Delta Air Lines has quietly revealed plans to launch service between Los Angeles and Manila, but the timing of the disclosure points to a strategic goal beyond simply announcing a new route.
Delta Signals Los Angeles–Manila Flights As It Responds To Philippine Airlines Chicago Route Request
A recent filing with the U.S. Department of Transportation indicates Delta is considering service between Los Angeles (LAX) and Manila (MNL), a move that comes as Philippine Airlines seeks approval to launch its own Manila–Chicago (ORD) route. The filing appears designed, at least in part, to influence how scarce takeoff and landing slots are allocated at Manila’s crowded airport.
Delta is pursuing plans to launch its own Manila service next summer (2027) with daily Airbus A350-900 service from Los Angeles (LAX)…
Delta respectfully asks the Department to defer action until Delta and the U.S. Government receive written assurances from the Philippine Government that the slots and airport access necessary to implement planned Manila service will be available on commercially viable terms.
In short, Delta is positioning itself to ensure access to attractive slots if Philippine Airlines is granted authority to launch Chicago flights. Delta doesn’t just want to serve MNL, but serve MNL with timing that will make the route more competitive.
Why Delta Is Talking About Summer 2027 Service To Manila Now
Philippine Airlines has requested approval to begin nonstop service between Manila and Chicago as soon as the summer 2026 season. The ultra-longhaul route would connect the Philippines directly to the U.S. Midwest for the first time.
Delta’s filing does not necessarily mean flights to Manila are imminent. Instead, it signals that the airline wants to ensure it is not disadvantaged if new traffic rights or slot allocations are granted as part of the Philippine Airlines expansion.
Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport is notoriously slot constrained, meaning desirable arrival and departure times are limited and extremely valuable.
If Philippine Airlines is awarded rights for Chicago service, the DOT may also consider how reciprocal opportunities are distributed to U.S. carriers. Delta clearly wants to be part of that conversation.
Why Los Angeles Makes More Sense Than Seattle
If Delta does launch Manila service, Los Angeles strikes me as the most obvious hub to launch the route from.
The Los Angeles metropolitan area is home to the largest Filipino population outside the Philippines, making it a natural market for nonstop service. That demand has long supported multiple daily flights between LAX and Manila operated by Philippine Airlines.
Delta could theoretically operate the route from Seattle (SEA) as well, especially given its growing Pacific hub there. But I see three advantages in operating the route from Los Angeles:
- A far larger Filipino diaspora
- Stronger local origin-and-destination demand
- A chance to compete directly in one of the most established U.S.–Philippines markets
There is also a competitive dimension. United Airlines has already built a strong presence in the Philippines market through its San Francisco hub and I’ve heard this route has done very well, even though ticket prices tend to run lower than other destinations in East Asia. A Los Angeles–Manila route would allow Delta to compete more directly for that traffic while also beating either United or American Airlines (far less likely) to the punch.
As Delta take more aircraft deliveries in the years ahead, it would not surprise me to see routes form both LAX and SEA.
Delta previously served Manilla via its former Northwest Orient Tokyo Narita (NRT) hub, but that service ended in March 2020.
CONCLUSION
Delta’s Manila filing is about strategic positioning and it strikes me as logical and reasonable. As Philippine Airlines pushes for Chicago flights, Delta wants to ensure it has access to prime slots at Manila if additional service rights are granted.
Delta’s filing does three things simultaneously:
- Protects Delta’s regulatory position
- Ensures access to valuable Manila slots
- Signals competitive intent against United
If Delta does eventually launch service to Manila, Los Angeles would be the most logical starting point thanks to the enormous Filipino population in Southern California and the opportunity to compete directly in one of the busiest U.S.–Philippines markets.
Hat Tip: View From The Wing
It’s interesting to see how busy MNL is becoming. It has become seriously slot restricted at this point. So much so that a number of domestic flights have been required to move to Clark making getting to popular places like Coron from MNL really difficult now.
The reality is that Manila needs to start the process of designing and building an entirely new airport on a grand scale. MNL is a complete mess and if the Govt. wants to keep the boom of the Philippines going forward they will have to invest in a massive airport project.
The New Manila International Airport, also known as Bulacan International Airport, is a $15 billion mega-project under construction on 2,500 hectares of reclaimed land in Manila Bay, Bulacan. Designed to handle 100 million passengers annually with four runways, it aims to replace the overcapacity Ninoy Aquino International Airport by roughly 2028, though it faces concerns over sinking land and flooding.
Let’s add that the new Manila International Airport (Bulacan International Airport) will feature at least 4 runways, expandable to 6. It is reported that the first phase of the project will include 2 of the 4 runways. It is needless to say this megaproject is considered a major infrastructure move to boost the Philippines’ tourism and economic growth.
I have real suspicions to this happening anytime soon, let alone in 2028. Hotel Okura has opened a beautiful hotel as part of Resorts World adjacent to T3 which I stayed at last month. Other than the airport, there would be no reason to develop this new luxury hotel. It would die without MNL. As such, I’m having a hard time believing that any developer or hotel brand would invest in this new property without insider knowledge that the new airport is at least a decade away or perhaps never happening.
As well, forcing many domestic flights to move to Clark seems to be a long term strategy of using it as a second potential gateway. That does not sound like a Govt that has any confidence in a new airport opening in most of their lifetimes.
The DL A350-900 jetliner at LAX in the article photo looks gorgeous.
So hawt…
And how about a non-stop service from SEA to MNL?
Philippine airlines already does a non stop from SEA to MNL. That’s how I flew last time coming to Manila. It was also less expensive to fly from SEA rather than SFO of LAX by several hundred dollars.
There is a lot of high value cargo going westbound on the SFO-MNL United 2x/day that must be carried on a US flag airline. Probably some pretty good mangoes and pineapple on the way back also.
I was going to comment that the freight traffic is probably a gold mine, much more so than the money they’ll make carrying passengers. The A359 will make it work.