Hollywood and Eastwood will soon be one flight away from each other.
On Friday, July 17, the American carrier Delta Airlines formally announced that it will be launching a direct, non-stop service connecting its base at the Los Angeles Airport (LAX) in California, USA and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in the Philippines.
“Beginning March 28, 2027, Delta will become the only U.S. carrier to offer nonstop service between Los Angeles and Manila, further expanding Delta’s growing network from LAX aboard its Airbus A350-900,” the airline disclosed in a press statement.
It will first be operated as a three times weekly service from March 28, before increasing to daily flights on June 7, 2027.
Flight schedules, as revealed by the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), which operates the country’s main gateway, the outbound LAX-MNL service, DL 181 will be flying 11:50 pm (local time) and arrive in the country at 5:30 am.
Meanwhile, the return MNL-LAX flight will fly back to its base at 7:40 am and arrive there at 6:05 am (local time).
The flagship Airbus A350-900 aircraft will have a total of 275 seats across its four cabin configuration: Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort and Delta Main.
Across every cabin, there will be a “fast, free Wi-Fi” connection for SkyMiles Members — which Delta will make available on trans-Pacific routes this fall, as well as seatback entertainment and amenities.
Moreover, Delta One customers will also enjoy flat-bed seating, elevated dining and service, it added.
Delta noted that this new nonstop service, creates an important new link between Southern California and to the Asia-Pacific region — joining destinations in its network such as Hong Kong, Melbourne, Shanghai, and more.
It also mentioned that the new Manila service also strengthens Delta’s joint venture with Korean Air, on top of expanding customer choice between North America and the Philippines.
Citing its partnership with Korean Air, which Delta said allows passengers to connect to Manila via multiple daily flights between Seoul Incheon (ICN) and MNL, the new nonstop Los Angeles-Manila service complements that and gives them flexibility to fly nonstop with Delta or connect through Seoul with Korean Air.
Currently, the JV between Delta and Korean Air ferries travelers to more than 260 destinations throughout the Americas and over 60 destinations across Asia, according to Delta.
Jeff Arinder, Delta’s Vice President of Network Planning, said: “Customers traveling through Los Angeles continue to benefit from Delta’s investments in LAX, including an expanding Asia-Pacific network and the opening of our second Delta One Lounge ”
At LAX, Delta One customers traveling to Manila can enjoy access to exclusive Delta One check-in and security and Delta’s two Delta One Lounges — which include the newly opened Terminal 2 location.
By 2028, Delta will offer four dedicated lounge spaces at LAX totaling more than 60,000 square feet and over 1,000 seats, alongside continued enhancements across Terminals 2 and 3.
The recent opening, the airline noted, makes Los Angeles the first airport in Delta’s network to offer two Delta One Lounges.
Through LAX, Delta operates more than 160 peak-day departures to over 50 destinations, with the airline also set to expand to Vancouver and Newark, as well as additional schedules to Florida.
“The addition of Manila builds on the world-class travel experience our customers have come to expect from Delta while strengthening our position as LAX’s leading global carrier and premier West Coast hub,” Arinder added.
Meanwhile, Doug Webster, Chief Operations and Maintenance Officer, Los Angeles World Airports, shared: “As a primary gateway to the Pacific, LAX is proud to welcome Delta’s new nonstop service to Manila.”
“This daily service gives our guests another direct link to family and culture in the Philippines and reflects the strength of our partnership with Delta in delivering world-class service to one of Southern California’s most deeply connected international markets,” he added.
The announcement also coincides with the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, with Delta having also joined the two-year-countdown event recently.