Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is relaunching its top routes to mainland China with the opening of direct flights to Shanghai on February 14 and to Beijing on February 21.
The long-awaited resumption of passenger flights linking Manila with Shanghai’s Pudong Airport and Beijing’s Capital Airport comes almost three years after most services were paused due to pandemic-related border restrictions. Mainland China was the second largest source of tourists to the Philippines with 1.74 Million Chinese residents visiting in 2019.
“We are forging ahead with the restoration of PAL’s Greater China flight network, an investment that will strengthen our connections to the economic hubs in the mainland and help boost bilateral relations between the Filipino and Chinese people,” said PAL President and COO Capt. Stanley K. Ng. “We hope that our relaunch of flights to Beijing and Shanghai will help fuel a rebound in tourist and business travel. Our goal is to once again operate the largest network of flights on multiple routes between mainland China and the Philippines.”
Shanghai and Beijing join Xiamen and Guangzhou (Canton) in the roster of PAL’s mainland Chinese destinations.
PAL is increasing its Manila-Xiamen-Manila flights from once weekly to three times weekly starting from February 25; and its Manila-Guangzhou-Manila flights from once to twice weekly starting February 16, and progressively increasing to daily flights starting on March 26.
Quanzhou (Jinjiang) and Macau are next in line for resumption in March 2023.
Travelers may now book and fly on the following PAL services:
SHANGHAI – BACK WITH 3 TO 7 WEEKLY FLIGHTS
Effective February 14, PAL’s Manila-Shanghai (Pudong)-Manila service will operate initially with three flights per week, then increase to daily flights from March 26:
- PR 338 Manila-Shanghai – every Tuesday departing at 5:05 AM, arriving at 9:00 AM (until March 21 only)
- PR 336 Manila-Shanghai – every Thursday and Saturday departing at 11:30 AM, arriving at 3:10 PM (until March 25)
- PR 336 Manila-Shanghai – Daily departing at 10:50 AM, arriving at 2:30 PM (starting March 26)
- PR 339 Shanghai-Manila – every Tuesday departing at 10:50 AM, arriving at 2:45 PM (until March 21 only)
- PR 337 Shanghai-Manila – every Thursday and Saturday departing at 4:55 PM, arriving at 8:50 PM (until March 25)
- PR 337 Shanghai-Manila – Daily departing at 4:00 PM, arriving at 7:50 PM (starting March 26)
BEIJING – BACK WITH 2 TO 4 WEEKLY FLIGHTS
PAL’s Manila-Beijing (Capital)-Manila service will start from February 21:
- PR 358 Manila-Beijing – every Tuesday and Friday departing at 7:00 AM, arriving at 11:55 AM (until March 24)
- PR 358 Manila-Beijing – every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday departing at 7:10 AM, arriving at 11:55 AM (starting March 26)
- PR 359 Beijing-Manila – every Tuesday and Friday departing at 12:55 PM, arriving at 6:05 PM (until March 24)
- PR 359 Beijing-Manila – every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday departing at 12:55 PM, arriving at 5:55 PM (starting March 26)
OTHER GREATER CHINA ROUTES TO START IN MARCH: QUANZHOU (JINJIANG) and MACAU
JINJIANG
PAL will offer flights to Jinjiang on March 19, 22 and 24, then increase to daily flights from March 26:
- PR 356 Manila-Quanzhou (Jinjiang) – March 19 departing at 11:00 AM, arriving in Jinjiang at 01:35 PM
- PR 356 Manila-Quanzhou (Jinjiang) – March 22 departing at 11:00 AM, arriving in Jinjiang at 01:35 PM
- PR 356 Manila-Quanzhou (Jinjiang) – March 24departing at 10:55 AM, arriving in Jinjiang at 01:35 PM
