Airlines

PAL launches first direct Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City flights

New thrice-weekly service marks first direct connection between Central Visayas and Vietnam's commercial center

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A Philippine Airlines Airbus A321ceo in Osaka, Japan. (Photo: lasta29, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Philippine Airlines (PAL) will launch the first-ever nonstop flights between Cebu and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) starting May 2, 2025, directly connecting Central Visayas with Vietnam’s main economic center. The airline will also increase its Manila-Hanoi service to daily flights starting April 1, 2025.

The new Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City route will initially operate three times a week, utilizing Airbus A321ceo aircraft with a 199-passenger capacity. Flights will depart Mactan-Cebu International Airport on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, with return flights from Tan Son Nhat International Airport on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

The increased Manila-Hanoi service, up from five times weekly to daily, will provide greater accessibility between the Philippine capital and Vietnam’s capital city.

We are pleased to expand Philippine Airlines’ footprint in Vietnam, our next-door neighbor and fellow ASEAN member country, through our new service linking Ho Chi Minh City to Cebu for the very first time.

Stanley K. Ng, Philippine Airlines President & Chief Operating Officer

“We look forward to boosting tourism, strengthening Cebu’s position as the nation’s emerging business and leisure gateway, and building on the strong and friendly relations between Vietnam and the Philippines.”

The new Cebu route is strategically timed to allow passengers arriving in Cebu to connect with PAL’s domestic network and international flights, including those to Osaka and Tokyo Narita.

Flight PR-587 departs Cebu at 10:55 p.m. and arrives in Ho Chi Minh City at 12:55 a.m. the next day. The return flight, PR-588, departs Ho Chi Minh City at 1:55 a.m. and arrives back in Cebu at 6:05 a.m.

The addition of the Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City route, along with the increased Manila-Hanoi frequency, complements PAL’s existing eight weekly flights between Manila and Ho Chi Minh City.

PAL stated the airline supports the Department of Tourism (DoT) in its efforts to attract more Vietnamese tourists to the Philippines. Approximately 58,000 Vietnamese tourists visited the Philippines in 2024.

Travelers can book flights and find more information through the Philippine Airlines website, hotline, mobile app, or travel agents.

Written by
Dirk Andrei Salcedo

Dirk is the founder and editor-in-chief of Aviation Updates Philippines (AUP), a platform dedicated to providing the latest news and insights on the aviation industry in the Philippines. With a strong passion for aviation and a background in computer engineering, he manages all aspects of AUP, from website development to content curation.

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