Philippine Airlines has just revealed plans to expand its service to the United States, with flights to a new gateway…
In this post:
Philippine Airlines plans Chicago flights as of summer 2026
Philippine Airlines has filed with the Department of Transportation (DOT), requesting permission to launch regularly scheduled service between Manila (MNL) and Chicago (ORD). At 8,132 miles, this will be an ultra long haul flight, probably around the 25th longest flight in the world.
The airline is requesting expedited approval, as it hopes to launch this service during the summer 2026 IATA traffic season (which runs from late March through late October), and wants to put tickets on sale ASAP. Getting approval for this route shouldn’t be an issue.
The service is consistent with the air service agreement between the Philippine and the United States, which authorizes carriers of the Philippines to operate scheduled flights “from the Philippines via intermediate points to Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Guam, Saipan, and four additional points in the United States to be selected by the Government of the Philippines.” So Chicago would be one of those “four additional points.”
I’ll be sure to provide an update once this route is official, with the schedule published and tickets on sale.
How Chicago fits into Philippine Airlines’ route network
For context, currently Philippine Airlines’ destinations in the United States include Guam (GUM), Honolulu (HNL), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), Saipan (SPN), San Francisco (SFO), and Seattle (SEA). Seattle is the newest gateway, with that route having launched in late 2024.
Philippine Airlines has been through quite the transformation in recent years. In 2021, the airline filed for bankruptcy protection, and significantly shrunk its fleet, given the impacts of the pandemic. Then in 2023, the airline placed an order for nine Airbus A350-1000s, just shortly after dumping some of its existing Airbus A350-900s. Those planes are now joining the fleet, so I imagine that growth is what enables new routes like this one.
Philippine Airlines doesn’t belong to any major global alliance. Instead, the airline (obviously) serves the local market in the Philippines, but also often has attractive fares across the Pacific, for those connecting to elsewhere.
In terms of the size of the Filipino population, Chicago ranks seventh(ish) among US cities, after Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Honolulu, San Diego, and Las Vegas. As you can see, the top four cities are all served by the airline. Meanwhile the airline used to fly to Las Vegas as a tag flight from the Vancouver service, but that doesn’t operate anymore.
Bottom line
Philippine Airlines intends to launch nonstop flights between Manila and Chicago in the coming months. The airline has requested permission for this service from the DOT, with hopes of the flight starting as of this summer.
This would complement the existing US mainland destinations of Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle, and it seems like a logical enough place for the airline to expand to. With the new A350-1000s that the airline is acquiring, there’s also a bit more room to grow.
What do you make of Philippine Airlines adding Chicago flights?
Being a hub for American, I think this is a good point to serve and strengthen Philippine Airlines and American partnership.
Probably the worst airport on the planet - Manila - where rats greet you as you check your bags - real rats
And I'm seeing reports that their security is still running the laglag-bala (bullet dropping) extortion scam on travelers.
Anyone know the flight time?
Lucky, perhaps you could write up a blog post on the best ways to book PAL airlines using miles? I know you could book using ANA miles at one point, but they suspended their PAL bookings not too long ago and I'm not sure if it's still suspended or not. Did using Alaska miles ever materialize?
Maybe a little healthy competition will encourage United to come down on their prices to MNL. Polaris is enjoyable, and ORD-SFO-MNL route saves a little time. For many, all of that would be superseded by the convenience of a direct flight. Exciting news.
There are a lot of Filipinos in the Chicago area, particularly around suburbs like Niles, Morton Grove, Glenview, etc. So VFR traffic should be high.
This is great. I have to travel to MNL for work a couple times per year & usually fly ORD-HKG-MNL. Saves a connection and PAL has better quite good as of late.
They used to serve Chicago in the 80s with 747s, Newark in the late-90s with wet-leased MD-11s, and Las Vegas with A343s with a stop in Vancouver (and full fifth-freedom rights) that lasted almost a decade.
Chicago does make sense with the large Filipino diaspora in Chicago area. They're also looking to serve Houston once they launch Chicago and have enough aircraft. While San Diego does have a sizeable if not significant Filipino population,...
They used to serve Chicago in the 80s with 747s, Newark in the late-90s with wet-leased MD-11s, and Las Vegas with A343s with a stop in Vancouver (and full fifth-freedom rights) that lasted almost a decade.
Chicago does make sense with the large Filipino diaspora in Chicago area. They're also looking to serve Houston once they launch Chicago and have enough aircraft. While San Diego does have a sizeable if not significant Filipino population, I find it too small for non-stop service. I see Las Vegas returning first. And this is where a smaller sized aircraft such as a 789 would be perfect as the A359 would still be considered too big for some markets.
