Philippine Airlines (PAL) will restore nonstop flights between Manila and Saipan beginning October 25, reopening a direct air link between the Philippines and the Northern Mariana Islands after the service was suspended earlier this year.
The restored route is expected to provide another travel option for Filipinos heading to Saipan, while strengthening tourism, family and commercial connections between the Philippines and the US territory in the western Pacific. PAL is also positioning the service as part of its broader expansion across the Pacific.
Saipan, the largest island and capital of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, is known for its beaches, clear waters, diving and snorkeling sites, historical landmarks and nature parks. The destination attracts leisure travelers as well as visitors with family and business connections in the Northern Marianas.
The route will operate twice weekly using an Airbus A321. Flight PR2571 will depart Manila on Wednesdays and Sundays at 7:45 p.m., arriving in Saipan at 1:45 a.m. the following day. The return service, PR2572, will leave Saipan on Mondays and Thursdays at 2:50 a.m. and arrive in Manila at 5:05 a.m.
The resumption follows an earlier attempt to revive the route this year. PAL had restarted Manila-Saipan flights after a lengthy suspension, but the service was interrupted after Typhoon Sinlaku damaged the runway at Saipan International Airport. The airline subsequently waited for the destination and airport infrastructure to recover before bringing the route back.
PAL regional head for Japan, Korea and Oceania Bryan Sansolis said the airline also considered passenger demand in both directions before deciding when to resume the service. The company wanted to avoid a route that would depend primarily on one-way traffic and instead return when travel demand between Manila and Saipan could be more balanced.
The airline said the original restart had shown encouraging demand before the weather-related disruption. According to Sansolis, the first flight after the earlier resumption was nearly full, with only a few seats left, before the route was suspended again because of the typhoon.
The restored connection also gives passengers in Saipan another direct gateway to the Philippines. From Manila, travelers can connect onward to PAL destinations across the country, while international passengers can use the Philippine capital as a connecting point for travel across PAL’s wider network.
The service is returning as PAL continues to expand its international network. The airline currently operates routes linking Manila and Cebu with destinations across Asia, North America, Australia and the Middle East, while additional international services are being introduced as part of its network expansion.
The route is also significant because of the longstanding Filipino community in the Northern Mariana Islands. Filipinos account for a substantial share of the territory’s population, while historical and more recent migration have created longstanding family, cultural and economic ties between the Philippines and Saipan.
PAL said passengers on the restored service will receive its full-service offerings, including inflight meals and baggage allowance. Tickets can be booked through the airline’s website and mobile application, reservations hotline, ticket offices and accredited travel agents.
The Manila-Saipan service is returning ahead of the year-end travel period, giving passengers another direct option for Pacific island travel while reconnecting communities and supporting tourism and commercial activity between the Philippines and the Northern Mariana Islands.
