As announced on March 3, Emirates (EK) and Philippine Airlines (PAL) have signed an interline agreement to enable seamless transfers through both their Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) hubs, respectively. The new deal will allow a one-ticket and one-bag policy.The agreement spans Philippine Airlines' domestic operations, enabling Emirates passengers to travel to regional destinations such as Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Cotabato, Davao, Iloilo, and Kalibo, for example. Philippine Airlines passengers can now continue their journey from Dubai to a range of Emirates destinations, such as 21 points in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond.

Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today.

Visiting Manila since 1990

Emirates commenced operations in the Philippines in 1990, with flights from Dubai to Manila. This has since expanded, and the Middle Eastern carrier operates 25 weekly flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to:

  • Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)
  • Clark International Airport (CRK)
  • Mactan–Cebu International Airport (CEB)
emiratesboeing777-300er in flight
Photo: Emirates

Operating all three routes with the Boeing 777-300ER, with a mix of two and three-class configurations. Emirates Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim, spoke of the latest interline agreement in the Emirates statement:

“The Philippines is one of our strongest consumer markets and we’re pleased to sign a new interline agreement with the country’s flag carrier. The partnership with Philippine Airlines will help open new links for trade and tourism that will drive more inbound traffic into the market, and expand Emirates’ footprint in East Asia. We look forward to serving our partner airline’s customers with additional travel choices to Emirates destinations across the Middle East, Europe as well as the Americas, and to expanding our cooperation with plans to include additional points via Cebu in the coming months.”

We'd love to see you on Instagram - follow us here!

120 interline partners

Emirates currently has interline agreements with 120 airlines worldwide, expanding its global reach further and meeting the demands of today's travelers. The latest move with Philippine Airlines will allow passengers to check in once, with through checked baggage to their final destination within the Emirates network. Philippine Airlines Vice President for Sales Bud Britanico commented on its new relationship with the Middle Eastern giant:

“We are happy to embark on this new interline partnership with Emirates that expands the choices available to Philippine Airlines passengers, who now gain easier access to more destinations across Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa via our flights to Dubai. We are eager to expand our reach to various international markets and exciting destinations and help stimulate business and tourist travel for global citizens, as well as provide better service to our fellow Filipinos living and working in overseas nations.”

Phillippine airlines at gateThree carriers between Dubai and Manila

Emirates operates multiple daily flights between Dubai and Manila. Philippine airlines also connect to Dubai with its Airbus A330-300. Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific also operates in the UAE with a compact 460-seat configuration.

Sources: Emirates