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Philippine Airlines, otherwise known as 'PAL', is the national carrier of the Philippines. The airline has its primary hub at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and flies to more than 40 international destinations across Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Middle East and Oceania, as well as several destinations within the Philippines.
The airline's origins date back to 1935, when it flew under the name Philippine Aerial Taxi Company, offering passenger and cargo flights to islands within the Philippines. In 1941, the airline rebranded to Philippine Airlines and flew its inaugural service the same year with a flight from Manila to Baguio. After WWII, the airline officially became the flag carrier of the Philippines and shortly after expanded its route network and became Asia's first airline to fly across the specific ocean when it launched flights to destinations within the US.
Philippine Airlines went private again when the government sold the majority of its stake in the airline in the early 1990s. However, before the decade was finished, the airline became the official flag carrier for the airline again and has remained the national carrier to this day.
Top Tip: Do you plan on exploring the Philippines? Our guide to domestic flights within the Philippines can help! Discover top travel tips, including domestic flight FAQs!
Did you know? Did you know, when you book your Philippine Airlines flights through Alternative Airlines you can choose to pay using Philippine Peso, financing options, or PayPal? The Philippine Peso is one of the 160 currencies that you choose from! You don't have to pay for your flights all upfront, either! Select a Buy Now Pay Later option to spread the cost of your Philippine Airlines flights into instalments.
Subsidiaries
PAL Express is the low-cost subsidiary airline of Philippine Airlines and acts as PAL's domestic division, flying to 31 domestic destinations and 5 international destinations.
Baggage Policy
Please be aware that the following information is a guide - each flight ticket has its own baggage allowance policy, which will be confirmed during the flight booking process. If you would like to travel with more baggage, it is easy to add extra bags to your booking. Unless otherwise stated, the free baggage allowance is as follows:
Carry-on Baggage
Carry-on allowance applies to all passengers, including Economy, Premium and Business passengers. Every passenger is allowed one piece of carry-on baggage, which must be small enough to be placed in the overhead bin or under the passenger seat. The maximum total dimension of carry-on baggage is 56cm x 36cm x 23cm (22in x 14in x 9in), and a maximum weight of 7 kgs (15 lbs).
In addition to the free carry-on allowance, each passenger is allowed to carry two personal items onboard the plane. Only two of the following personal items will be accepted:
- A small handbag
- An overcoat, jacket or blanket
- A small camera or pair of binoculars
- A laptop or tablet or digital device, with a case
- Reading material
- A duty-free shopping bag
- An infant's food for consumption during the flight
- A pair of crutches, a walking stick, or other prosthetic devices
Checked Baggage
Domestic Flights:
Economy Supersaver tickets aren't permitted a free checked baggage allowance.
Economy Saver ticket-holders are permitted up to 10kg / 22lbs of free checked baggage.
Economy Value and Economy Flex passengers can take up to 20kg / 44lbs of free checked baggage.
Premium Economy passengers can take up to 25kg / 55lbs of checked baggage.
Business Value fare-holders are permitted up to 30kg / 66lbs of free checked baggage.
Business Flex passengers can take up to 35kg / 77lbs of free checked baggage.
International Flights:
To the Pacific and Asia — passengers are allowed 25kg (55lbs) of checked baggage in all Economy classes, except for Premium Economy, which allows for 30kg (66lbs) of checked baggage. Passengers are allowed 35kg (77lbs) of checked baggage in all Business classes.
To Europe — Passengers are allowed 30kg (66lbs) of checked baggage in all Economy classes, except for Premium Economy, which allows for 35kg (77lbs) of checked baggage. Passengers are allowed 40kg (88lbs) of checked baggage in all Business classes.
To the Middle East, Japan, USA and Guam— Philippine airlines passengers are allowed two pieces of checked baggage at 23kg (50lbs) per piece in all Economy classes, except for Economy Plus, which allows two pieces of checked baggage at 25kg (55lbs) per piece. Passengers are allowed two pieces of checked baggage at 32kg (70lbs) per piece in all Business classes.
To Korea— Philippine Airlines passengers are allowed 20kg (44lbs) of checked baggage in all Economy classes, except for Economy Plus, which allows 25kg (55lbs) of checked baggage. Passengers are allowed 30kg (66lbs) of checked baggage in Business Promo and Business Classic and 35kg (77lbs) of checked baggage in Business Flex.
Class Fares
Depending on the aircraft being operated, the airline offers two class fare options: a two-class (Business Class and Economy Class) cabin, or a three-class (Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy) cabin. All cabins are modern, comfortable, and clean, with a relaxed, tropical feel in a blue, aqua and terracotta palette.
