Delta Will Launch Its First-Ever Los Angeles-Manila Nonstop in 2027
Delta Air Lines will launch its first nonstop service between Los Angeles and Manila in March 2027, becoming the only U.S. carrier operating the route.
Delta Air Lines will launch its first-ever nonstop service between Los Angeles and Manila in 2027, adding the Philippines back to its network.
Flights between LAX and Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport will begin March 28, 2027. The route will initially operate three times per week before increasing to daily service on June 7.
Delta will use its Airbus A350-900 on the route, offering four cabin products: Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort and Delta Main. The airline will become the only U.S. carrier operating nonstop flights between Los Angeles and Manila. Philippine Airlines already serves the city pair, so Delta’s arrival will add new competition rather than create the market from scratch.
The service also marks Delta’s return to the Philippines after a seven-year absence. The airline previously served Manila through its former Tokyo Narita hub, but that operation ended in 2020 as Delta reshaped its transpacific network.
A Bigger Asia-Pacific Role for Los Angeles
Manila joins a broader wave of international expansion at LAX. Delta has recently added or restored service from Los Angeles to destinations including Hong Kong, Melbourne and Shanghai.
Delta operates more than 160 peak-day departures from LAX to over 50 destinations. The Manila route is particularly significant because Southern California has deep family, cultural and business ties with the Philippines, creating substantial demand from travelers visiting friends and relatives.
The route also complements Delta’s joint venture with Korean Air. Travelers can already reach Manila through Seoul Incheon on Korean Air, while the new nonstop option will give passengers a choice between flying directly from Los Angeles or connecting through Seoul.
Premium travelers will also be able to use Delta’s expanding LAX facilities. Delta One passengers will have access to dedicated check-in and security as well as two Delta One Lounges. By 2028, Delta expects to operate four dedicated lounge spaces at LAX totaling more than 60,000 square feet.
Delta Bets on Premium Demand Across the Pacific
The use of the A350-900 reflects Delta’s effort to position the Manila service as a premium long-haul product. Delta One offers lie-flat seating, while Premium Select provides a dedicated premium economy cabin for travelers seeking more space without moving into business class.
Across the aircraft, passengers will have seatback entertainment, while Delta is also expanding fast, free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members on transpacific routes.
For Manila, the new service strengthens nonstop connectivity with one of the Philippines’ most important overseas markets. Los Angeles is a major gateway for travel between the United States and the Philippines, and additional nonstop capacity should give passengers more schedule and cabin choices.
For Delta, the route fits a wider strategy of building LAX into a stronger transpacific hub. With Manila joining Hong Kong, Shanghai and Melbourne, plus connections through Korean Air’s Seoul hub, the carrier is steadily expanding its Asia-Pacific reach from Southern California.
When daily service begins in June 2027, Delta will have moved from having no direct Philippines presence to competing on one of the most important long-haul markets linking the two countries.
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