Flying 101: CEB SUPER PASS Review – Is It Worth It?

Last year, the country’s biggest low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific Air, started offering a limited product called CEB Super Pass. This is a single-use pre-purchased voucher that allows the passenger to redeem domestic flights from 30 days up to 7 days before the intended dates. The pass offers passengers an added level of flexibility without actually planning their trips ahead of time.

Cebu Pacific Air offered their CEB Super Pass promotion thrice in the past – May 2021, September 2021 & March 2022. I availed 6 vouchers during the 2nd offering & got another 10 in their latest offering last March 2022. Allow me to share with you today my experience in availing & redeeming these vouchers. I will also discuss the advantages & disadvantages of these CEB Super Pass vouchers; as well as share my thoughts if it is something that is worth purchasing in the next CEB Super Pass offering.

Disclaimer: This CEB Super Pass review is not paid for or sponsored by Cebu Pacific Air. This is an independent review by the writer.

How much is the CEB Super Pass?

Each CEB Super Pass voucher has a base fare of ₱99. When purchasing one, an administrative fee of ₱250 & value-added tax of ₱41.88 will be added to the base fare. This one-way voucher costs ₱390.88. Please take note that the airline might charge additional fees, such as fuel surcharge, airport taxes & other fees, when redeeming the voucher. These additional taxes & fees will vary & depend on the passenger’s chosen destination.

Buying & Redeeming CEB Super Pass

Cebu Pacific Air rarely offers this CEB Super Pass promotion. Their previous offers happened last May 2021, September 2021 & March 2022. They have not announced when the next super pass promotion will be, but I hope they offer it again in the next few months.

Purchasing & redeeming these CEB Super Pass vouchers is done via the Cebu Pacific Air website. You may head to their airline’s website & look for the CEB Super Pass section or you may directly visit that page using this link https://bit.ly/CEBSuperPass.

Advantages of CEB Super Pass

Buying these CEB Super Pass vouchers comes with these advantages:

Flexibility – Passengers who bought passes need not worry about or plan their trips ahead of time. Redemption of these vouchers starts 30 days up to 7 days before the intended travel date. I’ve used some of my vouchers for last minute trips like these: Legazpi to Manila flight booked 10 days before the flight last November 2021, Manila to Legazpi flight booked 9 days before the intended flight last November 2021 & recently, Manila to Legazpi flight booked exactly 7 days the flight last May 2022.

I only added ₱844 pesos (taxes & fees with 20-kgs baggage allowance) on this Manila-Legazpi Cebu Pacific Air flight last May 2022. I booked this a week before my flight using my CEB Super Pass

Long Redemption & Travel Periods – CEB Super Pass vouchers can be redeemed & used for flights for a little over a year from the last day of the promotion. This gives the passengers more time to redeem & use their purchased vouchers. For example, the March 2022 CEB Super Pass vouchers can be redeemed until April 23, 2023 for trips up to April 30, 2023.

Wide Domestic Redemption Network – All CEB Super Pass vouchers can be used on any flight within Cebu Pacific Air’s wide domestic network. This network includes all flights to & from the main hubs (Manila, Cebu, Clark & Davao) to smaller airports like Siargao & Coron. The vouchers can also be used on regional routes like Cebu-Siargao & Legazpi-Cebu.

Worry-Free Airfare Cost – Airfares tend to be more expensive when it’s close to the intended flight date. These expensive fares can be avoided with the CEB Super Pass. The voucher already includes a flat base fare of ₱99. When redeeming flights, you only need to pay for the additional taxes & fees plus flight add-ons. For example, my flight from Legazpi to Manila cost above ₱3,000 one-way on the website. With the CEB Super Pass, I only added ₱288.88. The one-way flight only cost me ₱679.76 versus the ₱3,000+ shown on the website. Great deal, eh?

I only paid ₱288.88 on top of the previously bought CEB Super Pass for this LGP-MNL Cebgo flight

Available for Purchase for Family & Friends – Yes, you read that right! You can purchase the CEB Super Pass for your family & friends. During purchase, you can name the CEB Super Pass to your family members or friends. He/she can then use it to any domestic flight of choice subject to seat availability.

