Sheiwen Aglibot
, May 4, 2023

10 Extra Useful Tagalog Airport Vocabulary

Want to visit the breathtaking “Pearl of the Orient”? Well, you’ll probably land at the airport (paliparan) first. So, here are some of the most useful Tagalog airport vocabulary that every traveler should know. If you are ready for that, keep reading below!

The Philippines is known for its magnificent tourist attractions like beaches, rock formations, and islands. What’s more, fun is you can experience the beauty of the Philippines because these destinations are mostly reachable through different modes of transportation like cars, bikes, tricycles, jeepneys, and planes.

Today, we will learn about Tagalog airport vocabulary. This will be very helpful for you, especially if a quick trip to the Philippines is one of your goals this year. Do not worry because I will also include the English translation of the words.

Basic Tagalog Airport Vocabulary

When you land in the Philippines, it’s essential to learn some basic words and phrases related to the airport since this is primarily your way to get there. Luckily, most airport vocabulary has no Tagalog translations, so it wouldn’t be hard for you anymore. Here is a list of basic Tagalog airport vocabulary.

Paliparan – Airport

Example Sentence: Ang pinakamalaking paliparan sa Pilipinas ay ang Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Ninoy Aquino. (The biggest airport in the Philippines is the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. )

The Tagalog term for the airport is paliparan. It came from the word lipad means “to fly.” There are currently approximately 70 airports in the Philippines that handle international, domestic, and charter flights. Some of the major airports are:

Clark International Airport (CRK)
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL/NAIA)
Mactan-Cebu Airport (CEB)
Francisco Bangoy International Airport/ Davao International Airport (DVO)
Puerto Princesa Airport (PPS)
Laguindingan Airport (CGY)
Bacolod-Silay Airport (BCD)
Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport/Tacloban Airport (TAC)
Iloilo International Airport (ILO)
Zamboanga Airport (ZAM)

Terminal – Terminal

Example Sentence: Sumakay ako ng taxi papuntang unang terminal ng NAIA. – (I rode a cab going to NAIA Terminal 1.)

The next word is terminal. It’s spelled exactly the same as the English word, but it is pronounced with a Filipino accent. NAIA Terminal 3 is the newest and largest terminal of the airport, with international flights and domestic aircraft.

Eroplano – Airplane/Plane

Example Sentence: Ang eroplanong sasakyan ko ay aalis ng 8:00 ng umaga. – (My plane will leave at 8:00 in the morning.)

The list of airport vocabulary would never be complete without learning how to say airplane in Tagalog. The Tagalog word for the airplane is eroplano. Every plane from different airlines in the Philippines has its standard color. For example, the planes of Philippine Airlines have the color of the Philippine flag, Cebu Pacific is yellow, and AirAsia Philippines is red. Fun fact, the world’s largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380, arrived at Clark International Airport in 2020.

Lipad – Flight

Example Sentence: Anong oras ang lipad/flight mo? – (What time is your flight?)

The next Tagalog airport vocabulary is lipad which means flight in English. But, Filipinos nowadays often use the English term instead of the Tagalog term.

Tiket/Tiket Sa Eroplano – Ticket/Plane Ticket

Example Sentence: Maaari kang mag-book ng tiket online. – (You can book a ticket online.)

The next word is tiket o tiket sa eroplano which means airplane ticket. The plane ticket contains all the important details about your flight, so make sure to protect it. You can book it online or buy it personally.

Pag-alis/Paalis – Departure

Example Sentences:

Anong oras ang iyong pag-alis? – What’s the time of your departure?
Narito na ako sa lugar ng mga paalis. – I am already at the departure area.

The word pag-alis, as seen in the sentence, is used as a noun, while the word paalis is used as a verb. People usually go to the airport two or more hours before their departure time to avoid inconvenience. While waiting, there are seats available, and there are also food stalls to have a snack or meal before boarding.