- PR 356 Manila-Quanzhou (Jinjiang) – Daily departing at 11:10 AM, arriving in Jinjiang at 01:40 PM (starting March 26)
- PR 357 Quanzhou (Jinjiang)-Manila – March 19 departing at 02:25 PM, arriving in Manila at 05:10 PM
- PR 357 Quanzhou (Jinjiang)-Manila – March 22 departing at 02:25 PM, arriving in Manila at 05:10 PM
- PR 357 Quanzhou (Jinjiang)-Manila – March 24 departing at 02:25 PM, arriving in Manila at 05:10 PM
- PR 357 Quanzhou (Jinjiang)-Manila – Daily departing at 02:30 PM, arriving in Manila at 04:55 PM (starting March 26)
MACAU
PAL will restore twice weekly regular flights between Manila and Macau, starting from March 26:
- PR 352 Manila-Macau – every Thursday and Sunday departing at 01:30 PM, arriving at 03:50 PM
- PR 353 Macau-Manila – every Thursday and Sunday departing at 04:50 PM, arriving at 07:25 PM
EXISTING MAINLAND ROUTES TO GAIN MORE WEEKLY FLIGHTS: GUANGZHOU AND XIAMEN
XIAMEN
PAL will increase Manila-Xiamen-Manila services to twice weekly effective from February 14, with a third weekly frequency commencing on February 25:
- PR 330 Manila-Xiamen – every Friday departing Manila at 7:30 AM, arriving in Xiamen at 9:55 AM
- PR 330 Manila-Xiamen – every Tuesday departing Manila at 2:15 PM, arriving in Xiamen at 4:40 PM
- PR 334 Manila-Xiamen – every Saturday departing Manila at 7:35 AM, arriving in Xiamen at 9:55 AM
- PR 331 Xiamen-Manila – every Tuesday departing Xiamen at 5:40 PM, arriving in Manila at 8:30 PM
- PR 331 Xiamen-Manila – every Friday departing Xiamen at 11:55 AM, arriving in Manila at 2:30 PM
- PR 335 Xiamen-Manila – every Saturday departing Xiamen at 11:05 AM, arriving in Manila at 1:40 PM
GUANGZHOU (CANTON)
A major ramp up of services between Manila and Guangzhou (Canton) will see PAL’s flights increasing to twice weekly on February 16, then progressively adding frequencies to reach a full daily service by March 26.
Complete schedule from February 16:
- PR 382 Manila-Guangzhou (Canton) – every Saturday departing at 2:35 AM, arriving at 4:55 AM (until March 25)
- PR 382 Manila-Guangzhou (Canton) – every Thursday departing at 5:05 AM, arriving at 9:00 AM (until March 23)
- PR 382 Manila-Guangzhou (Canton) – every Tuesday departing at 2:30 AM, arriving at 4:55 AM (starting March 7, until March 21)
- PR 383 Guangzhou (Canton)-Manila – every Thursday and Saturday departing at 5:55 AM, arriving at 8:35 AM (until March 23 and 25 respectively)
- PR 383 Guangzhou (Canton)-Manila – every Tuesday departing at 5:55 AM, arriving at 8:30 AM (starting March 7, until March 21)
Effective March 26, daily Guangzhou flights are slated to operate:
- PR 382 Manila-Guangzhou (Canton) – Daily departing at 2:05 AM, arriving at 4:35 AM
- PR 383 Guangzhou (Canton)-Manila – Daily departing at 5:45 AM, arriving at 8:10 AM
PAL is working closely with Chinese and Philippine health and aviation authorities to ensure the highest level of health safety protections for travelers.
Prior to the pandemic, PAL served the mainland Chinese cities of Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Quanzhou (Jinjiang) and Xiamen for a total of 34 weekly flights.
From March 2020 up to the present, PAL operated regular and ad hoc all-cargo and charter flights to mainland China, including passenger charters to Tianjin and Wuhan, as well as special vaccine transport flights.
For bookings, travelers may visit the PAL website at www.philippineairlines.com, the PAL mobile app, call the PAL hotline at (02) 8855 8888, or reach out to their travel agents.