Airlines are ramping up flights between North America and the Philippines as robust demand continues to buck a broader slowdown in outbound travel from the US and Canada, reinforcing confidence in one of the country’s most valuable tourism markets.
The expansion comes ahead of the year-end travel season, highlighting how the Philippines is capturing a bigger share of North American travelers despite softer overall international travel from the region.
Data as of May 2026 showed US outbound air travel slipped 0.5 percent year on year to 29.05 million passengers, while Canadian outbound travel inched up just 0.2 percent to 10.6 million.
Yet travel to the Philippines continued to accelerate, with arrivals from the US rising 7.07 percent to 531,859 and Canadian visitors surging 17.13 percent to 166,178.
The strong performance propelled the US past South Korea as the Philippines’ biggest source of foreign visitors, underscoring the country’s growing appeal among high-value North American travelers.
Responding to the sustained demand, Philippine Airlines (PAL) is rolling out its biggest North American network expansion in years. The flag carrier will relaunch nonstop Chicago-Manila flights on Nov. 9, increase Vancouver-Manila services from seven to 10 weekly beginning Nov. 17, expand New York-Manila operations from three to four weekly flights starting Dec. 2, with a fifth weekly service during the holiday peak, and raise Toronto-Manila flights from three to four weekly beginning Dec. 5.
Air Canada will likewise increase Vancouver-Manila flights from four to five weekly starting Dec. 7, while Delta Air Lines plans to begin daily nonstop Los Angeles-Manila service in the first half of 2027.
“North America remains one of our most important markets,” PAL President Richard Nuttall said, adding that the additional services will provide greater travel options while supporting tourism, business travel, cargo and family connections.
The additional capacity reflects airlines’ confidence that demand for the Philippines remains resilient. North American visitors are among the country’s highest-spending tourists, generating more than USD1.5 billion in annual visitor receipts and supporting thousands of jobs, local businesses and tourism-related industries across the country.
