Delta eyes LAX-Manila service as US-Philippines route competition heats up

Delta Air Lines has quietly revealed plans to launch a new daily nonstop service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Manila International Airport (MNL) by Summer 2027, using an Airbus A350-900 aircraft. 

The announcement comes as Philippine Airlines seeks approval to launch its own Manila to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) route, which would establish the first direct air link between the Philippines and the American Midwest.

The US-Philippines market is one of the largest long-haul travel corridors for the country, supported by a large Filipino diaspora in North America, particularly in California. According to the Pew Research Center, there are approximately 1.6 to 1.7 million Filipinos currently living in California, making up nearly 40% of the nation’s total Filipino population. Los Angeles alone is home to around 500,000 Filipino Americans, making it a highly coveted route for airlines.

As first reported by airline news and data site Enilria, Delta has asked regulators, in a filing with the US Department of Transportation (DOT), to delay approval of Philippine Airlines’ flights between Manila and Chicago O’Hare until the Philippine government guarantees commercially viable airport slots for Delta’s planned Manila service. 

The airline argues that American carriers continue to face constraints securing slots, gates, and related airport infrastructure at Manila’s notoriously slot-constrained Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Delta’s planned return to Manila after a six-year hiatus would add to the growing competition on US-Manila routes, where United Airlines already operates multiple nonstop services linking the Philippine capital with key US gateways. For Philippine Airlines, which has long dominated the Manila–US corridor among Philippine carriers, the potential entry of another American airline could intensify competition for passengers traveling between the two countries.

While Delta has emphasized that it is not seeking to block Philippine Airlines’ Chicago route, the airline is asking regulators to ensure that US carriers have access to the slots and infrastructure needed to operate Manila flights on commercially viable terms. 

As the battle for this lucrative market heats up, travelers can expect to see more options and potentially better deals on flights between the United States and the Philippines in the coming years.

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