Connecting the country to Western Australia.
On Friday, the maiden flight of Australia-based budget carrier Jetstar Airways arrived at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
The Jetstar’s six-hour and 35-minute inaugural flight carried some 189 passengers and was welcomed with local performances in Terminal 3.
For Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, this route will boost the country’s connectivity and encourage more Australian tourists to visit the Philippines.
“This flight represents more than just travel; it symbolizes our commitment to offer opportunities for tourism and business, making it easier for travelers to fly to Manila and further connecting the Philippines to the world,” she said.
The route will operate three times a week using Jetstar’s Airbus A321LR aircraft, with the Manila-bound JQ81 from Perth will leave every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 9:10 pm (local time) and arrive at 4:15 am.
As for the return Perth-bound service, JQ82, it will depart Manila every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5:35 am to arrive in Australia at 1:00 pm (local time).
The Manila-Perth route also launches less than a week before the Cebu-Brisbane service, which will begin operations on December 3, 2025.
JQ101 from Brisbane will fly every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 12:30 pm (local time) and arrive at 5:15 pm (Philippine time).
For JQ102, it will leave Cebu at 8:15 pm on the same evening and land in the Australian city at 5:05 am, the next day.
Jetstar Group CEO, Stephanie Tully said that the new routes highlight Jetstar’s continued growth from Australia to Asia.
“The launch of low fares direct flights to the Philippines is an exciting milestone, unlocking two amazing destinations for Aussie travellers. From the pristine beaches of Cebu to the vibrant energy of Manila, these new routes offer greater value options for an overseas holiday.”
She continued, “As demand for low-cost international travel continues to grow, our pipeline of new aircraft is helping us deliver even more low fares to new destinations – so our customers can take off more, for less.”
Together, both routes offer a total capacity of 108,000 seats annually.
At present, Australia ranks as the fifth-highest source market for tourism into the Philippines with a total of 299,286 passenger arrivals in 2024.