The Philippines’ powdery beaches, reef-ringed islands, and emerald-hued rice terraces will soon be easier to reach from the United States.
Delta Air Lines announced on July 17 that it will launch a new nonstop route between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in spring 2027, giving travelers a new way to reach the Philippine capital without a connection elsewhere in Asia.
The new service is scheduled to begin on March 28, 2027. It will initially operate three times per week before increasing to daily flights on June 7, 2027.
“Los Angeles is one of the world’s leading international gateways and home to one of the largest Filipino communities outside the Philippines, making Manila a natural fit for our expanding network,” Jeff Arinder, Delta’s vice president of network planning, told Afar. “We see strong demand across a range of travelers, from those visiting family and friends to [those increasingly traveling for business and leisure] between Southern California and the Philippines. This new service also gives customers convenient one-stop access to destinations across the U.S. through our LAX hub.”
The route marks a notable return to the Philippines for Delta. While the airline previously served Manila from its former hub at Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT), those flights ended in 2020. More recently, Delta travelers heading to the Philippines have generally had to connect through Seoul on SkyTeam partner Korean Air.
The Los Angeles flight will be Delta’s first nonstop route between the U.S. mainland and the Philippines. It will also make Delta the only U.S.-based airline flying nonstop between Los Angeles and Manila, though Philippine Airlines already serves the same route.
The roughly 7,300-mile flights to Manila will be operated by Delta’s Airbus A350-900, with four cabin options: Delta One lie-flat business class, Delta Premium Select premium economy, Delta Comfort with extra leg room, and Main Cabin (though travelers should double-check exactly what they’re booking, as Delta now offers stripped-down Basic fare options in its premium cabins).
“I truly believe the Philippines is one of Southeast Asia’s most rewarding yet underappreciated destinations, and we are seeing growing demand from travelers who really want an authentic experience in an incredibly diverse and beautiful country,” Hannah Davidson, senior Philippines specialist at Audley Travel, a bespoke tour operator, told Afar.
For leisure travelers, Manila is also the jumping-off point for trips throughout the Philippines, whether that means heading north to the rice terraces and mountain towns of Luzon or connecting onward to islands such as Palawan, Cebu, and Boracay. But travelers shouldn’t be too quick to treat the capital as a place to change planes alone.
What to do in and around Manila
Experience Manila’s vibrant Chinatown or Binondo area.
Photo by Michael Buillerey/Unsplash
Sprawling across 16 cities, Metro Manila can be overwhelming at first glance, but it rewards travelers who give it a few days.
For first-time visitors, a good place to begin is Intramuros, the walled historic center established by the Spanish in the 16th century. Its cobblestone streets contain some of the capital’s noteworthy landmarks, including Fort Santiago and San Agustin Church, the Philippines’ oldest stone church and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Just outside the walls, the National Museum of the Philippines complex provides a broader introduction to the country’s art, archaeology, and natural history.
Filipino food is another compelling reason to spend time in the capital (and the Philippines in general). Binondo, founded in 1594 and widely described as the world’s oldest Chinatown, is best explored on foot and with an appetite: Its crowded streets are packed with restaurants and bakeries serving everything from dumplings and hand-pulled noodles to lumpia and hopia, flaky, filled pastries. Elsewhere, the dining scene ranges from contemporary takes on Filipino cooking to ambitious tasting menus, while neighborhoods like Poblacion have become destinations for cocktail bars and late-night dining.
In a city this large, where travelers choose to stay shapes their experience. Makati, the financial district, puts visitors near restaurants, shopping, and nightlife and is home to several of Metro Manila’s best-known luxury hotels. The Peninsula Manila, which marks its 50th anniversary in 2026, remains one of the city’s grande dames, known for its soaring lobby and longtime place in Manila’s social life. Nearby, Raffles Makati offers an all-suite alternative.
Where else to visit in the Philippines
Escape to Palawan for turquoise waters and world-class snorkeling.
Photo by Geio Tischler/Unsplash
There are more than 7,600 islands to check out, so the harder question may be where to go after Manila.
Palawan is one of the country’s most recognizable destinations, thanks largely to the dramatic limestone formations and turquoise lagoons.
“I recommend a visit to El Nido in Palawan for world-class snorkeling and diving, with wildlife including sea turtles and whale sharks,” Davidson says. There, travelers can spend their days island-hopping among hidden beaches, snorkeling over reefs, and paddling into lagoons enclosed by karst cliffs. Amanpulo, part of the Aman group of ultraluxury hotels, occupies its own private island in northern Palawan’s Cuyo Archipelago, a hideaway ringed by soft white sand, turquoise water, and a coral reef teeming with marine life.
Cebu makes a particularly useful base for travelers who want to combine several sides of the Philippines in one trip. Cebu City has centuries-old landmarks tied to the country’s Spanish colonial history, while nearby Mactan Island is lined with resorts and diving opportunities. From there, ferries and short flights connect travelers with other destinations across the Central Visayas, including Bohol, where the landscape is punctuated by more than 1,000 rounded formations known as the Chocolate Hills, and visitors can see the tiny Philippine tarsier, a nocturnal primate known for its enormous eyes.
Northern Luzon offers a dramatic change of scenery. Davidson noted that her clients “enjoy visiting Banaue, home to the UNESCO-listed rice terraces and excellent trekking.” The mountain town serves as a gateway to the Cordillera region and its centuries-old rice terraces, including those around nearby Batad, where steep, amphitheater-like paddies climb the mountainsides, and hiking trails connect small villages. For travelers who know the Philippines primarily for its beaches, the mountains of northern Luzon offer a compelling reason to look inland.
