Cheap Flights Manila to
Catarman 🪨
Piso fare deals and seat sale alerts on MNL → Catarman, Northern Samar — the gateway to Biri Island. Philippine Airlines is the only carrier on this route. Tracked 24/7.
Manila → Catarman, Philippines
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No flight? The bus-and-RORO route to Northern Samar
There's no ferry direct from Manila to Catarman — Northern Samar isn't on that shipping lane. The overland alternative is a Manila–Matnog bus (Sorsogon, ~12 hours, several bus lines including Philtranco and DLTB run this), then a RORO ferry from Matnog to Allen, Northern Samar (~2 hours, ₱300–400/person), then a jeepney or van from Allen to Catarman town (~1.5 hours, ₱100–150). Total door-to-door time runs 16–18 hours versus 1 hour 35 minutes flying — and that's assuming no delays at Matnog, which floods with passengers and sometimes suspends sailings in bad weather. This route makes sense only if you're already overlanding through Bicol, bringing a motorbike, or the one weekly PAL flight is fully booked.
MNL → Catarman flight deals today
Cheapest one-way fares from Manila Ninoy Aquino (MNL) to Catarman National Airport (CRM) · Prices in PHP
📅 MNL → Catarman Price Calendar
See the cheapest days to fly — click any date to book at that price. With only 4 flights a week, the calendar matters more here than on busier routes.
Best time to fly MNL → Catarman
Month-by-month price guide — but on this route, PAL's sale calendar matters more than the season
Events that move MNL → Catarman fares
With only 76 seats and four flights a week, demand spikes hit this route harder than busier ones
Catarman's biggest local event — processions, the Tarapo Festival on Aug 27, and family reunions for residents working in Manila. The few hotel rooms in town sell out, and seats on the limited weekly schedule get squeezed as Catarmananons fly home for fiesta. Book 4–6 weeks ahead if your trip lands here.
Filipinos nationwide travel home for Holy Week, and with no spare capacity on this route, fares climb even though Catarman itself doesn't have a major Holy Week tourist draw. The demand here is mostly local — residents and OFW families heading back to the province.
This isn't a demand-driven spike like the others — it's an operational one. Northern Samar sits in the Philippines' main typhoon corridor, and PR2079 gets rescheduled or cancelled more often than flights to less storm-exposed destinations during these months. Build a buffer day into any trip in this window.
The single most expensive window of the year on this route. Balikbayan and Manila-based Catarmananons flying home for the holidays compete for the same 76 seats four times a week — there's no second airline to absorb the overflow. Fares in this period have been seen well above ₱6,000 one-way.
Real costs for Manila travellers
Here's what ₱5,500 vs ₱15,000 all-in actually gets you in Catarman and Biri Island for a long weekend — flight included
Things Manileños always get wrong about Catarman
Five mistakes first-time Manila-to-Catarman travellers consistently make
PAL flies MNL–CRM only four times a week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, departing at 6:15 AM. There is no Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday flight, and no second airline to fall back on. If your meeting or event falls on an off day, you either fly in a day early, fly out a day late, or take the 16-hour bus-and-RORO route through Matnog. Check the day of the week before you check the price.
Philippine Airlines is the only airline on this route, flying a 76-seat turboprop four times a week. With no competitor undercutting fares and limited seats, regular one-way prices run ₱3,500–₱5,700 — closer to what you'd pay for an international short-haul than a typical domestic hop. The only way down to ₱1,300–₱1,899 is catching PAL's anniversary sale (usually early March) or another promo window. There is no "just book a few days out and find something cheap" on this route.
Biri's famous rock formations aren't near Catarman town — they're on a separate island reached via tricycle to the jeepney terminal (₱100), jeepney or van to Lavezares port (~1 hour, ₱50), then a pump boat to Biri (45 min–1 hour, ₱50–₱200 depending on boat size). Boats generally run 7 AM to 5 PM and don't operate after dark or in rough seas. Budget a full day for Biri, not an afternoon, and don't plan to fly out the same evening.
Northern Samar sits directly in the Philippines' main typhoon corridor, and Catarman's airport has been damaged by storms before. PR2079 gets cancelled or rescheduled more often than flights to most other domestic destinations, especially from July through November. Build in a buffer day if you're flying during this window, and check PAGASA's weather bulletin a few days out rather than just your flight status.
Catarman proper has bank branches and a couple of ATMs near the town center, so cash withdrawal there is fine. Once you head to Biri, Lavezares, or the smaller barangays, it's cash-only — no card terminals, unreliable signal for e-wallets. Withdraw what you need in town before heading out; bring at least ₱3,000–₱5,000 in cash for a multi-day trip beyond Catarman proper.
Airlines flying MNL → Catarman
Just one carrier — Philippine Airlines is the only airline that flies this route nonstop
💡 No Cebu Pacific, no AirAsia, no Cebgo. If you want to compare carriers on price the way you would for MNL–Cebu or MNL–Davao, you can't — PAL has this route to itself. Some travellers fly Cebu Pacific into Tacloban or Calbayog instead and take a 4–6 hour van transfer to Catarman, which is occasionally cheaper but rarely faster. Economy includes 10kg carry-on; checked baggage allowance and meal service follow PAL's standard domestic policy and should be confirmed at booking.
