Philippine Airlines: The Best Airlines for International Philippines Travel
For traveling between the US and the Philippines, nothing beats Philippine Airlines. I've used Philippine Airlines on all occasions except for when I was in the military and when flights weren't available. I'll provide some of my experiences after a brief history lesson.
The Beginnings of Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines was founded in 1941, making it the oldest air carrier in Asia still operating with its original name. Operations ceased that same year with the outbreak of World War II and resumed in 1946, after the war was over.
In 1946, Philippine Airlines became the first Asian airline to cross the Pacific Ocean, carrying American military servicemen from the Philippines to the US, with stops in Guam, Wake Island, Johnston Atoll and Hawaii. A regular service was started between Manila, Philippines and San Francisco, California, USA later that year.
Philippine Airlines left the propeller age and entered the jet age during the 1960s when it acquired jet aircraft from the US.
Philippines Travel under Martial Law
When President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972, he implemented a one-airline policy. Philippine Airlines was forced to absorb the other airline carriers at the time.
President Marcos was ousted during the 1986 EDSA Revolution (people power) and Corazon Acquino, the widow of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr., became the President of the Philippines. It wasn't until 1992, however, that Philippine Airlines was once again privatized.
Locations for Philippine Airlines
In 1987, Manila International Airport was renamed as the "Ninoy Aquino International Airport" (NAIA) in honor of the assassinated hero and in 1999, Philippine Airlines was moved from terminal 1 to terminal 2.
Clark Air Base, which was closed in 1991 by the US Air Force after the explosion of Mount Pinatubo, was cleaned and reopened as the "Clark Special Economic Zone" in 1993. The airport was renamed as the "Diosdado Macapagal International Airport" (DMIA) in the early 2000s.
DMIA is being developed as the airport to replace NAIA by 2010. It's not known exactly when Philippine Airlines will be moved to DMIA, but it could happen before the final announcement.
Personal Experiences
In the 80s, I traveled to and from the Philippines by whatever airlines the military used except for one instance in 1986.
My wife, my younger son (22-years old now, but only a few months old at the time) and I used Northwest Airlines because of an "ultra-saver" special they offered and it was the cheapest round-trip flight we could get. It turned into a 28+ hour ordeal due to the many stops and layovers. We went there to retrieve her son (my stepson at the time, who I later adopted). The return trip was just as bad.
In the 90s, my wife took a few trips using Philippine Airlines only. I didn't retire from the military until 1998, so I wasn't able to go with her. My younger son went with her once or twice (I don't remember).
In 2001, when two of my brothers-in-law were murdered and a third was critically injured, my wife traveled to and from the Philippines again using Northwest Airlines. It was a repeat performance of the flight in 1986.
In 2003, everyone except my older son (who was in the US Army at the time) traveled to and from the Philippines using Philippine Airlines. The leg from Los Angeles to Manila had a non-layover stop in Guam or Hawaii (I don't remember which), but lasted 18 hours total. The return trip had no stops and lasted only 12 hours.
Me and my wife's trip from the Philippines to the US in 2006 (for my older son's wedding) was a repeat performance of the 2003 trip, but in reverse.
In March of this year (2008), I had to make a solo trip and got stuck using Continental Airlines. The trip was much longer than 24 hours, but I stopped keeping track of time during the long layover in Guam going both ways.
Traveling between Olongapo City (my home) and NAIA in Manila is a long trip on regular surface roads. It'll get better when the interchanges between the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the Northern Luzon Expressway are completed, but I'm not worried about it. Once Philippine Airlines moves to DMIA, the trip will only take an hour and half maximum on surface roads and less than an hour on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.
Cheap Flights
In my honest opinion, it's a mistake using any airline other than Philippine Airlines for Philippines travel, at least internationally. Their normal fares are almost always cheaper than any other airlines and their service is better. The Americans and Filipinos serving as flight attendants are much friendlier than what I've seen on other airlines. Their flights are shorter and with less stops than any other international airlines as well.
I can't speak for all international origins but for the US, the best flights to the Philippines start with Philippine Airlines at the top of the list. It's simply coincidence that they happen to the be the cheapest flights to the Philippines as well.
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My first airline trip was with PAL. And I'm glad PAL now has low-fare provincial trips, it always feels classy flying with them.
hi RT, I don't have any plans to go to the Philippines right now, but if I ever do go to the Philippines (perhaps to do some trade show marketing), you can bet that based on your review and recommendation for Philippine Airlines (and the extensive history lesson), I will definately fly Philippine Airlines. ~ Steve
Hey RT, no problem! BTW, I'm noticed that Cyril was nice enough to point out that another name for Philippine Airlines is PAL, or I suppose also P.A.L.? Can't believe you didn't mention that in your article above. Also, BTW, I find it funny that your article on Jollibee Philippines has gotten 17 comments, whereas this one has only gotten 3 comments (though it is newer). Are people more interested in fast food than flying? I can understand given the cost of flying and going through security these days. That's why I try to do all my trade show marketing via the internet. ~ Steve
I didn't use PAL because then it would like kind of stupid repeating Philippine Airlines.