Philippine Airlines has recently introduced a new range of Fare Families, with different allowances associated with each class tier. This allows passengers to enjoy flexibility in choosing the fare that comes with the right benefits for them, such as baggage allowance and cancellation/amendment rights. There are different fares available within both Economy and Business class.
Did you know? It's easy to select the perfect fare for you when booking your flights through Alternative Airlines - you can find out more about how to do this here.
Economy Class
PAL's Economy Class is called Fiesta.
Philippine Airlines' Economy Class offers a tropical, comfortable interior to make you feel you are in the Philippines.
Economy Facilities
Food, snacks and in-flight entertainment are included in Philippine Airlines' Economy Class.
Economy Seating
New seating has been placed in Philippine Airlines' Economy Class which involves the seat cushion on the bottom being able to move to the comfort of the passenger or recline for added relaxation. Monitors are also included in the seating with a touch-screen function.
Premium Economy Class
Premium Economy is new to 2019. Premium Economy is an upgrade on Economy, offering additional services and amenities.
The new Premium Economy product will be available on selected international flights, as well as selected domestic flights.
On international flights, the new class will be in a separate cabin, towards the front of the aircraft on domestic flights. The new product will be available onboard the Airbus A350 and selected A330 aircraft; see 'fleet' information below.
Premium Economy Facilities
On international flights: Enjoy 13.3-inch myPAL eSuite personal screens, welcome drinks and refreshing hot towels, an overnight amenity kit, meal service and WiFi.
On domestic flights: Enjoy welcome drinks and hot towels and a hearty hot sandwich with a choice of assorted drinks.
All Premium Economy passengers can enjoy priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling services at the airport.
Premium Economy Seating
On international flights: spacious premium seats: 38-inch seat pitch, 8-inch recline, built-in leg rests and footrests, and more storage space.
On domestic flights: Enjoy extra-legroom seats.
Business Class
PAL's Business Class is called Mabuhay.
Experience high-class service onboard your Philippine Airlines flight with comfortable reclining seats, gourmet meals and a wide range of entertainment options.
Business Class Facilities
Each seat is outfitted with a 15.4 in. seat-back mounted and 10.6in in-arm touch-screen personal television. There's plenty of entertainment onboard your Philippine Airlines flight, with over 60 hours of Hollywood movies to choose from.
Passengers can also choose from a wide range of complimentary drinks and refreshments. The airline's top-class dinner chef-prepared service provided also means you'll be dining in style onboard your flight.
Business Class Seating
Business Class seats on Philippine Airlines not only allow for extra legroom but also allow further reclination - up to a 15-degree angle.
Each seat has individual reading lights, a laptop charging port and a USB port.
Check-in Information
Online check-in and airport check-in is available for flights with Philippine Airlines.
Online Check-in
Passengers can check in online for their Philippine Airlines flight by visiting the Philippine Airlines web check-in page and entering their booking reference and last name. Online check-in is available from 24 hours—1 hour before the scheduled flight departure time.
Airport Check-in
Passengers unable to check in online or who need special assistance will need to check in to their Philippine Airlines flight at the airport. Passengers must visit the Philippine Airlines check-in desk to check in at the airport. Passengers can check in no later than 45 minutes before their scheduled flight departure time. We recommend arriving long in advance for international flights to allow for the appropriate time for check-in, baggage drop and security.
In-Flight Entertainment
Philippine Airlines offers passengers a wide selection of new movies, TV shows, music and games so you never get bored on your Philippine Airlines flight. Economy passengers can stream music TV and movies onto a personal device via the myPal Player app.
Business Class seats are equipped with personal television screens. On selected flights, the myPAL entertainment system is available for all passengers, not just Business flyers, and lets passengers choose from over 300 hours of content to watch or play on personal seat-mounted touch-screen televisions.
TV Shows
Find sitcoms as well as hilarious Philippine TV shows onboard your Philippine Airlines flight. Philippine Airlines regularly updates the TV shows on offer, so even frequent flyers can find something new to watch.
Movies
Discover Hollywood new releases as well as Philippine thrillers onboard your Philippine Airlines flight.
In-Flight Wi-Fi
WIFI is only available on select international flights; it is not currently available on domestic flights. On international flights where WiFi is enabled, all passengers receive 30MB of complimentary WiFi, with upgrade plans available. Business Class receive 100MB of free WiFi.
Food and Drink
If you're flying with Philippine Airlines, you'll likely get to experience the airline's delicate cuisine consisting of a mixture of Western, Filipino and Japanese-inspired food.
Meal Options
For flights longer than 45 minutes, passengers in economy class are given complimentary snacks or meals, depending on the time and duration of your flights. Economy meals are designed in a collaboration of traditional and fusion cuisine. Business Class passengers can enjoy a choice of Western, Filipino and Japanese-inspired food, depending on the route flying.
