Delta Air Lines to Launch Los Angeles–Manila Flights in 2027

‍LOS ANGELES — Delta Air Lines (DL) will launch its first-ever nonstop service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL), adding the Philippines to its global network and expanding its growing Asia-Pacific operation from Southern California.

The new route will begin on March 28, 2027, with three weekly flights before increasing to daily service on June 7, 2027, according to a Delta announcement. The route will be operated with Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

Delta said it will become the only U.S. carrier offering nonstop service between Los Angeles and Manila.

“Customers traveling through Los Angeles continue to benefit from Delta’s investments in LAX, including an expanding Asia-Pacific network and the opening of our second Delta One Lounge,” Jeff Arinder, Delta’s vice president of network planning, said in the announcement.

A New Pacific Link From LAX

The Manila route adds one of Southeast Asia’s largest travel markets to Delta’s own long-haul network.

Manila is the Philippines’ main international gateway and a major market for visiting-friends-and-relatives traffic, business travel, and leisure demand. Southern California is also home to one of the largest Filipino communities in the United States, giving the route a strong local traffic base.

For Delta, the route builds on a wider LAX growth push that includes new or returning service to Hong Kong (HKG), Melbourne (MEL), Shanghai (PVG), Vancouver (YVR), Newark (EWR), and other markets. Delta said it now operates more than 160 peak-day departures from LAX to over 50 destinations. The airline has also added new LAX service to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and expanded its Florida schedule. Delta said the new Manila route is part of its broader effort to build LAX as a leading global gateway.

Premium Product on the A350

The route will use Delta’s flagship Airbus A350-900, configured with four cabin products: Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort, and Main Cabin.

Delta One passengers traveling to Manila will have access to Delta One check-in and security at LAX, as well as the airline’s two Delta One Lounges. Delta said LAX is the first airport in its network with two Delta One Lounge locations, and that by 2028 it expects to offer four dedicated lounge spaces at LAX totaling more than 60,000 square feet and more than 1,000 seats.

Onboard, Delta said customers will have seatback entertainment, amenities across cabins, and fast, free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members on trans-Pacific routes beginning this fall.

Korean Air Partnership Remains Central

The new nonstop service also complements Delta’s joint venture with Korean Air (KE), which already gives customers access to the Philippines through Seoul Incheon (ICN).

Delta said the joint venture connects travelers to more than 260 destinations across the Americas and more than 60 destinations across Asia. With Manila added nonstop from Los Angeles, customers will be able to choose between Delta’s direct LAX–MNL service or connecting options through Seoul on Korean Air.

That matters because Delta’s Asia strategy from LAX is not only about point-to-point flying. It also depends on building a trans-Pacific network that combines Delta-operated routes with Korean Air connectivity across Asia.

Bottom Line

Delta’s return to direct U.S.–Philippines flying is a meaningful expansion for both the airline and LAX.

For Delta, Manila gives the carrier a high-demand Southeast Asian market with strong local ties to Southern California and connectivity potential through both Manila and Los Angeles. For LAX, the route reinforces the airport’s role as one of the main U.S. gateways to the Pacific.

The launch also fits Delta’s broader Los Angeles strategy ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The airline is using LAX not only as a domestic and premium hub, but as a long-haul gateway linking Southern California with Asia, Australia, Canada, and Latin America.

By adding Manila, Delta is filling a major gap in its Pacific map and giving LAX another nonstop link to one of Asia’s most important diaspora and leisure markets.