Philippine Airlines (PAL) has officially commenced nonstop services to Seattle, marking a new chapter in its long-standing transpacific connections. The inaugural flight, PR 124, departed from Manila on the evening of (October 2, 2024), for the 12-hour journey to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. This thrice-weekly service, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, is the first direct connection between the Philippines and the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
With the addition of Seattle, PAL now serves six U.S. destinations, joining San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Guam, and Honolulu. This marks the airline’s largest-ever U.S. network in its 78-year history. PAL aims to deepen its connections in the U.S., further expanding its transpacific network. As the closest U.S. mainland airport to the Philippines, Seattle offers convenient connections to other regions in the U.S. through PAL’s partnerships.
As part of this new service, PAL continues its interline partnership with Alaska Airlines, enhancing connectivity to key U.S. cities such as Chicago, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., Houston, Portland, and Anchorage. This partnership offers seamless travel for passengers from Seattle to these destinations.
PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Captain Stanley K. Ng expressed pride in this new route, saying, “Today, through these nonstop Manila-Seattle-Manila flights, Philippine Airlines is proud to take the latest big investment in its long-term strategy of building stronger connections to the vast United States travel market.” He also described Seattle as “our newest gateway to the rest of America” and emphasized the importance of the route in promoting tourism and business activity between the Philippines and various U.S. regions, including Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Nevada, and the Midwest.
Support from Philippine and U.S. Officials
The new Seattle service was praised by Philippine Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, who highlighted the importance of the route in serving the Filipino community, especially those traveling for the holidays. “This (Seattle service) solidifies PAL’s foothold on the non-stop trans-Pacific market, the staple route of Filipinos eager to spend the holidays in the Philippines,” Bautista said. He also noted that the Department of Transportation supports this network expansion as part of the air travel industry’s recovery efforts.
U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, also welcomed the new route, particularly noting its launch during Filipino American History Month in the United States. “The State of Washington is home to a vibrant Filipino and Filipino American community, and I am certain those cultural ties will continue to grow ever stronger,” she remarked.
Philippine Ambassador to the U.S., Jose Manuel Romualdez, celebrated the new connection between the Philippines and Seattle, saying, “This connection will undoubtedly open new doors for trade, tourism, and cultural exchange, fostering deeper relationships and mutual growth between our two nations.” He expressed his appreciation for the efforts of the Philippine Airlines team in making this route possible.
Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho emphasized the route’s significance to Filipino Americans in the Northwest and expressed excitement about its potential to strengthen business and tourism ties between the Philippines and the region. “After years of collaboration with PAL and our Filipino partners, we’re truly excited to welcome this new route to our airport and community,” Cho said.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
