Cheap Flights Cebu to
Davao 🌋
Piso fare deals, seat sales, and cheapest prices on CEB → Davao. Cebu Pacific, PAL & AirAsia — tracked 24/7, updated daily.
Cebu → Davao, Philippines
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Samal Island: Davao's best day trip from Cebu
The Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) sits just across the Davao Gulf — a 15-minute barge ride from Sasa Wharf in Davao City. The barge from Sasa to Samal runs 24 hours and costs just ₱20 per person. From the airport to Sasa Wharf takes about 10–15 minutes by taxi (₱100–₱120). Most budget resorts on Samal cost ₱800–₱2,500 per night and have white sand beaches a lot quieter than Mactan. Day tours from Davao City start at around ₱350 entrance fee per resort. For island hopping around Talicud, charter a boat from about ₱2,500 for a group.
CEB → Davao flight deals today
Cheapest one-way fares from Mactan-Cebu International (CEB) to Francisco Bangoy International (DVO) · Prices in PHP
📅 CEB → Davao Price Calendar
See the cheapest days to fly — click any date to book at that price.
Best time to fly CEB → Davao
Month-by-month price guide for Cebu to Davao flights
Seasonal fare events — CEB to Davao
When to book early and when to avoid paying peak prices
Kadayawan Festival Week
Araw ng Dabaw (City Charter Day)
Semana Santa / Holy Week
Christmas–New Year Homecoming
Low Season Windows
Real costs for Cebu travellers in Davao
Here's what ₱5,000 vs ₱14,000 all-in actually gets you in Davao for a long weekend — flight included
Things Cebuanos always get wrong about Davao
Five mistakes first-time Cebu-to-Davao travellers consistently make
Davao City has a strictly enforced smoking ban in all public places and a liquor ban from 1 AM to 8 AM daily. Violations aren't warnings — the Anti-Smoking fine starts at ₱1,000 for a first offense; the liquor ban fine is ₱3,000. These aren't just on paper: Davao's Vices Regulation Unit (VRU) actively apprehends violators and collected millions in fines in the first half of this year alone. If you smoke, use designated areas only. And no street drinking or buying alcohol after 1 AM anywhere in the city.
Cebu has dried mango; Davao has durian — and the same tourist trap applies. Mall and pasalubong center prices for durian and durian-flavored products run 40–60% higher than Bankerohan Public Market or the stalls at Magsaysay Park. A kilo of fresh durian at Magsaysay runs ₱100–₱250 depending on variety and season; malls charge ₱400+. Durian candy and pastillas are also cheapest at Bankerohan. One caveat: most Davao hotels strictly prohibit durian in rooms — it's a real policy, not a suggestion.
Many Cebuano visitors don't realise how close Samal is. The barge from Sasa Wharf to Samal's Babak District runs 24 hours and costs ₱20 per person — a 15-minute crossing. Sasa Wharf is only 10–15 minutes by taxi from the airport (₱100–₱120). You can wake up on a beach in Samal and still be back in Davao City for dinner at Roxas Night Market. Budget beach resorts on Samal start at ₱800–₱1,200 per night. The mistake is spending your whole trip in the city when a genuinely beautiful island is essentially at the city's doorstep.
Kadayawan Festival (third week of August) is amazing — Davao's equivalent of Sinulog in Cebu, with Indak-Indak street dancing and the Pamulak floral float parade. But unlike Sinulog, Cebuano travellers often don't know to book early. By late June, both flights and accommodation are almost completely sold out for Kadayawan week. CEB–DVO fares during that week run ₱2,500–₱5,500 one-way vs ₱999–₱1,800 the same week in July. If you want Kadayawan, book flights and hotel in May. If you don't, avoid the third week of August entirely.
Cebuanos often arrive in Davao looking for the same beach experience they have at home — then feel the city is "boring." Davao isn't a beach destination; it's a food, nature, and cultural city that happens to have a beach island next door. The payoffs are different: grilled tuna panga and kinilaw at Roxas Night Market at ₱130–₱300 per dish, the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos (₱250 entrance), and Mt. Apo day hikes for serious trekkers (₱500–₱1,000 guide fee). GCash and Maya work well in the city and malls, but resorts on Samal and outlying barangays are often cash-only — bring ₱3,000–₱5,000 in cash if you're heading to the island.
