Flag carrier strengthens Japan services and adds extra Australia flights during the Christmas and New Year travel season
Philippine Airlines (PAL) is strengthening its international network with significant increases in flights to Japan, alongside additional services to Australia during the Christmas and New Year peak travel season.
The expansion reinforces PAL’s position as the leading Philippine carrier to Japan, providing travelers with greater flexibility, more convenient schedules, and increased opportunities to connect through Manila and Cebu to destinations across the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific.
Beginning in late October, Philippine Airlines will increase frequencies on three of its Japan routes to meet growing travel demand during the winter season:
• Manila–Tokyo (Narita) – from 14 to 21 weekly flights, effective October 25, 2026, to March 27, 2027
• Manila–Osaka (Kansai) – from 14 to 21 weekly flights, effective October 25, 2026, to March 27, 2027
• Manila–Sapporo (Chitose) – from 3 to 5 weekly flights, effective November 24, 2026, to February 27, 2027
These enhancements will increase PAL’s Japan operations to up to 87 weekly flights, giving customers more travel options during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. PAL offers the widest Japan network among Philippine carriers, with the most flights and destinations, serving Tokyo (Narita), Tokyo (Haneda), Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Sapporo (Chitose) from Manila, as well as Narita and Osaka from Cebu. The expanded schedule, including early morning departures from Manila and evening departures from Narita and Osaka, gives travelers more time to enjoy their destination while providing greater flexibility and 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,” said Richard Nuttall, President of Philippine Airlines. “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. The additional services also provide more cargo capacity to support growing trade between the Philippines and Japan.”
Additional Australia Capacity for Peak Holiday Travel
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 mounted on 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.
These seasonal enhancements are designed to support the strong demand from Filipino communities in Australia, holidaymakers, and visiting friends and relatives traveling during the year-end peak season.
The expanded Australia services complement PAL’s frequent flyer partnership with Qantas, offering customers more ways to redeem rewards across both airlines.
PAL encourages customers to book early to secure preferred travel dates and enjoy greater availability throughout the holiday travel periods.
