Philippine Airlines: New routes in United's Pacific playground

Justin Warby, PAL's vice president for sales and distribution, delivers a speech during a Nov. 21, 2025 ceremony at Hyatt Regency Guam announcing the launch of Guam-Cebu route. Photo by Mar-Vic Cagurangan/Pacific Island Times

By Jeffrey Teruel

(Flights in Asia)-- In 2025, Philippine Airlines welcomed Richard Nuttall, a global aviation industry veteran, as its new president while continuing to expand its route network from hubs in Manila and Cebu.

As the Philippine flag carrier faces increased challenges from foreign airlines on its own home turf, the delivery of the first widebody Airbus A350-1000 is expected to boost its capacity to operate more flights and add new long-haul routes.

With big ambitions for its future, Philippine Airlines has taken steps to boost its presence in an often overlooked region close to home: the islands of Micronesia.

In an area in the Western Pacific that includes Guam, Saipan and Palau, the area has long been dominated by United Airlines. As Philippine Airlines launches new routes to the three islands, it is stepping up its challenge to United, which can be considered the U.S. carrier's own playground in the western Pacific. 

 Philippine Airlines Airbus A350-1000. Photo courtesy of FlightsInAsia/PAL

United's presence in Micronesia dates back to Continental Airlines, through its subsidiary, Continental Micronesia, starting in the late 1960s.

Prior to the merger with United in 2010, Continental had already been operating flights between Guam and Manila. It would not be until 2023 that the Chicago-based airline launched direct flights from San Francisco to Manila. A year later, United would use Guam-based Boeing 737s to launch a Fifth Freedom route from Tokyo Narita to Cebu.

The two routes added to United's foundation and its Pacific playground, which features its daily flights between Manila and Guam, and the additional twice-weekly flights from Manila to Palau. 

United Airlines Boeing 737-800 at Tokyo Narita Airport

While facing recent challenges from United on its direct flights to/from the U.S. and the Narita-Cebu route, Philippine Airlines has long maintained the majority of flights between the Philippines and the U.S., including the daily direct service between Manila and Guam. Cebu Pacific would launch its own competing service on the route in 2016. Within a few years, the Philippine budget carrier eventually suspended the route in 2019.

As the Philippines' sole full-service carrier, Philippine Airlines is taking steps to counter United's increased presence in the country. It is doing so with new routes in United's Pacific playground, such as between Cebu and Guam, which was launched before the end of 2025.

The Cebu-Guam route will be followed by a return to Saipan and a new service to Palau. Both starting March 29, Philippine Airlines will operate two weekly flights on each route from Manila. Philippine Airlines will soon compete with United's own flights from Manila to Palau, and will become the lone airline operating direct flights from Manila to Saipan.  

The three islands of Micronesia are within a three to four-hour flight from the Philippines, which allows both airlines to use their narrowbody aircraft. Philippine Airlines uses its Airbus A321s with more than 190 seats, while United uses its Pacific-configured Boeing 737-800s with 166 seats.

Now operating flights from both Manila and Cebu to Guam, Philippine Airlines is even with United when it comes to routes offered to Micronesia from the Philippines.

However, the thrice-weekly Cebu-Guam route now gives Philippine Airlines the edge in weekly flights and seat capacity between the Philippines and Guam. This advantage is expected to increase further by April 2026, after the Manila-Palau and Manila-Saipan routes launch on March 29.  

United will continue to maintain its advantage on flights between Manila and Guam, with nine flights, including the twice-weekly service via Palau. Philippine Airlines' 10 flights to Guam comprise seven weekly Manila-Guam and three weekly Cebu-Guam services. With more flights and the use of the higher-capacity A321s, Philippine Airlines now has the largest weekly seat capacity between the Philippines and Guam. 

As Philippine Airlines further increases its flights and seat capacity to the Micronesian islands, both airlines are also stepping up their in-flight amenities and services. Philippine Airlines recently deployed its newly retrofitted Airbus A321s featuring new interiors, in-seat entertainment screens, and power charging outlets on its flights to Guam.

United is in the process of replacing its Guam-based Boeing 737-800 fleet with Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. Featuring United's newer interiors, the seats include personal entertainment screens with Bluetooth connectivity, charging ports, and will eventually have Starlink-powered in-flight Wi-Fi.  

Philippine Airlines' new routes are expected to offer more travel options for residents of Guam, Saipan, and Palau, particularly for local Filipino communities. They are also expected to make it easier for visitors to reach the islands, which could provide a much-needed boost to local economies. The services provided by United and Philippine Airlines have their own advantages for those traveling to and from the area.

United leverages its Guam hub, where many residents are members of its frequent flyer program. With an evening departure from Guam to Manila, the return flight arrives the following morning. These flights are timed to allow for connections onto flights from Guam to Honolulu and Saipan. Travelers bound for Honolulu can choose to take the daily direct Guam-Honolulu flights or the longer, famous Island Hopper route.

Philippine Airlines is the alternative option to travel in the Westward direction. After arriving in Manila, passengers can connect to Philippine Airlines' domestic network. International flight connections can also be done to cities without direct air links from Guam, such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

With Philippine Airlines' recent expansion of its domestic flights from Cebu, the airline now offers more connections to cities in the central and southern Philippines.

Saipan has limited direct air services. Currently, the island is served by flights to Guam and Tokyo Narita on United, as well as to Hong Kong (Hong Kong Airlines), Seoul (T'way Air and Jeju Air), and Busan (Air Busan). The return of Philippine Airlines to the island will provide more travel options for residents and visitors alike. 

Of the three islands, Palau is likely the most interesting destination Philippine Airlines will soon fly to. In contrast to Guam and Saipan, which have seen routes gradually reduced in recent years, the independent island nation has seen the introduction of new air routes in 2025 from Brisbane by Australia's Qantas and Tokyo Narita by United.

While United added to its presence with its third connection from the island, serving along with the flights to Guam and Manila, Philippine Airlines' new flights will allow for connections via Manila to and from other cities in East/Southeast Asia, including Japan. With the addition of Philippine Airlines' flights from Manila, Palau has direct air links to eight international destinations.

The islands of Micronesia are probably one of the last places anyone would consider for an interesting competition between big airlines. Yet even with its own bigger ambitions, Philippine Airlines is looking to strengthen its presence in the nearby islands where United has long been the dominant carrier. Both airlines are competing not just in flights, but also stepping up their in-flight amenities and connecting options. The real winners are the island residents, who have long faced limited travel options to/from the region. 

Subscribe to

our monthly

digital edition