Most major Southeast Asian airlines have regular flights to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, with a few also flying to Cebu. Hong Kong is the best gateway to the Philippines because Cathay Pacific has five flights a day and Philippine Airlines has three. British Airways, Emirates and Gulf Air all fly to Manila through Hong Kong and it is possible to get good fares because they are keen to fill seats for the last leg of the journey.

Thai Airways has one or two flights a day from Bangkok , depending on the day of the week. Garuda flies twice weekly from Indonesia and Malaysia Airlines flies from Kuala Lumpur to Manila and Cebu.

Every week or so a cargo boat leaves Bitung in northern Sulawesi for General Santos, the Philippines' southernmost city. Boats also sail from Sandakan in Sabah to Zamboanga twice weekly.