Catarman travel guide for Manila visitors
Everything you need to know before you fly from MNL to CRM
🚌 If you can't get the flight
- No direct ferry exists — Northern Samar isn't on a Manila shipping route
- Bus to Matnog, Sorsogon (~12 hrs) → RORO ferry to Allen (~2 hrs, ₱300–400) → jeepney to Catarman (~1.5 hrs, ₱100–150)
- Total time: 16–18 hours versus 1h35m flying — only worth it if you're already overlanding through Bicol
- Alternative: fly Cebu Pacific/PAL to Tacloban or Calbayog, then van transfer (4–6 hrs) to Catarman
- Matnog port gets overwhelmed on weekends and holidays — sailings can be suspended in bad weather
🛺 Getting around Catarman
- Airport to town center: tricycle, ~15 minutes, ₱100 from the airport rank (₱10–15/head if you walk to the main road first)
- Tricycles and pedicabs run flat per-person fares within town — ₱10–15 for most in-town trips
- No Grab or ride-hailing app coverage — everything is tricycle, habal-habal, or jeepney
- For Biri Island: tricycle → jeepney/van to Lavezares (~1 hr) → pump boat (~45 min–1 hr)
- Habal-habal (motorbike) is the only transport once you're on Biri itself — rates are fixed by the tourism office
💰 Budget in Catarman
- Budget: ₱800–₱1,200/day covers a fan room, carenderia meals, and tricycle fares
- Mid-range: ₱2,000–₱3,500/day for an air-conditioned room and sit-down meals
- A full carenderia meal with rice runs ₱60–₱90; street snacks are ₱10–₱20
- The town itself is cheap — the flight is what determines your total trip cost
- All transactions in Philippine peso (PHP); no currency exchange needed
🪨 Where to go from Catarman
- Biri Island — the famous wind-and-wave-sculpted rock formations (Magasang, Bel-at, Macadlaw, and more); full-day trip via Lavezares
- UEP White Beach — closest beach to town, ~15 min by tricycle, ₱15 entrance, good for a half-day without the Biri logistics
- Calicoan Island (Eastern Samar) — surf spot, but a multi-hour transfer from Catarman, not a day trip
- Macagtas Dam — local recreation spot near town, good for a quick look if you have a free afternoon
- Northern Samar overall is far less touristed than Cebu or Boracay — expect minimal English-language signage outside the airport and hotels
🏨 Where to stay
- Catarman town center: closest to the airport (5–15 min), most hotel options — GV Hotel, Anbero Inn, Diamond Hotel and Resto (₱800–₱2,800/night)
- Near the airport (Dalakit): useful if you have an early Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sunday flight out
- Biri Island: basic homestays and guesthouses from ₱150–₱2,250/night if you want to stay overnight rather than day-trip
- Cash-only is common at smaller inns — confirm payment method when booking, especially outside the two or three larger hotels
- Book ahead for the Catarman Town Fiesta (August 28–29) and Christmas/New Year — limited rooms sell out fast on those dates
🍚 Must-eat in Catarman
- Tinutong — a toasted-rice soup unique to Northern Samar fiesta cooking; ask at carenderias during fiesta season
- Pancit Bisaya — local noodle dish served at family gatherings and fiestas
- Fresh seafood at the public market — Catarman's coastal location means cheap, fresh catch; have a carenderia cook it for a small fee
- Suman and local rice cakes — sold around the town plaza and bus terminal, ₱10–20 each
- Don't expect mall food courts or international chains — Catarman's food scene is carenderias and home-style Waray cooking, not resort dining
Catarman trip budget from Manila
Typical costs for a 3-night Catarman / Biri Island trip — all amounts in Philippine Peso (PHP)
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✈ Flight (one-way) | ₱1,300–1,899 | ₱3,500–5,700 | PAL sale fare vs regular fare — no competing airline to undercut PAL |
| 🏨 Hotel (per night) | ₱600–900 | ₱1,800–2,800 | Fan room vs air-conditioned room in Catarman town center |
| 🍚 Meals (per day) | ₱250–400 | ₱700–1,200 | Carenderia plates vs the few sit-down restaurants in town |
| 🛺 Local transport/day | ₱100–200 | ₱800–1,500 | Tricycle/jeepney vs private habal-habal or van charter |
| 🪨 Biri Island trip | ₱400–600 | ₱1,500–2,500 | Public boat + shared habal-habal tour vs private charter |
| 🎁 Pasalubong / shopping | ₱200–400 | ₱600–1,200 | Limited shopping options — mostly the public market and a couple of stores |
| 📊 Total (3 nights) | ~₱2,650–4,300 | ~₱7,800–13,700 | Excludes flights. The town itself is genuinely cheap once you land. |
7 tips to get the cheapest MNL→Catarman flights
A single-airline, low-frequency route needs a different strategy than booking MNL–Cebu
Subscribe to piso fare alerts
PAL's anniversary sale (around early March) and occasional promo windows are the only times this route gets genuinely cheap. With one airline and four flights a week, these sales sell out fast. Subscribe to piso-fare.com alerts to be first to know.
