Philippine Airlines will return to Saipan with the relaunch of its Manila–Saipan service beginning March 29, 2026.
Marianas Visitors Authority chair Warren Villagomez confirmed the restart of the route at the end of the first quarter next year in an interview with Marianas Press.
“That is a fact—the information is out. I think it's March 29, 2026. We're very hopeful that Philippine Airlines will come here and provide that service. It's an important milestone considering our history with Filipinos and the Philippines, as well as access to both the CNMI and the Philippines,” he said.
Villagomez said the Philippine flag carrier’s return would not only be a boon for MVA, but direct flights from the Philippines to Saipan would also help with medical referrals and shorten travel time for foreign workers from the Southeast Asian country.
“At one point, we were dependent on medical referrals in the Philippines. The Filipino workforce, as we know, is a great value to the CNMI. This is very good news and big news for us, considering what is evolving economically around the world. We've been communicating with Philippine Airlines, and this effort has been ongoing for about a year now.”
Villagomez added that MVA hopes the CNMI will also attract its fair share of tourists from the Philippines, which has a growing middle class and an increasing desire to travel.
“We're looking more toward the culture and history between the Philippines and the CNMI,” he said. “It's a short, direct flight. There’s a lot of benefit to this—like what I mentioned, access to healthcare and cargoes needed here on Saipan, Tinian, or elsewhere.”
Philippine Airlines’ relaunch of direct flights to the Commonwealth comes as the U.S. territory, together with neighboring Guam, has requested that the Philippines be included in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.
“[Delegate] Kimberlyn King-Hinds is working hard. She put a letter together to President Trump. We're hopeful for a good outcome. This effort is also being coordinated with the government of Guam—Gov. Lou [Leon Guerrero] and Gov. [David M.] Apatang. All these efforts are collectively and cohesively moving forward for the betterment of the CNMI's economy,” he said.
Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands chair Dennis Seo welcomed Philippine Airlines’ interest in relaunching the Manila-Saipan service.
"[HANMI] hopes this plan will be materialized as published and serve as another catalyst for the recovery of tourism. We kindly request the continued support from relevant government agencies to ensure successful implementation,” he said in a short statement to Marianas Press.
According to AeroRoutes—a well-known aviation website that documents daily updates on airline schedules and network changes worldwide—Philippine Airlines’ new Manila–Saipan route will be operated by PAL Express using Airbus A321 aircraft and will offer two weekly flights. The scheduled departure time in Manila is 2:50am, with arrival on Saipan at 5:05am.
Online archives show that direct flights between Manila and Saipan ended in 2017, approximately one year after their launch. The main reasons for the termination were financial losses and low passenger demand.
Marianas Press sent an email to the corporate office of Philippine Airlines and messaged its spokesperson for comment on the relaunch, but no response had been received as of press time.
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