One map, pinned from each airport’s published coordinates.
Category scores
Overall is the published weighted sum. A highlighted score is ahead; a tie stays plain.
Ease of use
25% · Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
CRK7.7+3.2
MNL4.5
Comfort & amenities
20% · Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
CRK7.5+2.5
MNL5.0
Food & retail
15% · Food and retail quality and variety.
CRK6.4+0.9
MNL5.5
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
CRK6.1+0.9
MNL5.2
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
CRK6.4+1.4
MNL5.0
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
CRK7.5+2.2
MNL5.3
Best for
CRK
Central and Northern Luzon origins/destinations skipping NAIAInternational Priority Pass holders using marhaba near Gate 9Eligible OFWs using the 24/7 OWWA loungeTravelers who prefer one compact modern terminal over multi-terminal Manila chaos
MNL
Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific domestic/international networksPriority Pass users departing Terminal 1 (three PP lounges)City arrivals who can use Grab from Terminal 3Overnight connections that stay inside one terminal
Watch out for
CRK
Genesis / private transfers to Metro Manila commonly take 2–3 hours — not a tight connectionNo sterile domestic↔international walk inside the single terminalNo passenger rail yet — Clark NSCR station is under construction (Malolos–Clark target 2028)marhaba hours disagree across apps (operator 14:00–02:00 vs PP 07:30–02:30); Plaza Premium midday gap
MNL
No airside links between T1, T2, and T3 — wrong terminal burns hoursTerminal 4 is not a passenger terminal — do not plan a T4 flightAirline terminal assignments still shifting under NNICManila road traffic making curb-to-gate timing unreliableMandatory eTravel QR on arrival — not waived by visa-free entry
Amenities and tips
CRK
Marhaba Lounge (Gate 9)Populous New Terminal BuildingOFW Lounge (24/7)Plaza Premium Lounge (Level 3)Genesis P2P to ManilaLandside cafés before security
One terminal — domestic and international are not sterile
Single terminal ≠ sterile domestic↔intl; Manila transfers are land journeys.
CRK · Modern single-terminal Central Luzon alternative to NAIA with marhaba + Plaza Premium on live Priority Pass/DragonPass/LoungeKey and a 24/7 OFW Lounge, undermined mainly by the 2–3 hour Manila land transfer, no rail until the late-2020s NSCR, and single-runway ops.
MNL · Metro Manila’s essential but fragmented gateway: improving under NNIC, still punished by split T1/T2/T3 with no airside link. Terminal 4 is no longer an active passenger building; a new Terminal 5 is targeted around end-2027.
