I'd much appreciate some practical suggestions and/or advice, please. I have to do my 'leave the country' visa run next month from Cebu, and want the cheapest Direct - non-stop - destination with a minimum turn around time. Not planning a holiday - just a quick in-and-out. all suggestions gratefully received. Thanks!
You can look up any airport at wikipedia.org and see a list of airlines and their destinations. Then go to the airline for schedule. For example, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mactan–Cebu_International_Airport#Airlines_and_destinations
Philippines Airlines and Cebu Pacific also have regular deals posted on their website. I'd just go with the cheapest flight.
I'm not 100% sure on this, but not sure you can fly out of the Philippines and go back on the same date, of course, you can stay in the airport and time your trip to be as close to midnight as possible
In theory it MAY be possible but because discretion is allowed to the Immigration officials who decide, why risk it? I have read of a case of someone who went out one day (to HK) and returned just after midnight and that worked. I feel that having paid the fare there, why not stay a day or so and find something different to enjoy.
I think it would be the date of the last exit stamp that mattered. As you pointed out, no point in risking being denied when you can just wait for the next calendar day at midnight. I believe some people may be on a budget and can't afford to exit the airport in HK. It turns into quite the expensive day trip when you do that.
Make sure you have your ECC (Emigration Clearance Certificate) if needed. Check Cebu Pacific and Air Asia for promo flights out of Cebu. Direct short flights out of Cebu would be; Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur. I did my visa run to Taipei and found reasonably priced hotels (P1500) and a very nice city. It might be cold in Hong Kong and Taipei this time of year. Make sure you have your throwaway ticket, you will not get on your return flight without it. Your throwaway is one-way out of anywhere in the Philippines to outside of the Philippines, so check flights out of Cebu, Manila and Clark for the best price.
