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Air India will launch non-stop flights between Delhi and Manila starting October 1, 2025
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Air India’s service to Manila will operate five days a week using the airline’s Airbus A321neo aircraft
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Air India said its Manila service ensures not only non-stop connectivity from India, but also seamless, one-stop connectivity from Europe via Delhi
Air India will launch non-stop flights between Delhi and Manila starting October 1, 2025.
With the launch of the new route, Air India will become the only carrier to operate non-stop flights between India and the Philippines, offering seamless connectivity through its Delhi hub and boosting tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges between the two countries, the carrier said in a statement.
Air India’s service to Manila will operate five days a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays – using the airline’s Airbus A321neo aircraft, featuring a three-class cabin configuration that offers the choice of business class, premium economy class, and economy class to travelers.
The Philippines recently introduced visa-free entry for Indian tourists of up to 14 days, significantly enhancing accessibility for Indians eager to visit the white-sand beaches of Boracay, the stunning landscapes of Palawan, the historical landmarks in Cebu, and more.
“The introduction of our Delhi-Manila route is a yet another step in our mission to connect India with more of the world, non-stop,” Air India chief executive officer and managing director Campbell Wilson said.
“As outbound travel from India grows at an unprecedented pace, with Indian tourists ranking among the highest spenders globally, the new entry rules for Indian tourists are a shot in the arm to boost tourism to the Philippines. We are happy to facilitate new opportunities for cultural exchange and economic collaboration between the two nations, while bringing the new Air India to more travellers around the world,” Wilson added.
With its 7,000+ islands and a dynamic blend of cultural and modern attractions, the Philippines holds great tourism potential for Indian travellers. Air India said its new route also supports the growing bilateral trade between India and the Philippines, which reached $3.53 billion in 2023-24, nearly doubling from $1.89 billion in 2015-16, according to the Embassy of India in Manila.
Air India said its Manila service ensures not only non-stop connectivity from India, but also seamless, one-stop connectivity from Europe via Delhi.
According to the Department of Tourism, around 79,000 Indian visitors traveled to the Philippines in 2024, a 12% growth from 2023.
The Philippines and India currently have an updated air services agreement (ASA) signed in September 2021 to improve connectivity and enhance mutual economic growth between the two countries.
The agreement opens the market for competition, where multiple airlines can operate and more flights activated. The 2021 ASA was an amendment of the 2018 agreement, which revised the 1949 ASA.