Pagdating/Parating – Arrival

Example Sentence:

Anong oras ang iyong pagating? – What’s the time of your arrival?
Narito na ako sa lugar ng mga parating. – I am already at the arrival area.

These two translations of the word arrival are also used as the word departure. People have designated places to wait for the people arriving and to wait for a cab.

Bagahe – Baggage

Example Sentence: Iwasang lumampas sa baggage allowance na itinakda ng airline. – (Avoid exceeding the baggage allowance set by the airline.)

Another important vocabulary is bagahe which means baggage in English. If you’re checking in, make sure to secure your baggage. Some put a plastic wrapper on their luggage to protect it from thieves, to keep their bag clean, and keep their items intact if their zipper got broken.

Pasaporte – Passport

Example Sentence: Ipakita ang iyong passport sa oras ng check-in. – (Show your passport during check-in time.)

The pasaporte is pretty easy to remember because its spelling is similar to the English term. For foreigners in the Philippines, it is important to keep your passport with you all the time.

Boarding Pass – Boarding Pass

Example Sentence: Sa ibang paliparan, tinatanggap na ang E-Boarding Pass. – (Some airports already accept E-Boarding Pass.)

The last vocabulary is the boarding pass. Filipinos don’t have a Tagalog term for this because they call most of the documents in the airport “dokumento” (documents). So, you’re free to use the word boarding pass as is. In fact, there are a lot of traveling-related terminologies that don’t have Tagalog translations.

Other Tagalog Airport Vocabulary

Here are more words related to the airport.

Bansa – Country
Boarding gate – Boarding gate
Control tower – Control tower
Check-in/Tsek-in – Check-in
Delayed na lipad/flight – Delayed flight
Destinasyon – Patunguhan
Dokumento – Document
Duty-free –Duty-free
Elevator – Elevator
Flight number – Flight number
Guwardiya – Security guard
Hangin – Air
Imigrasyon – Immigration
Kargamento – Cargo
Kanseladong lipad/flight – Cancelled flight/flights
Luggage cart – Luggage cart
Baggage claim – Baggage claim
Metal detector – Metal detector
Palitan ng pera – Money changer
Nasyonalidad – Nationality
Oras ng alis – Departure time
Oras ng dating – Arrival time
Paglapag ng eroplano – Airplane landing
Paparating – Arriving
Palikuran/Banyo/C.R – Comfort room
Pasahero/Mga pasahero – Passenger/Passengers
Karatula – Sign
Sumobrang bagahe – Excess baggage
Stewardess/Cabin crew – Stewardess
Timbangan – Scale
X-ray machine – X-ray machine

Basic Tagalog Airport-Related Sentences

Hindi ko po makita ang aking bagahe. – I can’t find my baggage/luggage.
Nasaan po ang upuang ito? – Where is this seat?
Mabuhay! – Hello!/Welcome!
Maaari ba akong maupo dito? – May I sit here?
Maaari/Puwede ba akong makadaan? – Can I pass through?
Maaari/Puwede po bang makahingi ng tubig? – Water, please.
Maaari bang makipagpalit ng upuan? – May we switch seats?
Paano po pumunta ng airport? – How can I get to the airport?
Puwede ko bang gamitin ang iyong telepono? – Can I use your mobile?
Mangyaring ikabit ang mga seatbelt – Please fasten your seatbelt.
Saan ko po maaaring kunin ang aking bagahe? – Where can I get my baggage?
May taxi po ba papuntang airport? – Is there a cab going to the airport?
May taxi po ba papuntang hotel? – Is there a cab going to the hotel?
Nasaan po ang CR? – Where’s the toilet?

Traveling To The Philippines? Learn Tagalog Now!

Do you love traveling to the Philippines? Learning Tagalog airport vocabulary isn’t enough. It would be best if you knew more to enjoy the beauty of the Philippines and meet amazing Filipino people. So, why not start learning Tagalog with the Ling app now? Just tap this link to go to the website or download the app. After this, you can begin your first Tagalog lesson anytime and anywhere, even if you’re in the airport!