Don't count on flights lifting off anytime soon, but Delta has its eyes set on starting nonstop service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Manila (MNL) in the Philippines.
That came out in a regulatory filing with the Department of Transportation late Wednesday, which was first reported by Ishrion Aviation. Delta was responding to Philippine Airlines' efforts to begin its own route to Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) when it dropped this line: “Delta is pursuing plans to launch its own Manila service next summer (2027) with daily Airbus A350-900 service from Los Angeles (LAX).”
Given what's going on in the world right now, this is no sure thing. Summer 2027 is a lifetime away in the world of aviation. Delta could easily reconsider … or this route may just not pan out, period.
Then again, this isn't exactly a surprise, either. After going bananas with new additions over to Europe in the past four or five years, Delta clearly feels it's exhausted its options across the Atlantic and is looking over the Pacific Ocean instead.
That's why Delta is restarting nonstops to Hong Kong (HKG) from Los Angeles later this year. The same goes for the relatively new (and still-struggling) route from Seattle (SEA) to Taipei (TPE).
And Delta has a lot of room to grow across the Pacific. Even with the addition of Hong Kong in June, Delta will fly nonstop to just nine cities throughout Asia and Australia. United, meanwhile, flies to nearly 20 – and even more when you count new one-stops to Thailand and Vietnam.
Plus, Delta has a ton of those flagship Airbus A350-900s with Delta One Suites and Premium Select seating coming into its fleet in the years to come. It needs to find new long-haul destinations to fly to.
If Delta's plans to fly nonstop from Los Angeles to Manila pan out, it won't be alone. Philippine Airlines already flies the exact same route. A few hundred miles to the north, United also flies nonstop to Manila from its San Francisco (SFO) megahub.
In fact, it won't even be the first time travelers see Delta's planes on the ground in Manila. The airline previously flew to the Philippine capital back when it operated connecting flights throughout Asia from Tokyo-Narita (NRT).
Bottom Line
It's no sure thing just yet, but Delta clearly wants to start nonstop flights from Los Angeles to Manila in the Philippines sometime in 2027. A lot can change between now and then, though, so stay tuned.
