On October 2nd, 2024, Philippine Airlines
will offer its first nonstop service from Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila, marking the airport’s first direct connection to the East Asian island nation. This flight will be operated by the airline’s Boeing 777 aircraft and will add to what is already an extensive network of destinations in the United States.
These 14-hour flights will cross the International Date Line (IDL), and will, as a result, operate three times weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, providing year-round service between the Pacific Northwest and the thriving Asian capital. In the return direction, flights will only take 11.5 hours due to stronger prevailing winds. However, they will also follow a red-eye schedule.
Photo: Telsek | Shutterstock
A rapidly growing international network from Seattle
Manila is the latest in a long series of new international destinations to be added to Seattle-Tacoma’s route map in the past calendar year, with Alaska Airlines starting a new service to Liberia, Costa Rica, launching last December. According to The Seattle Times, the launch of tomorrow’s Manila service will become the record eighth new international nonstop service to be added this year, including destinations like Toronto and Munich.
The Port of Seattle, which manages Seattle’s largest airport, noted that one of the major factors motivating the launch of this new service is the area’s high density of people with Filipino heritage, which ranks fourth in the nation. With Manila now in its network, the carrier is set to offer service to 34 different international nations with flights operated by a total of 28 different global airlines.
The leadership team at Philippine Airlines is undeniably excited by the launch of these new flights. In a statement regarding the launch, the carrier’s President, Stanley Ng, had the following words to share:
“We also look forward to serving Filipinos who hope to reunite with family members or experience new travel adventures in the vibrant U.S. Pacific Northwest.”
A two-way red eye that joins multiple others in the carrier’s network
As outbound red-eye flights, the services between Seattle and Manila will operate on red-eye schedules. Details are available in the table below:
|
Flight Number: |
Route: |
Departure Time: |
Arrival Time: |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Philippine Airlines Flight 124 |
MNL-SEA |
10:40 PM |
7:15 PM |
|
Philippine Airlines Flight 125 |
SEA-MNL |
11:40 PM |
4:45 AM |
The Boeing 777-300ER which is set to operate this flight will be one of nine currently active in the Philippine Airlines fleet, with an additional aircraft on the way. These aircraft will offer two-class services, with just lie-flat business class and economy available. The airline’s newer aircraft, such as the Airbus A350-900 and A350-1000, are equipped with premium economy cabins.
This new service will help widen the airline’s network, by offering easy connections from Seattle to destinations across the United States. According to FOX, the airline currently operates nonstop flights to all the following cities:
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
- Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
- Guam’s Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM)