The airline will begin with three weekly flights, linking Japan’s western regions to Cebu and the central Philippines for both tourists and business travelers. To accommodate increasing demand, a fourth weekly flight will be added by February 2025.
Management’s view
"We are delighted to make our comeback in the Cebu-Osaka market, just in time for the Christmas holiday season. Our direct flights from Mactan to Kansai will help us promote the tourism industry and local businesses in Cebu and the Visayas region, and deepen both bilateral relations and cultural ties with our Japanese counterparts,” said Capt. Stanley Ng, the president and chief operating officer of PAL.
“Philippine Airlines looks forward to giving travelers from Western Japan the opportunity to experience the outstanding resorts and heritage experiences that Cebu is famous for, or to reunite with loved ones in the Philippines,” he added.
Iconic destination
Osaka, known for its rich history, food, shopping, and iconic spots like Osaka Castle and Universal Studios Japan, serves as a gateway to popular cities such as Kyoto and Nara. Travelers flying from Osaka can easily connect in Cebu to various Philippine destinations, including Boracay, Davao, and Puerto Princesa.
Cebu is popular with Japanese tourists, not only for leisure but also for English as a Second Language courses. The route will use a 199-seat Airbus A321 CEO aircraft.
This service complements PAL’s daily Cebu-Narita flights and its twice-daily Manila-Osaka flights.
Overall, PAL offers the largest number of flights between the Philippines and Japan, with routes to Osaka, Tokyo, Nagoya, and Fukuoka.
PAL also flies internationally from Cebu, with daily flights to Seoul and three weekly flights to Bangkok.
