I wrote in November that Delta wouldn’t be announcing this yet, but they planned to start flying to Manila. They still haven’t announced it, but they’ve now revealed they’re planning it to the Department of Transportation.
- Philippine Airlines is planning to launch service to Chicago O’Hare
- Delta submitted an argument that approval should be deferred because of lack of reciprocal access to desireable takeoff and landing times at the Manila airport
- They want the U.S. government to use Chicago approval as leverage to get Delta better times for their own service.
Delta Airbus A350-900
Specifically here’s what Delta says they’re planning:
Delta is pursuing plans to launch its own Manila service next summer (2027) with daily Airbus A350-900 service from Los Angeles (LAX).
Airbus A350-900
And here’s what they asked the federal government for.
Delta respectfully asks the Department to defer action until Delta and the U.S. Government receive written assurances from the Philippine Government that the slots and airport access necessary to implement planned Manila service will be available on commercially viable terms.
This is a flight that aviation watchdog JonNYC specifically called:
So with regard to Delta’s next moves internationally; SIN, MNL, and LAX/JFK-ICN are definitely in the immediate future. It’s further stated that future Asia expansion will launch out of LA -and- Seattle, mentioning ICN as an ideal hub for onward Asian travel but mentioning that…
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) November 4, 2025
Delta has service Manila before, as recently as 2020, but from within Asia. Their last Tokyo Narita – Manila flight was March 27, 2020. They ha dplanned to start Seoul – Manila on March 29, 2020. That slipped to May 1, 2020 but – thanks to the pandemic – it didn’t start until January 2, 2021. And it was suspended months later, in May 2021.
I would normally expect Delta to launch Asia service from Seattle. They’ve called that their transpacific gateway. However I’d note that United flagged in an internal presentation that they’re number two in Los Angeles (behind Delta) and highlighted ‘key initiatives’ to grow there. So perhaps Delta could be leaning harder into Los Angeles in response.
Delta Air Lines at LAX
On the other hand, Delta’s Asia gateway in Seattle has struggled. They’ve added Hong Kong from Los Angeles. So perhaps their thinking has shifted.
Wish they’d open up an a350 base at JFK and fly from there because D1 would be far superior to Philippines. @Tim Dunn, get it done, son!
Que Mr Dunn
When Delta absorbed Northwest Airlines, they had a pretty complete routing of most major cities in the western part of Asia minus some in China. From there they retreated. I used to fly Northwest and if I had been able to continue flying on Delta, I would have. Delta rerouted a lot and made flying on them a mess and expensive. I started flying Asian airlines and have never gone back. I was comfortable with what I got from Northwest but EVA, my replacement airline at the time, was even better. Delta may be a better choice for flying nonstop to Manila from the USA but the cost is going to be much higher.
@MIAZiggy — Does anyone at actual Delta know about Tim? He’s like their #1 super-fan. I mean, if I ever had a major corporation, I could only wish for that kinda loyalty out in the wild. @MaxPower, there must a juicy backstory here. @Gene, you’ve been around for a while, what’s the deal?!
Premium
“Hey DOT… (nudge nudge) so we haven’t really gotten our act together yet about flying to MNL or really even doing much, at all, to get better times there, but please stall the ORD-MNL application while someone in international route planning gets their sh*t together for us… we know you hate United and AA. So do we. Kisses”
–Peaches & Widgets, Delta
I’m so glad I am the first thought on so many people’s minds.
I have said for years that DL would rebuild its Asian network and do it with a more efficient and capable fleet than any other US airline from more gateways across the US.
It was a given when PR said it would start ORD that DL would take advantage of the opportunity to get DL back into the MNL market. There is no reason why US airlines should be allowed to expand in the US if US carriers can’t also pursue the best opportunities at the best times.
2027 and 2028 will be some of the biggest years of international expansion in DL history.
and, jns, DL pulled back on its NRT hub because it didn’t make money on a sustained basis. When HND reopened to TPAC flights, DL had to choose to develop a strong TPAC presence at HND or keep a Tokyo hub at NRT but couldn’t have both.
You also realize that UA was the largest carrier across the Pacific in the late 2010s – just before covid – but only broke even? They weren’t interested in being profitable but in gaining market share.
Now UA’s profits are good across the Pacific but DL’s are greater on a profit/ASM basis. DL flies nearly all new generation aircraft and the A350-1000 will offer capability and efficiency that surpasses anything in AA or UA’s fleet.
