport workers and travellers whose onward ticket is on their phone and not yet checked in. Most UBE departures from the airport use Terminal 3 Arrivals Bay 12, and the Loop feeds the P2P routes to PITX, Victory Liner Pasay and Robinsons Santa Rosa described in our Makati and BGC transfer guide. Outside the Loop’s hours the choices are the free shuttle (boarding pass needed), Grab or a taxi.

Philippine Airlines transfer buses

PAL passengers connecting between a domestic flight at Terminal 2 and an international flight at Terminal 1 can use the airline’s own transfer buses; ask the ground staff or the transfer desk on arrival. The two terminals are next to each other, so the ride is short, but you still pass through arrivals and check in again.

Why every international connection is landside

There is no sterile transit area between terminals, so an international arrival connecting to an international departure from a different terminal does the full sequence: immigration, baggage claim (unless your bags are through-checked, which is rare across terminals), customs, the shuttle, check-in, security and outbound immigration. Even a same-terminal connection at Terminal 3 on two separate tickets requires immigration and a fresh check-in. Budget three to four hours for a cross-terminal international connection and do not accept anything under two. Filipino citizens and most visitors need the eTravel declaration completed before arrival; nationals who need a visa for the Philippines cannot leave the terminal to transfer without one, which rules out a cross-terminal connection for them altogether.

Connecting through Terminal 3 with time to spare

If both flights use Terminal 3 and you have a long gap, Terminal 3 is the easiest terminal in Manila to wait in: the Wings Transit Hotel sells capsules and rooms by 7.5-hour block, the First Meridian, PAGSS and A lounges cover most premium passengers (lounges guide), and Runway Manila puts seven hotels, Newport Mall and a cinema five to ten minutes away on foot (Runway Manila guide). For four to eight hours, a day room at the Savoy or Belmont is often cheaper than a capsule and comes with a pool; see our day rooms guide.

Connecting with an overnight

An evening arrival and a morning departure from the same terminal is the classic Manila overnight. From Terminal 3 walk to any Newport hotel and walk back; the bridge is open all night. From Terminals 1 and 2 the Nobu Hotel Manila is 10 minutes by Grab, or take the free shuttle to Terminal 3 and stay in Newport if the morning flight is from there. Whatever the plan, leave the hotel with time for the shuttle’s hourly gap if you are changing terminals, and check our typhoon season guide if you are travelling between June and November.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a free shuttle between NAIA terminals?

Yes. The New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation runs a free inter-terminal shuttle bus 24 hours a day between Terminals 1, 2 and 3 for passengers with an onward boarding pass or ticket. It leaves from the arrivals level of each terminal roughly every hour; the fleet was expanded to 12 buses in 2025.

Can I transfer airside between international flights at NAIA?

No. The terminals have no airside link, so an international-to-international connection between terminals means clearing immigration, collecting bags, clearing customs, riding to the next terminal, checking in again and passing security and immigration a second time. Allow at least three to four hours.

How long does the ride between terminals take?

Terminal 3 to Terminals 1 or 2 is 15 to 25 minutes on public roads, more in evening traffic or rain. Terminals 1 and 2 are a few minutes apart. Add waiting time for the hourly shuttle.

What if I have no onward boarding pass?

Use the UBE Express NAIA Loop, which runs between the terminals from about 4:00 am to 8:00 pm and is open to anyone, or take a Grab from the terminal's pick-up bays. Outside the Loop's hours, Grab or a taxi is the only option without a boarding pass.

Information last verified: October 1, 2026