Still 60: SMC Tollways confirms NAIAX isn't 80 km/h yet

When the NAIA Expressway opened on June 1, 2017, motorists that plied the road lamented that the speed limit was too low at 60 km/h.

The elevated toll road that links the terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to other major thoroughfares and toll roads such as SLEX, Skyway, Roxas Boulevard, CAVITEX, and the like, has maintained that speed limit all throughout. The reason is for safety of course, as NAIAX isn’t particularly straight and level all through out, as it had to wind around existing buildings, the runway, and even over a river. That's also why Skyway Stage 3 is also a 60 km/h toll road, while the original Skyway (which runs mostly straight) on top of SLEX is at 80 km/h. 

Given those conditions, we were surprised when someone in a social media group posted that the NAIAX speed limit has somehow been redesignated as 80 km/h. So we decided to verify.

The short answer: No. NAIAX is still a 60 km/h road.

We got the clarification from Nelly Argota, the general manager of SMC Southern Tollways which covers SLEX, Skyway, Skyway Stage 3, STAR Tollway, and NAIAX. But what she also indicated is that the company is evaluating whether they can or should increase the speed limit on NAIAX.

“No official communication yet but we are studying it [80 km/h]. So until meron na we are at 60 km/h pa rin,” said Argota.

So unless you want to get a speeding ticket on NAIAX (like I did in 2020) then we suggest you stick to 60 km/h. They’re not too strict if you go over it slightly, but you could be apprehended if your speed is clocked at 80.