I don't know if fast food is more popular with people, but it is with the Google search engine.
PAL has great fares.
hmmm, how if it compared with Airasia (a malaysian airline)?
Can I go to Indonesia from Phillipines by PAL?
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You can, but the rates look to be about the same.
Visiting the Philippines is most definitely one the places I have to see before I die, and I'm confident that I'll be using the Philippine Airlines for the trip, which I now understand is also referred to as PAL. Perhaps when the time comes, I may drop in on you and the wife in Olongapo City.
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Lin, you'll be most welcome if you do.
I plan to visit philippines early next year.. May be I will use PAL..
Philippines is such a beautiful country..
I know that often budget travels can be a nightmare, but i think that it is still possible to fly spending not too much money and without going thru an odissey.
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It's always possible, but sometimes extremely difficult.
Have travelled to The Philippines many times. (My wife's a Filipina). In 2005 we both decided to try PAL. She went ahead of me due to my buisness. I sent her First Class. She was excited about the difference. I left A month later also First Class. My Friends words really can't describe how relaxing and enjoying this trip was compared to the "Marathon" trips we have taken on Nortwest or Continental Airlines which are 24 To 28 hours long. It was well worth the extra cost to go first class..I got a full nights sleep "Up Front" and arrived refreshed!
I have flown PAL a few times and I to say, it beats flying other carriers when going to Manila from the US. It's always cheaper than its' competitors. They are revamping all their bigger jets to compete with their Asian competitors.
YAH! ITS BETTER TO FLY WITH PAL BECAUSE OF ITS
LEGENDARY SERVICE THAN OTHER ASIAN AIRLINES AND
THE ONLY FLAG CARRIER OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES…PLUS, HAS THE MOST REASONABLE FARE PRICE. PRIMERA CLASE! PAL, CLEARLY NO.1!!
I first travelled to US using PAL and I would say is the BEST travel I ever had for 10 years of travelling back in front in Philippines. I have used Nortwest AIRLINES and it was a nightmare from Chicago to Japan- Japan to Philippines not mentioning the longggggg lay over in Japan. Suck! 28 hrs is just to much for me plus attendant is not friendly unlike PAL gal..IT bEATs all !
Fergilicious,
In our experienced flying with Philippine Air was that it wasn't as nice as some people were saying. My husband and I have been travel to the philippines to visit my family. Some of the flight attendants were not friendly in fact, they were sometimes rude to their kababayan. We have not used philippine air since 2003. We prefer to use Korean Air or Northwest now.
[...] about the Philippines, he's probably written about it on his blog (i.e. check out his post on Philippines Airlines). RT also writes about other things, including a lot of good information about blogging, including [...]
Thank you for the information on Philippine Airlines, I've been looking for tickets from the UK to the Philippines but that Atlanta hasn't come up in any of the websites that search for cheap flights! It's a long flight but I will probably end up picking the cheapest one and not the most comfortable one anyway
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I use PAL when I visited the Philippines and found it to be one of the finest airlines with the very best employees and I have flown around the world on many different airlines. Keep up the excellent work and let everyon know about this Jewel of an airline.
12 hours compared to 16 or more. I guess i would have to say i would use that airline also. Not sure if i could last longer than 12 hours flying or with one stop. Sometimes the major airlines are the worse deal than a smaller one.
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I really disappointed PAL specially those who are incharged in ticketing office at mactan cebu. mali ang name nasa ticket and then I ask them through phone kung ano ang dapat kung gawin,sinagot naman nila ako na WALA SILANG MAGAWA .they so unproffetional, ang laki pa naman ng tiwala ko sa PAL but sila ganoon.
Subukan mo kaya mag book ng flight to Manila from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia via Saudi Airlines at compare kung sino ang " unproffetional at sino ang professional. Next time gumamit ka ng on-line booking at Alpha, Bravo, Charlie……….blah blah blah! to confirm the spelling. Baka naman ugali mo mag change ng sched 30 minutes before the flight at magalit pag sinabing " Wala Silang Magagawa" eh magagalit ka. Kung ako ang ticket Sales officer sasabunutan kita ng isa-isa ng buhok mo sa ilong.
Im flying regularly to Philippines from Madrid via Iberia or Spanair to Bangkok and I always choose PAL from Bangkok to Manila.Relaxing kasi ang viaje. Muy bien! Philippine Airlines how I wish there a flight here in Madrid to Manila.
To be honest, I've never used Philippine Airlines before. But I might give a try for my next travel to Manila. Thanks for your suggestion.
I have used many airlines and i must say that PAL, SAS and British Airways are my favorite
I've never been to The Philippines and never used Philippine Airlines. I have noticed, however, on many occasions, that most airlines from "developing" countries surpass those from Europe and the US in both service and pricing.