MANILA, 19 February 2025: Philippine Airlines introduces nonstop flights between Cebu and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), offering the first direct air service linking Central Visayas and Vietnam’s leading economic and commercial city.

The new PAL Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City route will commence on 2 May 2025, with an initial schedule of three weekly flights. The route will cater to the growing demand by Filipinos to visit Vietnam, which recorded approximately 216,000 Filipino travellers in 2024 and ranks as the 9th most visited destination among Filipinos.

The Philippine flag carrier is also increasing its Manila-Hanoi-Manila flights to a daily service, up from five weekly, starting 2 April 2025. This will provide more convenient access between Manila and Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, known for its rich history and cultural treasures.

“We are pleased to expand Philippine Airlines’ footprint in Vietnam, our next-door neighbour and fellow ASEAN member country, through our new service linking Ho Chi Minh City to Cebu for the first time,” said PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Stanley K. Ng. “We look forward to boosting tourism, strengthening Cebu’s position as the nation’s emerging business and leisure gateway, and building on the strong and friendly relations between Vietnam and the Philippines. We are excited to invite Vietnamese tourists and business people to take the short hop to Cebu to discover our islands’ wonders and enjoy our people’s warm hospitality.”

The Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City flights depart from Mactan-Cebu International Airport every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. The return PAL service departs from Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport every Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

PAL will deploy an Airbus A321 with 199 seats configured with business and economy class.

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is a vibrant, tourist-friendly destination famous for its Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Opera House and the colourful Bến Thành Market. Saigon’s street cafes offer hearty portions of the famous bánh mì, southern-style savoury pancakes (bánh xèo) and broken rice (cơm tấm), all of which pair perfectly with a glass of iced milk coffee (cà phê sữa đá).

Cebu offers a cosmopolitan lifestyle set amidst natural beauty. Its 200-km coastline, surrounded by coral reefs and luxury resorts, allows visitors to go boating and scuba diving. PAL is supporting the Department of Tourism (DoT) and the local travel community in attracting more Vietnamese tourists to the country, of whom 58,000 visited the Philippines in 2024.

The early morning arrival in Cebu allows passengers to connect smoothly to PAL’s domestic destinations and nonstop flights Cebu-Osaka and Cebu-Tokyo Narita, making Mactan-Cebu a convenient transfer hub for Vietnamese travellers.

PAL’s new Cebu-HCMC route and increased Manila-Hanoi services complement the eight weekly PAL flights between Manila and Ho Chi Minh City.

SCHEDULE FOR THE NEW CEBU- HCMC (SGN)

PR 587 Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City – every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, departing Mactan-Cebu at 2255 and arriving in HCMC (SGN) at 0055.
PR 588 Ho Chi Minh City-Cebu – every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, departing HCMC (SGN) at 0155, arriving in Mactan-Cebu at 0605H.

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