Special Dietary Requirements
Passengers with special dietary, medical and religious dietary requirements can pre-order special meals up to 48 hours before flying. This must be done by calling Philippine Airlines Reservations Hotline; if you have booked through Alternative Airlines, our customer service team can contact the airline for you. These meals are available on international flights only. The following list is the available special meals to pre-order:
Baby Meal
Children's Meal
Low Salt Meal
Low Fat Meal
Low-Calorie Meal
Diabetic Meal
Bland Meal
Fruit Platter Meal
Vegetarian Vegan Meal
Vegetarian Lacto-Ovo Meal
Vegetarian Oriental Meal
Hindu Meal
Muslim Meal
Vegetarian Jain Meal
Drinks & Alcohol
International economy class passengers can choose from a selection of soft drinks, hot drinks, wines, liquors and beers on board their flights. Business class international passengers can enjoy a wider range of soft drinks, hot drinks, champagne, cocktails, wines, liquors and beers.
Frequent Flyer Program
The airline operates a frequent flyer program called Mabuhay Miles to reward regular travellers. Mabuhay Miles allows passengers to collect flight miles on Philippine Airlines and its code-share partners, across the largest network within the Philippines.
Top Tip: When you make a PAL booking through Alternative Airlines, you can collect air miles or frequent flyer points. Simply quote your Mabuhay Miles membership number when making your reservation - find out more here.
Codeshare Agreements
To try and serve passengers better, PAL has been working on broadening its route network through codesharing, by offering flights operated by partner airlines.
Under the airline's codeshare agreements, a traveller might purchase a flight ticket from Philippine Airlines, meaning the ticket will be issued with a PAL flight number and the ticket will be owned by PAL, but the actual flight will be operated by another partner airline. The airline has codeshares with the following airlines:
Air Macau, All Nippon Airways, Bangkok Airways, China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Hawaiian Airlines, PAL Express (subsidiary), Royal Brunei Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, WestJet and XiamenAir.
Airline Alliance
Philippine Airlines is not currently part of an airline alliance.
Destinations that Philippine Airlines flies to
Philippine Airlines flies to all major cities, as well as numerous smaller airports, across the Philippines. As well as flying to the Philippines, the flagship airline flies to over 50 international destinations, in 24 countries and across Asia, North America, Oceania and Europe. The airline operates 6 long-haul destinations.
Alternatives to Philippine Airlines
The following airlines operate similar routes to Philippine Airlines:
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Hub Airport
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Philippine Airlines is based at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (IATA code: NAIA), also known as Manila International Airport, which is the airport serving Manila, Philippines. The airport also serves as a hub for AirAsia Philippines, Cebgo and Cebu Pacific.
The airport has two runways and can handle nearly 35 million passengers every year.
Other airlines which fly to and from Manila International Airport include Air China, Air Niugini, All Nippon Airways, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, Delta Airlines, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Japan Airlines and many others.
Top Tip: If you plan on flying from NAIA you may be required to complete a departure card. You can find out more about arrival and departure cards here.
Fleet
As of January 2023, Philippine Airlines' fleet consists of a mix of Airbus aircraft, including the A321-200, A321neo, A330-300 and A350-900. It also operates the Boeing 777-300ER.
Airbus A321-200 x 17 - this aircraft can seat up to 200 passengers and makes up the majority of Philippine Airlines' fleet.
Airbus A321neo x 8 - this aircraft will eventually replace the airline's collection of A321-200s. The airline has also put in 13 orders for more of the A321neo to be added to its fleet.
Airbus A330-300 x 9 - these aircraft can seat up to 360 passengers.
Airbus A350-900 x 2
Boeing 777-300ER x 9
Special Services
Travelling with infants
An infant, between 16 days and 2 years, does not need their own seat; a 90% discount on adult fare will be applied.
Free baggage allowance depends on the route. For information, passengers should contact the airline's Reservations department; or the Alternative Airlines customer service team, if you have booked through the website.
Bassinets
Passengers requiring the use of baby bassinets should pre-book to guarantee a unit at least 24 hours before departure. Bassinets can only be attached to certain seats and are available only for flights with a flying time of three hours or more. The Bassinets are 70cm x 30cm and are not suitable for infants over 6 months and have a weight limit of 10kg / 22lbs.
Service and emotional support dogs
Only dogs are accepted, no other service and emotional support animal. Passengers must provide at least 48 hours prior to the flight departure. Special service dogs are allowed in the cabin. Service dogs are accepted on both domestic and international flights. Emotional support dogs are allowed on flights to and from the United States.