Philippine Airlines Seeks Approval to Resume India Flights as Air India Expands Delhi–Manila Service

Filipino airlines are also seeking to leverage Air India’s services. Philippine Airlines has applied to the CAB to reopen its India routes, and, coupled with Air India’s recent expansion, may bring direct flights from the Manila-Delhi corridor even sooner. Since Air India’s expansion to 7 weekly flights from the 5 festival charter flights, there has been renewed interest in the India-Manila Corridor. Passengers are hopeful that renewed competition will spur improved connectivity and greater frequencies. Currently, flights are conveniently timed to serve the Indian Diaspora’s travel to visit friends and relatives. Although nothing is set in stone, the recent developments give hope to the expansion of the corridor and renewed competition.

What Philippine Airlines has applied for

The clearest evidence behind the proposed Philippine Airlines India flights comes from the Civil Aeronautics Board of the Philippines. Its published notice states that Philippine Airlines filed a petition for an allocation of additional entitlements to India. cab.gov.ph

An entitlement gives an airline permission to seek service under an international air agreement. The filing shows that Philippine Airlines is pursuing a return, but it does not give travellers a flight to book. The carrier still needs to announce its route, timetable and sales arrangements.

That distinction matters because interest in a new service can move faster than an airline’s formal plans. A social media suggestion or a destination page on a booking website should not be treated as a confirmed launch. Travellers should wait for a dated announcement and an available flight on the airline’s official booking channels.

Where the route stands now

The table reflects the regulator’s notice and Air India’s published route updates. A regulatory application and an operating flight are different stages of the same journey towards better connectivity. cab.gov.ph

Why Air India’s expansion matters

Air India opened its Delhi–Manila route on 1 October 2025 with five flights a week. The airline described it as the first non-stop air link between India and the Philippines at the time of launch. It then announced an increase to seven flights a week, effective 11 December 2025. www.airindia.com

The move gave passengers more days on which to plan a direct journey. It also offered Filipino travellers connections through Delhi to other destinations on Air India’s network. Those benefits are already tied to an announced service, unlike Philippine Airlines’ proposed return. www.airindia.com

For Philippine Airlines, an India service would mark a return to a market it has served before. The official filing does not establish which Indian city it will serve, so Delhi should not be presented as its confirmed destination. Air India’s existing route shows the current direct travel option; it does not reveal Philippine Airlines’ final network decision.

A return with a longer history

Philippine Airlines previously operated flights to New Delhi between 2011 and 2013. It prepared to relaunch the route in 2019 but postponed those plans. The Philippine News Agency reported the postponement at the time and recorded the airline’s earlier India service. www.pna.gov.ph

That history explains why the new application has drawn attention. It is another formal step towards restoring a link the airline once operated, after an earlier attempt to bring it back did not proceed.

The filing also comes in a different travel environment. India now has an operating non-stop service to the Philippines, while entry rules for Indian visitors have changed. Those developments make the wider India–Philippines travel market more accessible, although they do not establish when or where Philippine Airlines will fly.

Entry rules have made the Philippines easier to visit

Since 8 June 2025, eligible Indian nationals have been able to enter the Philippines without a visa for up to 14 days for tourism or business. The Philippine Embassy in New Delhi says travellers must meet conditions that include passport validity, confirmed accommodation, proof of financial capacity and a return or onward ticket. The 14-day stay cannot be extended or converted into another admission status. newdelhipe.dfa.gov.ph

This policy removes one planning step for eligible short visits. It could make a holiday or brief business trip easier to arrange, but visa-free entry is still subject to the published conditions. Travellers should check the embassy’s current guidance before booking or departure.

Air India pointed to the entry change when it announced the Delhi–Manila route. Together, the visa policy and the existing direct flight provide a practical reason for airlines and tourism businesses to watch this market. They are context for Philippine Airlines’ application, not proof that its service has been approved or scheduled. airindia.com

What another direct airline could change

If Philippine Airlines announces and starts an India route, passengers could gain another choice of carrier and departure time. Hotels and tour operators could then build trips around the actual flight schedule. Any such benefit depends on the route going ahead and on the timetable the airline eventually publishes.

The immediate position is simpler. Air India has announced Delhi–Manila flights and a frequency increase; Philippine Airlines has filed an India application. Travellers cannot use a filing to decide which airport to depart from, compare confirmed flight times or reserve a seat.

The same caution applies to possible economic effects. Additional flights can create opportunities for tourism and business travel, but the available official material does not provide a forecast for visitor numbers, revenue or jobs from this proposed service. Assigning a figure to those effects now would go beyond the evidence.

What to watch next

A confirmed Philippine Airlines announcement should identify the Indian destination, start date, weekly frequency and when bookings open. Until those details appear through the airline or the regulator, the most useful update for travellers is the status of the application itself.

Traveller FAQs

Can I book a new Philippine Airlines flight between India and the Philippines?

No new service has been confirmed in the official sources reviewed for this article. The Civil Aeronautics Board notice confirms an application, not a bookable route. Check Philippine Airlines’ official announcements and booking system for a launch date and flight details. cab.gov.ph

Is there a non-stop flight between Delhi and Manila?

Yes. Air India launched non-stop Delhi–Manila flights in October 2025 and announced daily service from December 2025. Check its live schedule for the dates you intend to travel, as flight availability can change. www.airindia.com

Do Indian tourists need a visa to visit the Philippines?

Eligible Indian nationals can enter visa-free for up to 14 days, subject to the Philippine government’s conditions. Travellers should review the embassy’s full entry requirements, including document requirements, before travelling. newdelhipe.dfa.gov.ph

Conclusion

Philipine Airlines’ application for a route between India and the Philippines provides an opportunity for the first direct flights between the two countries. Air India has benefitted from the introduction of direct flights to Manila, and has increased services to daily from Delhi. Philippine Airlines needs to state which cities it plans to serve to give passengers the opportunity to make flight connections. Air passengers should monitor the situation, but for the time being they should use indirect services for travel between the Philippines and India. Air passengers should treat direct Philippines Airline services as an unconformed travel option until Philippine Airlines releases details of their services.