Delta Reveals Plans for Nonstop Flights From Los Angeles to Manila, Philippines, Starting in 2027

It looks like Delta Air Lines has confirmed plans to launch nonstop service between Los Angeles (LAX) and Manila (MNL) — not through a press release but through a regulatory filing with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The disclosure came as part of Delta’s effort to influence a separate DOT decision, but the details it contains are worth paying attention to if you’re planning travel to the Philippines or looking for new redemption opportunities down the road.

Here’s what we know about Delta’s plans for a new route to Southeast Asia.

What Delta Is Planning — and Why It Came Out Now

Delta‘s plans were revealed in response to Philippine Airlines’ application to launch new service between Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Manila. Rather than simply opposing the application, Delta used the filing to stake its own claim in the Philippines market, asking the DOT to defer action on PAL’s Chicago route until the Philippine government provides written assurances that Delta will have access to commercially viable slots at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The route itself? It would be daily nonstop LAX–MNL service starting summer 2027, operated with an Airbus A350-900.

This would represent Delta’s first U.S.-originating service to the Philippines. The airline previously flew to Manila from within Asia — most recently on a Tokyo Narita (NRT)-Manila route that operated until March 2020 — but has never flown to Manila from a domestic U.S. hub. In late 2025, a Delta executive had already hinted internally that both Manila and Singapore (SIN) were in the pipeline, though no timeline or departure city had been shared publicly at the time.

The Manila announcement fits into a broader pattern of Pacific expansion at Delta. The airline also has Los Angeles-Hong Kong (HKG) service in the works, suggesting it is leaning more heavily on LAX as a transpacific hub rather than Seattle (SEA), which had been its stated Pacific gateway for much of the past decade.

Delta Will Have Competition on the Route

Delta won’t be entering an open market. Philippine Airlines already operates an LAX–MNL service, giving the carrier a head start on the specific routing Delta is targeting. Elsewhere in California, both Philippine Airlines and United Airlines currently offer nonstop service from San Francisco (SFO) to Manila.

The addition of Delta on the LAX–MNL route is good news for travelers, particularly those looking for a U.S. network carrier option with a full business-class product. Delta will likely compete on premium positioning, which could be a big advantage for travelers who want lie-flat seating and the ability to earn and redeem SkyMiles on a nonstop flight to Manila.

For points and miles travelers, the route opens up worthwhile redemption angles. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Air France-KLM Flying Blue are both Chase and Amex transfer partners that allow you to book seats on Delta flights, and either program can offer solid value on long-haul, premium-cabin awards. It’s worth monitoring these programs in addition to Delta’s SkyMiles offerings once the route goes on sale, weighing which offers the best redemption value.

Final Thoughts

Delta’s LAX–Manila route likely won’t launch until next year, and a DOT filing is not the same as a confirmed launch. That said, the disclosure adds real credibility to what had previously been internal speculation, and it signals an upcoming expansion in U.S.-Philippines service.