Airlines flying CEB → Davao
Multiple daily direct flights — one of the better-served inter-Mindanao/Visayas routes
💡 Baggage tip: Cebu Pacific and AirAsia sell 7 kg cabin-only fares. Add checked baggage at booking — it's much cheaper than at the airport. PAL Economy Classic includes 23 kg free, which often makes PAL more cost-competitive when you factor in a 20 kg bag. Compare all-in prices before booking the cheapest-looking base fare.
Davao travel guide for Cebu visitors
What to know before you fly CEB to DVO — written for Cebuanos, not tourists from Manila
🛬 Getting from DVO airport to the city
- Francisco Bangoy International Airport (DVO) is in Buhangin district, approximately 9–15 km from Poblacion/downtown
- Grab is available and reliable; airport to downtown Davao or Ecoland runs ₱200–₱400 depending on traffic
- Coupon taxis at the official taxi stand outside arrivals charge fixed rates around ₱400–₱500 to the city center
- Walk 5–10 minutes to the Carlos P. Garcia Highway to catch a jeepney toward Agdao or downtown (₱25–₱30)
- ATMs from BDO, Metrobank, and RCBC are inside the terminal — withdraw before heading into the city
- No buses directly from the terminal; public transport requires reaching the highway first
🍴 Must-eat in Davao
- Grilled Tuna Panga (jaw) — Davao's most iconic dish; the city is the tuna capital of the Philippines. Roxas Night Market stalls: ₱130–₱200 per panga
- Kinilaw na Tuna — raw tuna "cooked" in calamansi and vinegar with ginger and chili. Freshest yellowfin in the country; try Luz Kinilaw Place near the gulf
- Sinuglaw — a Davao hybrid: grilled pork belly (sinugba) combined with fish kinilaw. Available at Roxas Night Market and most seafood restaurants
- Durian — the King of Fruits, at peak in August. Buy at Magsaysay Park or Bankerohan Market, not the mall. Fresh ₱100–₱250/kg
- Puto Maya at Sikwate — sticky rice with coconut milk paired with local cacao hot chocolate; a classic Davao breakfast at Delmar Painitan stalls
- Satti — marinated meat skewers in a thick spiced sauce from the Muslim Mindanao tradition; found near Roxas Night Market halal stalls
🏙️ Best areas to stay in Davao
- Poblacion / Downtown — closest to Roxas Night Market and Magsaysay Park; budget guesthouses from ₱600–₱1,200/night; great for first-timers
- Ecoland — quiet residential enclave with good cafes and mid-range hotels; 10–15 minutes from downtown; popular with remote workers
- Bajada / Lanang — modern mall area (SM Lanang, Abreeza by Ayala); closer to the airport; best mid-range and business hotels (₱1,500–₱4,000/night)
- Samal Island — stay on the island for beach access; barge from Sasa Wharf ₱20; budget resorts ₱800–₱2,500/night
- Book ahead for Kadayawan week (third week of August) — accommodation in all areas sells out months in advance
🌋 What to do in Davao
- Samal Island — white sand beaches 15 minutes by barge from Sasa Wharf; barge fare ₱20/person; resorts from ₱350 day tour entrance
- Philippine Eagle Center — home to the critically endangered national bird; Malagos, Baguio District; entrance ₱250; 45 min from city center
- Roxas Night Market — best street food in Davao; open 5 PM–midnight along Roxas Avenue; budget ₱200–₱500 for a full seafood spread
- Bankerohan Market — morning market for fresh durian, pomelo, mangosteen, and pasalubong; prices half of what you pay at malls
- Mt. Apo (Sta. Cruz route) — highest peak in the Philippines at 2,954m; serious day hikers; guide fee from ₱500, register through DENR
- People's Park — free, well-maintained city park with sculptures representing Davao's indigenous peoples; great for morning walks
💰 Budget in Davao
- Budget: ₱1,200–₱1,800/day covers accommodation, meals, and local transport
- Mid-range: ₱3,500–₱5,000/day for a 3-star hotel in Bajada and sit-down restaurants
- Roxas Night Market seafood meals: full spread for ₱200–₱400 per person