Disadvantages of CEB Super Pass

The CEB Super Pass is not all about the good points. It also has its disadvantages & limitations. These include the following:

Purchase is Limited During Offer Period – You can only purchase the CEB Super Pass during the airline’s offer period. It is not available for purchase all year round; only on limited timeframes. This also means that the airline already has your money; you can no longer refund, transfer & reroute once purchased & redeemed.

Redemption Limited to Domestic Routes – At the time of writing, the super pass can only be used to Cebu Pacific Air & Cebgo’s domestic network. It cannot be used on the airline’s international routes.

Seat Allocation Limitations – Seats that can be redeemed using the CEB Super Pass are subject to availability. This means that some high-demand flights & routes may not have the CEB Super Pass option upon booking. Also, you can’t use the CEB Super Pass on flights departing & arriving during peak travel periods like long weekends & national holidays.

Future Fares / Offers Can Be Cheaper – Cebu Pacific Air is known for their ₱1 & ₱88 base fare offers. Ticket offers like these can result in a cheaper return ticket than the CEB Super Pass. Last March, the Manila to Davao flight had an ₱88 base fare at the time of booking. I opted not to use my CEB Super Pass for this & went for the ₱88 flight available at the time of booking.

VERDICT – Is It Worth It?

Now that you know more about CEB Super Pass, it’s time for you to have a verdict. Personally, I think this offer by Cebu Pacific is worth it. If you are to ask me the same question when this was first offered in May 2021, I will have a different answer. But after taking my chances on the vouchers last September 2021 & actually using these vouchers for different domestic flights in the last few months, I can definitely speak for the great deal. IT’S WORTH IT!

I believe the biggest perk that this pass gives the passenger is the amount of flexibility he/she has with the pass. Redemption starts 30 days up to 7 days before the intended flight date. This gives the passenger the time to plan everything out. It also gives the passenger the final flight times / schedules at the time of booking. Remember that these details tend to change more often.

The pass also gives the passenger a relief from the high airfare costs because the base fare has already been secured at only ₱99. It may have limitations like seat availability & unavailability during peak travel periods, but it still offers a great value with a high level of flexibility.

Reminder: The CEB Super Pass may not cater to some travelers. Always make sure to study the product & it’s applicability to you & do some due diligence before actually purchasing one.

Do you have any questions about CEB Super Pass or anything related to it? Feel free to post these questions in the comments section below. Have you purchased one in the past & have redeemed it? How was your experience? Please share them in the comments section below so our readers can know about your own experience with the product.

When you get the chance, I hope you can check out the Flight Reports section on this website. I share my flights & experiences with different airlines I’ve flown in the past. I’ve covered airlines like EVA AirIndonesia Air AsiaSingapore Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air.

Can I ask for a favor before you go? Can you check out my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 325 – Manila to Legazpi – Last-Minute Cheap Jet Flight Back to Bicolandia [May 2022]

Yes, you read the title right! Jet flights are back in Bicol. Just last month, May 2022, Cebu Pacific Air & Philippine Airlines restarted their Airbus A320 services to & from Legazpi at the newly-opened Bicol International Airport.

Since this new airport opened in October 2021, Cebu Pacific Air utilized their ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft on their daily flights to & from Legazpi, while Philippine Airlines flew their De Havilland Canada DHC-8-400 aircraft on the same route. I have had the pleasure of flying these propeller planes from both airlines in the last few months. Check out the following flight reports to know more: DG6194 Legazpi to Manila, DG6193 Legazpi to Manila, PR2922 Legazpi to Manila, PR2919 Manila to Legazpi & DG6192 Legazpi to Manila.

If you have been following me in the last few weeks, you know that I’ve been to Cebu with my friends for a quick 4 days & 3 nights around Cebu City & Bantayan Island. From Cebu, I flew to Manila to fulfill some work obligations. After a quick 1-day trip in Manila, I then flew back home to Legazpi – this time on Cebu Pacific Air’s Airbus A320 jet service on 5J 325. Join me in today’s flight report as I share with you my experience flying with a jet back to Bicolandia.

Cebu Pacific Air

Cebu Pacific Air is not a new airline in this website; it is actually my most-reviewed airline here. Cebu Pacific Air is the country’s largest low-cost carrier. The airline is owned by Cebu Air Inc which is part of one of the country’s biggest conglomerates, JG Summit Holdings. The airline commenced its first flight in 1996 & has been flying for over 26 years. Together with its subsidiary, Cebgo (previously Tiger Air Philippines), the airline flies to over 60 destinations across the country, Asia Pacific & the Middle East. It operates close to 70 young & fuel-efficient jet & propeller aircraft. Cebu Pacific Air operates the narrow-body & wide-body aircraft while its subsidiary operates the propeller passenger & cargo aircraft.

