Delta said it intends to launch daily nonstop Los Angeles–Manila flights by summer 2027 using Airbus A350-900 aircraft/
Before suspending its Philippine service in 2021 during the pandemic, Delta served Manila via Tokyo or Seoul.
The plan surfaced in a filing with the US Department of Transportation tied to taipan Lucio Tan's Philippine Airlines’ application to launch Manila–Chicago service. It was earlier reported by the Manila Bulletin newspaper.
Rising competition for PAL
Delta’s planned return would add to 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 US airline could intensify competition for passengers traveling between the two countries.
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 as well as strong tourism and business travel demand.
Access concerns
Delta said it does not oppose PAL’s Chicago route request in principle but urged regulators to defer action on the application until US carriers are assured of commercially viable airport access in Manila.
The airline argued that US carriers continue to face constraints securing slots, gates, and related airport infrastructure at Manila, which are necessary to launch and sustain nonstop services.
At the same time, Philippine carriers have expanded their presence in the US market through new routes and increased frequencies, including the launch of Manila–Seattle nonstop service.
Delta emphasized it is not seeking to block PAL’s Chicago route, but is asking regulators to delay approval until the Philippine government provides assurances that US airlines will have access to the slots and infrastructure needed to operate Manila flights on commercially viable terms.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
