Manila–Chicago cleared

Philippine Airlines has won United States approval to start nonstop flights between Manila and Chicago, opening a direct link the carrier had sought for the 2026 summer season. (transportation.gov, mb.com.ph) The airline asked the United States Department of Transportation on February 24, 2026, for an exemption to operate scheduled nonstop service between Manila and Chicago and said it wanted expedited approval so it could begin selling tickets. (regulations.gov) In a notice dated April 9, the department granted Philippine Airlines exemption authority for one year and said the carrier was qualified to operate the route and that the service fit department policy and the public interest. (mb.com.ph, transportation.gov) Chicago was not a random pick. Philippine Airlines said the United States-Philippines Air Service Agreement lets Philippine carriers serve Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Guam, Saipan, and four additional United States points chosen by the Philippine government, and a 2020 diplomatic note identified Chicago as one of them. (regulations.gov, mb.com.ph) The route would give the Philippines its first nonstop link to the American Midwest, adding a new United States gateway for a carrier that has been expanding its North American network. (regulations.gov, mb.com.ph) The approval also came after a dispute over access to Manila. Delta Air Lines told the department on March 11 that it did not oppose the route in principle, but asked regulators to hold off until United States carriers had reciprocal access to slots, gates, and other infrastructure at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. (regulations.gov) Delta said it was pursuing daily Los Angeles-Manila service with an Airbus A350-900 in summer 2027, but argued that Manila airport congestion made commercially viable access uncertain. (regulations.gov) Manila Bulletin reported that Delta later withdrew its objection after the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board said it was ready to act favorably on any application for schedules and slot timing at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The United States Department of Transportation then said there was no reason to delay action on Philippine Airlines’ request. (mb.com.ph) Philippine Airlines had said it wanted to launch Chicago during the International Air Transport Association summer schedule, which runs from March to October, and would start ticket sales once authorized. The carrier also said Chicago fit its plan to use new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft to grow in the United States market. (mb.com.ph) For now, the key change is regulatory, not operational: the one-year exemption clears the legal path for Manila-Chicago nonstop service, while any longer-term renewal could bring the Manila access fight back into view. (transportation.gov, mb.com.ph)