PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) is adding flights to Japan and Australia ahead of the Christmas and New Year peak travel season as it continues to strengthen its international network.
The airline said this expansion would reinforce its position as the leading Philippine carrier to Japan. Beginning late October, the airline will increase frequencies on three Japan routes to meet growing travel demand during the winter season.
Specifically, flights between Manila and Tokyo Narita, as well as Manila and Osaka Kansai, will expand from 14 to 21 weekly flights effective Oct. 25, 2026, through March 27, 2027.
The Manila to Sapporo Chitose route will increase from three to five weekly flights from Nov. 24, 2026 to Feb. 27, 2027.
These will boost PAL’s Japan operations to up to 87 weekly flights.
PAL currently offers the widest Japan network among Philippine carriers, serving Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka and Sapporo Chitose from Manila as well as Narita and Osaka from Cebu.
The expanded schedule, which includes early morning departures from Manila and evening departures from Narita and Osaka, will give travelers more time to enjoy their destinations while providing greater overall convenience.
“The winter season is one of the most popular times of the year for Filipinos visiting Japan, while it is also a peak period for Japanese travelers seeking the Philippines’ tropical destinations,” PAL President Richard Nuttall said.
“By adding more flights, we are giving our customers greater flexibility during these high-demand months while strengthening tourism, business and cultural exchanges between our two countries,” he added, noting that the additional services also provide more cargo capacity to support growing trade between the Philippines and Japan.
To accommodate heightened demand during the Christmas and New Year holidays, the flag carrier will also operate additional services to Australia on selected peak travel dates.
Additional flights will be opened to serve PAL’s Melbourne and Perth routes, while selected Sydney and Brisbane services will be upgraded to larger aircraft to provide more seats during the holiday travel surge.
PAL said these seasonal enhancements were designed to support strong demand from holidaymakers, visiting friends and relatives, and Filipino communities in Australia traveling during the year-end peak season.
It noted that the expanded Australia services would complement PAL’s frequent flyer partnership with Qantas, offering customers more ways to redeem rewards across both airlines.
Shares of PAL Holdings Inc., parent firm of PAL, were unchanged at P2.60 on Tuesday.
