An archipelago composed of over 7,600 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, the Philippines has gone from being largely overlooked to a travel destination that has skyrocketed in popularity among tourists from Western countries in the last five years.
The number of international travelers to the Philippines jumped from 5.45 million in 2023 to 6.48 million in 2025 while, in the first half of 2026, that number was already recorded at 3.2 million.
“One of Southeast Asia’s most important commercial and cultural centers”: Delta on new LAX-Manila flight
Amid the increasing demand, both local and international airlines have been looking to launch new routes to both the capital of Manila and other destinations across the country. In March 2027, Delta Air Lines will launch a new route between Los Angeles International (LAX) and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila that will be the only direct service between the two cities offered by a U.S. airline (local flag carrier Philippine Airlines runs what at peak times can be a twice-daily flight).
The flight will run on an Airbus A350-900 with 275 passenger seats including 40 in the Delta One business class. After launching in March, the flight will go three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays before being upped to daily service on June 7.
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The large distance between the two cities means the flight will take 14 hours and 40 minutes on the way to Manila and clock in at 13 hours and 25 minutes on the way back to Los Angeles.
“As the capital of the Philippines, Manila is one of Southeast Asia’s most important commercial and cultural centers,” Delta said in its release on the new route. “The city attracts business travelers, customers visiting friends and family, and visitors eager to experience its rich history, diverse cuisine and vibrant neighborhoods.”
Delta says that The Philippines is a growing market that will help it bring in new passengers.
Michael Derrer Fuchs / Getty Images
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Delta had previously tried launching service to the Philippines through fifth-freedom flights to Manila from Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul and Narita International Airport (NRT) in Tokyo.
Those flights were discontinued during the covid-19 pandemic while competitor United Airlines has been running this type of flight with a stopover in Tokyo to the island of Cebu that has been particularly popular with tourists looking for beach holidays.
Other “big three” competitor American Airlines has a codeshare agreement with Philippine Airlines and does not fly to the country on its own.
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Delta, meanwhile, said that the new route is key to expanding the carrier’s “growing network from LAX” and serving as a “primary international gateway” for U.S. travelers on the way to the rest of the Philippines as well as members of the diaspora traveling between the two countries.
“Whether customers are traveling for business, visiting loved ones, or discovering everything the Philippines has to offer, this new service makes those journeys even easier,” Jeff Arinder, Delta’s vice president of network planning, said in a statement.
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