The airline has a lifestyle & loyalty program called Go Rewards. It is also a founding member of Value Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of low-cost carriers. The airline has opened the opportunity for every Filipino to fly domestic & international at extremely low prices compared to its industry rivals. It is known for its ₱1-base fare promotions offered a few times a year.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA AirIndonesia Air AsiaSingapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

I had initial plans of traveling by land with my parents back to Bicol after the short work trip in Manila. Last-minute changes in plans forced me to take this flight back to Legazpi. I’m super thankful for Cebu Pacific Air’s CEB Super Pass I got a one-way ticket a week before the scheduled flight for only ₱1,234.88. I paid ₱390.88 for the CEB Super Pass & added ₱844.00 for the flight taxes & 20-kilograms check-in baggage allowance. Not bad for a last-minute ticket, eh?

Travel Requirements

Albay is open to tourism & returning residents since late last year. Fully-vaccinated individuals only need to provide a valid ID & their vaccination card or vaccination certificate. Partially & unvaccinated passengers need to provide a negative antigen result taken 48 hours before the flight.

I have been fully-vaccinated since October last year, so I only had to show my vaccination card. Please take note that these requirements may change from time to time. For Cebu Pacific Air passengers, the airline has compiled on their website & is regularly updating the requirements for all their destinations. Feel free to check out the updated Covid-19 Information Page here.

Before The Flight

Even with more lax restrictions & border controls, Cebu Pacific Air still kept their passengers informed by sending e-mail reminders days before the scheduled flight. The e-mail contained contactless flight protocols, check-in & bag drop schedules & mask reminders.

Just like the reminders we got for our recent flight from Legazpi to Cebu, I noticed that the airline has removed the item about the Traze mobile application. I believe the authorities have stopped using this application for contact-tracing purposes. It would have been nicer if contact-tracing procedures were still being practiced in order to curb any possible surge in cases.

I still commend Cebu Pacific Air for keeping their passengers informed & prepared for what they may experience from check-in to the flight itself.

Flight Information

Cebu Pacific Air has brought their Airbus 320 aircraft back to Legazpi Airport just last May 2022. This 5J 325 flight was operated by a 6.5-year-old Airbus A320-200 Sharklet aircraft with registration RP-C4106. This 320 sharklet aircraft has an all-economy class configuration with 180 seats. The flight left Manila station at 9:20am, cruised to an altitude of 25,000 ft & then touched down at Bicol International Airport at 10:01am. This Manila to Legazpi flight only took 41 minutes; it departed on time & arrived at its destination a few minutes ahead of schedule.

Airport & Ground Experience

CHECK-IN

I arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport around 6:30am; I expected long queues from going into the terminal & to the check-in counters. I was so surprised to see a rather empty Cebu Pacific Air check-in counters. I noticed that the counters were sorted by destination for the first time in years. I also noticed that the document check section, which I mentioned on my November 2021 Cebgo Manila to Legazpi flight, was already removed.

I took me exactly 7 minutes to finish the whole check-in process. This included checking-in & printing my boarding pass & bag tags in the self-service check-in machines, queuing for bag drop & the bag drop process itself. The guy at the check-in counter was very friendly.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I went through security & walked to our assigned gate – Gate 131. I was surprised to see a not-so-crowded boarding gate. There were a lot of available seats & there were no people seated on the floor. The gate started to get packed when it was near our boarding schedule.

At exactly 8:00am, I received a text message from Cebu Pacific Air confirming Gate 131 as my assigned boarding gate. Props to Cebu Pacific Air for keeping the passengers well-informed. It’s these small details that make the flights enjoyable & worth the price.

BOARDING

Boarding commenced at exactly 8:15am. Priority passengers, those traveling with kids, senior citizens & persons with disabilities boarded first. After a few minutes, the crew called the rest of the passengers for boarding. All passengers took the bus to the assigned aircraft.