Personally, I find the A359 to be redundant in their fleet especially since they only have 2. What they need is a 789. While smaller, it has plenty of range. It has the right capacity, just like the A343s they used to have, but more efficient.
Creating a completely separate new pilot group, and acquiring another engine type to maintain/pay for maintenance on, might not be worth the nominal cost savings of a slightly smaller and lighter aircraft.
They'd need a acquire quite a bit of 787s to make the increased cost worth it, and that's very unlikely to happen until the new airport is available.
The 77Ws will be retired eventually. In the meantime, they plan to reconfigure their 77Ws along with A333s, so that gives them about a decade or so before they are retired. And that gives them breathing room when they acquire new aircraft. So why not keep everything status quo? There is minimal training from a 777 to a 787 compared to going from a 777 to an Airbus. There's also long-standing ties between the airline,...
The 77Ws will be retired eventually. In the meantime, they plan to reconfigure their 77Ws along with A333s, so that gives them about a decade or so before they are retired. And that gives them breathing room when they acquire new aircraft. So why not keep everything status quo? There is minimal training from a 777 to a 787 compared to going from a 777 to an Airbus. There's also long-standing ties between the airline, Boeing, and GE. Not to mention the Philippines could be wedged between geopolitical rifts making them an all-Airbus airline highly unlikely.
"There is minimal training from a 777 to a 787 compared to going from a 777 to an Airbus."
But NOT minimal cost changing from 777 engines/parts/spares/mtx to 787, versus from A350-900 to A350-1000, which share nearly all the above. Nowhere near as simple, easy, nor cost effective as you seem to imply.
Which, is one of the main reasons they haven't done it, and if they ever do, likely not until they have an airfield that can adequately handle the addition.
There's no way to redeem points for PAL sadly afaik. I thought for a while AS was going to enable it via Atmos, but that seems to have never materialized.
Now all that need to do is fix the abhorrent transit experience at MNL...
I do it almost monthly and it's really not that bad.....though a subway is under construction that will save the 20 minutes of messing around.
They're planning to move all full service carriers including PR to Terminal 3, while LCCs like Cebu and AirAsia move to Terminal 1.
It's about time they utilize the terminal to its full potential and for its intended purpose.
When it first opened 2008, Cebu was the only carrier to operate from the terminal hence they were expand to the size they are now. And ANA became the first foreign carrier 3 years later.
Just to let you know that's me above.
I had a brain fart not putting in my regular handle for some reason.
I have to do a better job proofreading before I post!
I was gonna say something similar. Do people actually use that as a transit hub for the rest of Asia? Yikes.
Domestically, yes. As for international, while nothing like its neighbours, there still some who transit in Manila if the fares are cheap compared to the likes of Cathay, the Taiwanese carriers, Singapore, etc.
It’s a pity they don’t fly directly to Cebu.
There was an LAX CEB flight pre Covid.
Mactan Airport is very efficient. The international terminal 2 is great and even has an adjacent Aerotel. The domestic terminal 1 was complete renovated and there are plenty of retail outlets too. You can even get a haircut and there is the adjacent Waterfront Hotel.
Importantly there’s international to domestic airside transit. Bags can be...
It’s a pity they don’t fly directly to Cebu.
There was an LAX CEB flight pre Covid.
Mactan Airport is very efficient. The international terminal 2 is great and even has an adjacent Aerotel. The domestic terminal 1 was complete renovated and there are plenty of retail outlets too. You can even get a haircut and there is the adjacent Waterfront Hotel.
Importantly there’s international to domestic airside transit. Bags can be checked to the final destination and there’s a separate transit walkway between T2 - T1 which has a passport and security check.
For real, UA. It's not great. Heaven forbid you need to change terminals.
Lol! Let’s make Chicago a bit more third world!
Is that even possible?
Implying that the Philippines is their world?
Would not say that as I sit on a beautiful beach with turquoise water watching a beautiful sunset at a five star hotel drinking from a fresh coconut.
MAGAts need to be castrated publicly.
Yikes!
Lol you're showing your ignorance. Filipinos are one of the richest ethnic groups in America and are helping Make America Great again!
JJ, nope, basically they are the Mexicans of Asia.
So, that means that they're the most hard working in Asia?
Eric, look up some of the foods those “people” eat. “Balut ”, makes me nauseous just thinking about it. They are disgusting and the more I think about it, they are worse than Mexicans.
Wow, now there's a truly childish, ignorant, and racist remark.
As a Filipino I think you're disgusting, Dave Stafford.
Hey, Ben! Aren't you going to take down Dave S. silly comments? Not only are they racist (OK fine, it's a free country), but the guy is frightened by a balut! In many Manila dive bars, he would hardly be considered a man. Just sayin.