- Davao is cheaper than Cebu for accommodation — similar prices for food
- Grab is generally well-priced; metered taxis also reliable here
- GCash and Maya are accepted widely in the city; bring cash for Samal Island resorts and outdoor markets
⚠️ Davao-specific rules to know
- No smoking in public places — Anti-Smoking Ordinance strictly enforced; ₱1,000 fine for first offense; use designated smoking areas only
- Liquor ban 1 AM – 8 AM — no buying or drinking alcohol in public during these hours anywhere in the city; ₱3,000 fine for first offense
- Durian in hotels — most hotels prohibit durian in rooms due to the smell; eat at the market or in open-air areas
- Security checkpoints — common at malls and public venues; allow extra time for bag checks, especially at festival events
- Davao is consistently ranked among the safest cities in the Philippines — ordinances are part of why
Davao trip budget from Cebu
Typical costs for a 3-night Davao trip — all amounts in Philippine Peso (PHP)
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✈ Flight (one-way) | ₱599–1,299 | ₱1,800–3,500 | Seat sale vs regular; baggage add-on extra on 5J/Z2 |
| 🏨 Hotel (per night) | ₱600–1,200 | ₱2,000–4,500 | Downtown guesthouse vs 3-star in Bajada/Ecoland |
| 🍖 Meals (per day) | ₱350–600 | ₱800–1,800 | Roxas Night Market vs sit-down tuna panga restaurant |
| 🚌 Local transport/day | ₱100–200 | ₱400–900 | Jeepney vs Grab; includes Sasa Wharf barge (₱20) |
| 🏝️ Activities | ₱350–1,000 | ₱1,500–4,000 | Samal day tour vs Philippine Eagle + overnight on island |
| 🎁 Pasalubong (durian candy) | ₱200–500 | ₱500–1,500 | Bankerohan Market vs Apo ni Lola (pasalubong center) |
| 📊 Total (3 nights) | ~₱4,000–6,500 | ~₱10,000–18,000 | Davao is affordable — cheaper than Manila or Boracay. |
7 tips to get the cheapest CEB→Davao flights
A well-served route — but timing is everything
Subscribe to piso fare alerts for this route
Cebu Pacific and AirAsia run CEB–DVO seat sales multiple times a year. Base fares drop to ₱599–₱999. These last 24–72 hours and seats are limited. Subscribe to piso-fare.com alerts to be first to know.
Avoid the third week of August — book 6 weeks before Kadayawan
Kadayawan week is the single biggest CEB–DVO fare and hotel spike outside of Holy Week and Christmas. By late June, flights for the festival week are mostly sold out. If you're going for Kadayawan, book by May. Everyone else: steer clear of August 15–23 entirely.
Compare PAL all-in vs Cebu Pacific with baggage
PAL's Economy Classic includes 23 kg checked baggage. Cebu Pacific's cheapest fares are cabin-bag-only. If you're travelling with a 20 kg check-in bag, PAL's all-in price at ₱2,500–₱3,500 is often more competitive than a ₱1,200 Cebu Pacific base fare plus ₱600–₱900 baggage add-on.
Fly Tuesday–Wednesday for the lowest regular fares
Weekend departures (Friday, Sunday) are the priciest on CEB–DVO. Shifting to Tuesday or Wednesday can save 15–25% on regular fares. If your dates are flexible, midweek + off-peak months (Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov) is the cheapest combination you can find on this route.
Book 3–5 days out in off-peak months — last-minute sometimes works
Unlike MNL–DVO (which sells out fast), CEB–DVO has enough frequency that last-minute deals sometimes appear in January, February, October, and November. If you're flexible on departure time, checking 3–5 days before can occasionally surface fares below ₱1,500. Don't count on it for weekends or festival periods — book those well ahead.
Budget ₱300 for the terminal fee at DVO — it's not included
Francisco Bangoy International Airport (DVO) charges a terminal fee for domestic departures. This is a separate payment at the airport and is not included in your ticket price. Keep ₱300 cash ready when you depart Davao. You typically pay at a counter near check-in, before the security area.