Passengers board from both the front & rear cabin doors. Those seated from rows 1 to 15 boarded through the front door, while those seated from rows 16 to 31 boarded through the rear door. I was assigned seat 25F, so I boarded through the rear door. The boarding process took 45 minutes; the cabin crew closed the aircraft doors at 9:00am.

Inflight Product & Experience

SEAT

Cebu Pacific Air’s Airbus A320-200 aircraft has 180 passenger seats in an all-economy class cabin. It has a 3 x 3 configuration across 30 rows. Each row has 6 seats. All seats, except the exit row seats, have a seat width of 17 inches & a seat pitch of 29 inches. This 6.5-year-old aircraft had the old & thick seat design which can still be reclined.

I got a window seat (25F) for this quick flight to Legazpi. Each seat features an industry-standard leg room, a foldable tray table & a seat pocket with the aircraft safety card. Each passenger also has access to individual air vents & individual reading lights. The seats do not feature USB power outlets, unlike those from the Airbus A321neos I flew with to Davao & from Davao last March. I will choose the seat recline over the USB power outlet any time!

INFLIGHT SNACKS

Cebu Pacific Air does not offer complimentary snacks or meals on all of their flights. Instead, the airline offers buy on board light snacks & drinks during the flight. This paid snack service was only re-introduced recently when cases have gone down.

For this flight to Legazpi, the cabin crew offered light snacks & drinks to passengers shortly after take-off. Choices were limited to chips, light snacks & drinks. Rice / heavy meals & alcoholic beverages were not yet offered during this flight. Inflight menus are not yet available on this flight.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Cebu Pacific Air aircraft do not feature personal entertainment screens. Pre-pandemic, they had inflight magazines found in every seat pocket. These magazines were still not available on this flight.

The airline is known for conducting inflight games in exchange for airline-branded merchandise. For this flight, the crew asked for 3 items; the passengers who raised their hand first & showed the requested items first won Cebu Pacific Air-branded pouches. I got the 2nd question correct & won an airline branded pouch. Thank you, Cebu Pacific Air!

LAVATORY

I didn’t have the chance to visit the rear lavatory during the flight. I was seated by the window; the couple beside me were mostly asleep during the flight.

Cabin Crew Service

I had close to no encounter with the cabin crew on this flight, but I noticed that they were attentive to the questions & requests of the guests during the snack service. They also greeted all passengers during boarding & disembarkation.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

We arrived at Bicol International Airport at 10:01am & disembarked from the aircraft minutes later. Passengers use both front & rear doors for disembarkation. Our check-in baggage took longer than usual because a Philippine Airlines flight arrived ahead of us. The bags from that PAL flight came out first & were followed by those from our flight. Bicol International Airport authorities have removed the arrival forms & Traze App QR code checks they had months before.

Final Thoughts

This Cebu Pacific Air Manila to Legazpi flight on 5J 325 l took last 19 May 2022 was an excellent flight. In fact, it’s probably one of the best ones I’ve had with the airline. Everything on this flight, from ticket price, to check-in, boarding to inflight experience, went right.

The price I paid for this one-way flight was definitely the highlight of the trip. Imagine, I only paid that cheap for a flight in 7 days. Take note, the ticket even included 20 kilograms of check-in baggage allowance. Thanks to my CEB Super Pass, I got this great deal.

I was surprised to see the check-in counters & pre-departure gates empty on a Thursday morning. I enjoyed the quick check-in & bag drop process, the efficient boarding process & the on-time departure & arrival of this flight. I also won a Cebu Pacific Air-branded pouch during the inflight games.

Flights like this make me more excited to fly again with Cebu Pacific Air in the future. I am looking forward to taking them again on my future domestic & international flights. Thank you, Cebu Pacific Air for such an enjoyable flight experience.

PS. I am also delighted to see bigger jet aircraft being used again for the Manila to Legazpi route!

For those who are interested, here are the technical details of this flight:

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 19 May 2022
Flight Number: 5J 325
Route: Manila (MNL) to Legazpi (LGP)
Duration: 41 minutes
Seat Number: 25F
Aircraft: Airbus A320-200
Aircraft Registration: RP-C4106
Engines: 2 x CFM International Jet Engines
Age: 6.5 years old
Delivered: January 2016


Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. Do you have any questions about flying with Cebu Pacific Air or flying in to Legazpi? Feel free to post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Stay tuned for upcoming flight reports & posts! In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.