MNL — Manila (Ninoy Aquino) — Taxi Fare Guide

Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL/NAIA) offers three regulated arrival options from the airport taxi stands: yellow metered airport taxis, fixed-fare coupon taxis, and white metered city taxis. The yellow taxis are the official airport fleet, with a higher flag-down of PHP 75 and PHP 4 for every 300 metres; a ride to Makati usually comes to about PHP 500–700 depending on traffic. Use the marked taxi bays outside each terminal rather than flagging cars on the roadway.

Coupon taxis are bought at counters inside the arrivals area and charge a fixed, zone-based price with no meter — typically PHP 450–800 to Makati, Pasay or BGC. They cost a little more than the meter but remove any dispute over the fare. White city taxis are the cheapest but attract the most complaints about refusing the meter or quoting inflated flat fares, so they are best avoided for airport pickups.

Grab is widely used at NAIA and is usually the best-value, most transparent choice: fares to Makati run about PHP 300–600 and to BGC or Ortigas around PHP 300–600, shown upfront, though surge pricing spikes during rush hour and rain. Book from the designated Grab pickup points at each terminal. Travel times are heavily traffic-dependent — 30–60 minutes to Makati off-peak, but 90 minutes or more during the morning and evening rush.

Practical tips: For safety and to avoid overcharging, use only the official yellow-taxi and coupon-taxi stands or a Grab booking — never accept a driver who approaches you inside arrivals, and insist the meter is running. Confirm the coupon zone price before you leave, keep small PHP notes for change, and allow generous time as Manila traffic is notoriously heavy. Fares are approximate and vary with traffic, time of day and surge.