DL didn’t necessarily want to reveal its plans for MNL just yet but they aren’t going to miss the opportunity to grow their TPAC network.
btw, LAX-MNL plus -ICN and -SIN will easily put DL in the leadership position at LAX not just for domestic but also international.
and, 1990, JFK to Asia is coming. DL is very methodical in its strategies. They will win in LAX and then shift to NYC to Asia and win there too.
MNL has a design capacity of 35M passengers/y and had 52M in 2025 – good luck getting your favourite time slots…
Tim, regarding jfk to asia what routes do you see delta trying outside of ICN? Here are some I would like to see
JFK-HND (if slots open)
JFK-KIX
JFK-PVG
JFK-TPE
JFK-BKK
I think there is a small chance delta could do jfk-hkg on a350-1000s if lax-hkg does well.
You really do have to admire the complete lack of shame from Delta when it comes to airport slots and times.
MEX: “huh. that is weird that MEX slots decreased as airlines were kicked out of the airport while DL/AM grew. We have no idea how that happened. We should still keep our JV. We didn’t see anything bad happen”
AMS: “Of course it’s a transparent slot process. Look how easy it is for KL and DL to acquire slots and move them around at AMS?”
HND: “We have a hub at Narita ergo we’re owed one at Haneda since we’re Delta and bankrupt NW got a sweet post-nuclear bomb deal in Japan that we’re riding 60 years later. Either you give us an entire hub at Haneda or we’re going to stall the entire open skies treaty for years then cry about getting the most slots for a US carrier then request to change the rules for the bad slots we requested that we knew would never be profitable. (oh. and then our fans on a.net will cry for years about us not bidding for JFK-HND)”
LGA: “WHAT DO YOU MEAN OUR POTENTIAL JV WITH WESTJET WOULD REQUIRE US TO DIVEST THE SLOTS WE ALREADY DIVESTED… to Westjet… WTF?! Does paying off the feds not work like it does in ATL?”
MNL: “So… this is awkward. we weren’t going to tell you. It was supposed to be a surprise once we made up our minds and we still haven’t decided… but we sorta kinda wanted to fly to MNL eventually and this feels like a much easier way to get the times we want at MNL vs actually working on it like United did. And our network team told us this is a super cheap way to see if we can mess with AA. Can we all just pretend that ORD-MNL should be stalled until we get exactly what we want without trying? We’re about 90%, ok… 64% positive we want to fly to MNL next year”
JFK-KIX, JFK-BKK? Forget it. KIX is not that large a market from the US and doesn’t really work outside of SFO.
BKK is pure leisure.
The rest? Maybe.
With a looming US recession, debt default, and oil now at their highest levels in a few years, these routes are pure fantasy. A few more weeks of war in the Middle East and you’ll see a few frothy Summer TATL routes get cut as well.
@ LadyOlives — Surely DCA-BKK would be popular.
For everyone wanting to see Dunn Doubletalk, please refer to Gary’s post “United Airlines Makes A Big Bet On Pacific Expansion, Including New Manila Service” on July 18, 2023.
“I’m so glad I am the first thought on so many people’s minds.”
Yeah you are. For all the wrong reasons though.
@MaxPower – Great stuff. Delta has the morality of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. They bully anyone they can, friend or competitor, to get whatever they can. Their faux indignation is hilarious.
Delta just thinks further ahead and smarter than the rest of the industry. UA spend years trying to get access to MNL; DL sees an opportunity to secure decent times and will take it or PR doesn’t get to keep growing to the US.
Max is ticked that DL’s equity investments have paid off. AA and UA could have done it but they were blowing money on other things.
and the HND to NRT move has gone just fine.
Alex,
JFK-ICN is a given.
the 35K could do JFK-HKG and SIN even with Russian airspace restrictions. Don’t rule them out.
The Tokyo market has switched to becoming much more favorable for US carriers since DL passed on JFK-HND; they could go for it again.
plus JFK-India and potentially more of the Middle East.
Good chance that DL could become the largest US carrier from NYC to Asia in a few years; they are working to do that from LAX….
and to think there are some that have thought that UA was invincible across the Pacific.
Their 787s just won’t be competitive against the A350; even if UA keeps taking seats off the 787 to give it the range of an A350, the economics will be horrible.
It’s like an E175 trying to do transcons against a MAX8
imaging waking up like a robot thinking “MUST.DEFEND.DELTA — MUST.DEFEND.DELTA”
Oh Timmy… what a sad life you live
“Delta just thinks further ahead and smarter than the rest of the industry.”
apparently not since, as you say, they’ve been planning a massive Pacific expansion for years now yet somehow neglected to look at landing times at MNL like United was doing for… two flights now 😉
can’t have it both ways, pal.