Lock in your day of the week first, then the price
There's no Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday flight. Before you start comparing fares, confirm your trip works around Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday departures — otherwise you're planning around a flight that doesn't exist.
Don't expect a 3-week-out deal — book the moment a sale drops
Unlike MNL–Cebu, where high frequency means decent fares are often available a few weeks out, this route has no such cushion. If you wait for a "good enough" price close to your travel date, you'll likely pay full fare — there's no competing airline to discount against.
Check if flying via Tacloban or Calbayog is actually cheaper
Cebu Pacific and PAL both serve Tacloban and Calbayog from Manila with more frequency and competition. Add the 4–6 hour van transfer cost and time to Catarman before assuming this is a shortcut — it usually isn't faster, but during a Cebu Pacific seat sale it can occasionally be cheaper.
Build a buffer day into typhoon-season trips
July through November sees the highest rate of weather-related delays and cancellations on this route. If your trip falls in this window, avoid scheduling a same-day onward connection or an inflexible return-to-work date right after landing.
September and June are the best "no-sale" months
If you can't time a PAL promo, these two months sit between Holy Week, the August town fiesta, and the July–November typhoon stretch — your best shot at a below-average regular fare without needing a seat sale.
Confirm baggage and meal inclusions before comparing total cost
PAL's domestic Economy fares vary in what's bundled — baggage allowance and meal service depend on the specific fare class. Check the inclusions at booking so you're comparing the full landed cost, not just the headline fare.
🔔 Never miss a MNL → Catarman piso fare again
Follow this route and get an instant email the moment PAL drops a sale fare — before the 76 seats sell out.
Manila to Catarman flights — what to know
Manila to Catarman flights are a different animal from the routes most piso fare hunters are used to. This isn't MNL–Cebu or MNL–Davao, where four airlines compete and a decent fare shows up most weeks of the year. Philippine Airlines is the only carrier flying this route, operating a 76-seat Dash 8 turboprop four times a week — Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, departing at 6:15 AM. We track cheap flights Manila to Catarman for the people who actually need this route: OFW families with relatives in Northern Samar, government and NGO staff posted to the province, University of Eastern Philippines students and faculty, and the small but growing number of travellers chasing Biri Island's rock formations before they show up on everyone's feed.
The cheapest time to book this route
Because there's no competing low-cost carrier to force fares down, the best time to book isn't a season — it's a sale window. PAL runs an anniversary seat sale most years around early March, timed to the airline's founding anniversary, and we've seen MNL–Catarman base fares drop into the ₱126–₱184 range during those promo periods, which translates to all-in fares of roughly ₱1,300–₱1,900 one-way. Outside of a sale, expect to pay ₱3,500–₱5,700 one-way, since a half-empty Dash 8 four times a week doesn't give PAL much incentive to discount. If you're flexible, June and September tend to be the calmest months for "regular price" bookings — they sit between Holy Week demand, the Catarman Town Fiesta in late August, and the typhoon season that runs roughly July through November.
What Catarman actually costs a Manila traveller
What ₱5,500 actually buys in Catarman tells a different story than the flight price suggests. Once you're on the ground, this is one of the more affordable parts of the Philippines to travel through — a full carenderia meal runs ₱60–₱90, a fan room in town is ₱600–₱900 a night, and the day trip out to Biri Island's rock formations (tricycle, jeepney to Lavezares, then a pump boat) costs a few hundred pesos all-in. The entire swing between a ₱5,500 weekend and a ₱15,000 one comes down to whether you caught the flight on sale, not anything you'll spend once you land.
Flying into typhoon country
That typhoon exposure is worth taking seriously, not as a footnote. Northern Samar sits in the main corridor for Pacific storms making landfall in the Philippines, and Catarman's own airport has sustained storm damage in past typhoon seasons. PR2079 gets rescheduled or cancelled more often than flights on busier domestic routes, so if your trip falls between July and November, build in a spare day rather than scheduling a same-day return flight or an inflexible meeting right after landing.
How piso-fare.com tracks this route
What we're tracking on this page is the live fare cache from Travelpayouts, refreshed regularly, cross-checked against PAL's own booking engine. Because this route has so few seats in circulation, price movements here are noisier and more sudden than on a route like MNL–Cebu — a sale can appear and sell out within a single day. If you're serious about catching the next one, the single most useful action is to subscribe to our piso fare alerts for this exact route below, rather than checking back manually every few days. We send the notification the moment a fare drop registers, which on a four-flights-a-week route is often the difference between booking and missing it entirely.
Frequently asked questions — MNL to Catarman flights
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