October and November are the most underrated months on this route
Everyone knows January and February are cheap. Fewer people know that October and November offer equally low fares — ₱999–₱1,900 one-way — with comfortable Davao weather, no festival crowds, and Samal Island resorts at low season rates. If you want Davao without the peak-season chaos, September onwards through November is the move.
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Cebu to Davao flights — what you need to know
The CEB–DVO route is one of the most consistently operated inter-island domestic routes in the Philippines, with Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and AirAsia Philippines running a combined 50+ direct flights per week between Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City. Flight time is approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes — short enough for a day trip if you're ambitious, comfortable enough for a long weekend with family. For Cebuanos with relatives in Davao, or anyone wanting Mindanao without routing through Manila, this route is the direct connection.
The cheapest time to book cheap flights Cebu to Davao
We track this route year-round and the pattern is predictable. January and February are consistently the cheapest months — fares run ₱999–₱1,800 one-way without any seat sale, and during Cebu Pacific's periodic piso fare events, we've seen CEB–DVO hit ₱599 one-way. October and November are equally underrated — same price range, comfortable weather in Davao, and none of the festival crowds. The best approach is to set a piso-fare.com alert for this route and wait for a sale rather than booking at the first regular fare you see. Regular fares on CEB–DVO average ₱1,800–₱2,500 all-in; a seat sale cuts that by 50–70%.
The routes to absolutely avoid are Kadayawan Festival week (third week of August), Holy Week (March or April), and the Christmas–New Year stretch (December 20–January 5). These three periods account for almost all the fare spikes on this route. Kadayawan is particularly significant for CEB–DVO specifically — it's Davao's biggest event and Cebuanos form a large share of festival visitors. By late June, flights and hotels for Kadayawan week are nearly sold out. If you want to attend the Indak-Indak street dancing or the Pamulak floral float parade, book in May and treat it like a concert seat-sale.
What Davao actually costs a Cebuano traveller
Davao is genuinely cheaper than Cebu for most things. Accommodation in Poblacion or Ecoland runs ₱600–₱1,200 per night for clean guesthouses — comparable to the cheapest options in IT Park but easier to find. Food is where Davao stands apart: Roxas Night Market along Roxas Avenue is open every evening from around 5 PM to midnight, and a full spread of grilled tuna panga, kinilaw, and seafood costs ₱200–₱400 per person. The panga (tuna jaw) alone, charcoal-grilled and served with toyomansi dipping sauce, is one of the best value meals in the Philippines at ₱130–₱200 per piece. The other essential is durian from Bankerohan Public Market or Magsaysay Park: ₱100–₱250 per kilo for fresh fruit that would cost triple at a mall pasalubong center. A tipid traveller who catches a seat sale can do 3 days in Davao — including Samal Island for a night — for under ₱6,000 total.
Kadayawan, Araw ng Davao, and when fares spike
Kadayawan Festival — officially the "King of Festivals" in the Philippines — is to Davao what Sinulog is to Cebu. Both are held annually (Kadayawan in August, Sinulog in January) and both cause the same phenomenon: fares on the route from Cebu jump to 2–3x their normal level and hotels sell out completely weeks in advance. The difference is that most Cebuanos know to book Sinulog travel early, but don't yet apply the same urgency to Kadayawan. If you want to be in Davao for the Indak-Indak street dancing or the Pamulak floral float parade — events that draw participants from across Mindanao — plan as far ahead as you would for Sinulog. Araw ng Davao (March, around the city charter anniversary) causes a smaller spike, mostly affecting hotels near the city center and late-March departure dates. Holy Week and Christmas behave the same as on any Philippine domestic route: book months out or pay peak prices.
How piso-fare.com tracks this route
We pull real search data from Travelpayouts and refresh it regularly so the prices on this page reflect what you'd actually find if you searched right now — not last month's data or a cached fare from three weeks ago. The live fare grid above shows the current cheapest CEB–DVO deals with deal scores that compare each price to the 90-day historical average. Subscribe to the route alert and we'll email you the moment a seat sale drops fares below our piso threshold for CEB–DVO — typically ₱999 or less, all-in. The price calendar shows the cheapest available day across the next several months so you can pick the date rather than the date picking you. If you want to fly Cebu to Davao without overpaying, the single most useful thing you can do right now is set that alert and wait.
Frequently asked questions — CEB to Davao flights
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