Your posts sure are funny in this comment section, Tim. First off “Delta is going to win at LAX” despite being in the smallest alliance at LAX and in southern California and having no serious JV partners there like QF, NZ, NH, or JL — (hint hint, that’s where the big money routes are) and also being at a permanent disadvantage at LAX vs AA alone by 2027 for gates. Delta will remain a serious competitor at LAX but Delta just has zero native advantages at LAX like AA and United do. Delta is, by far, in the smallest alliance on the West Coast, by far. Their “Pacific gateway” in SEA is nothing more than a permanent and far-behind second place to OneWorld and Delta will be at a permanent disadvantage with gates at LAX to say nothing of the rest of their anemic presence in other SoCal airports.
And NYC…
“then shift to NYC to Asia and win there too.” — Timmy
Again “”Delta just thinks further ahead and smarter than the rest of the industry.”
Yeah, apparently they don’t think ahead since the biggest Asia market from NYC is HND and Delta couldn’t think far enough ahead to even bid for HND out of JFK. But I’m sure everyone is just quaking in their boots about Delta flying to… wait for it… ICN– a JV hub.
You really just can’t make up the way you tie yourself in knots with the idiotic comments.
Thanks for the morning laugh, Tim. You’re such a clown.
imagine waiting all night for me to respond so you could jump in.
Alliances don’t generate revenue, Max. Airlines do by flying flights and MIGHT share revenue through a joint venture.
For the seventeen millionth time, AA and AS are competitors.
DL is well on its way to becoming the largest INTERNATIONAL carrier at LAX on top of being the largest, Even UA in their leaked slides admits that DL is largest at LAX.
we know it’s all fake numbers but DL managed to be more profitable flying the Pacific in the late 2010s while UA was grabbing market share post DL/NW NRT hub.
DL runs a business and plays 4D chess. UA runs a testosterone production laboratory and underperforms more than any company with as many assets as an airline has.
AA skips in the park obvious to the fact that they are being overrun by better run competitors.
Like it or not, DL is the best run airline in the world and far outclasses anything run from Illinois or Texas, Washington state or NYC.
DL will be in MNL, then SIN and, of course ICN from LAX.
I told you this day is coming but DL moves when it is ready and builds for the long haul.
Mock it all day long and me for being able to call it. You only make you and your fake user name look even more pathetically childish w/ every post.
oh tim
your comebacks are so stupid lol. It really does seem like you can’t think of any so you just copy mine in hopes saying the same thing back is cool. I’m flattered…?
I’m not even going to bother responding to your usual drivel. You have a reputation as the resident clown and you earn it every day.
Happy thursday. I genuinely can’t imagine how someone’s life is so lame that they spend their life commenting about Delta, facts be damned.
Your mental illness needs some pills
@Tim Dunn — “35K could do JFK-HKG and SIN even with Russian airspace restrictions” …wait, what? That’s news to SQ which needs low density 359ULR to make those 18-20 hour nonstops possible. That said, if DL can get it done, somehow, maybe add JFK-SYD while they’re at it, and tell QF to go ‘Project Sunrise’ themselves!
4D Chess. That’s funny.
What I don’t think many people on this board don’t understand is that Tim is not just some starry-eyed fanboy. He is is compensated by Delta for his relentless advocacy.
1990
Qantas will fly their Operation Sunrise 350-1000s for 20 hours with 240 or 260 seats (can’t remember which). JFK-HKG or -SIN are not that long which means DL can fly it w/ a less than full 315 passengers but likely still make money. DL’s 35Ks as well as SQ’s newest 359s are more capable than the 350s they used on JFK/EWR-SIN.
Citi just recognized that the current fuel price situation favors DL as I have said before. DL played cautious coming out of covid but I expect they will use their financial strength and lower cost fuel to strengthen their position where they want to be more signifcant – and that includes TPAC – while other carriers will simply not be able to sustain what they have, let alone grow as they had planned.
Fuel in Asia is even higher than on the west coast of the US.
Let’s see if DL keeps its foot on the gas w/ Asia/Pacific but I fully expect that DL is going to more aggressive in its handling of this black swan event than has been the case before
it is funny that people don’t think the incessant UA cheering doesn’t come from paid posters but what I say is.
“DL is the best run airline in the world”. ????
I don’t own stock so I don’t care if they make $. Not my department.
But I cannot see deciding to fly DL over Singie to Singapore.