The new route will operate four times weekly beginning April 2, 2025. Spring can’t come soon enough, eh?
Air Canada announced December 5 the strategic expansion of its international network with the addition of non-stop flights between its Pacific hub at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL).
The announcement was made during the Government of Canada’s Team Canada Trade Mission currently in the Philippines, celebrating 75 years of Canada-Philippines diplomatic relations. This new service to Manila is Air Canada’s third Southeast Asia destination launched in the last two years.
“We are thrilled to add Manila to our global network with new, year-round, non-stop service from Vancouver, Air Canada’s Pacific gateway hub. We continue to pursue our international network strategy of expanding to large, fast-growing markets that are presently unserved directly by Air Canada,” said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President, Revenue and Network Planning.
Galardo continued that the Philippines is an important market “reflecting longstanding family ties between our two countries with growing business connections and tourism opportunities. With an extensive domestic and transborder network in Vancouver designed to connect seamlessly to our international flights, we are making travel between North America and the Philippines even more convenient for leisure and business travelers alike. It is with great excitement that we look forward to welcoming our customers onboard next spring.”
Air Canada is the only Canadian carrier scheduled to serve the Philippines, presently the largest market in Asia without direct Air Canada service. The new route will operate four times weekly beginning April 2, 2025, using the airline’s flagship Dreamliner aircraft.
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It will be Air Canada’s 12th route in its transpacific network from Vancouver, which includes Japan, South Korea, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong SAR, Thailand, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, leveraging Vancouver’s geographic position as the closest major North American city to Asia.
With this new service, next summer Air Canada will offer over 180 weekly flights between Canada and the Pacific, the most non-stop flights of any carrier in the market. This marks a continuation of Air Canada’s expansion into fast-growing markets into Southeast Asia, building off recent additions to Singapore and Bangkok, to more than double summer season seat capacity over the Pacific since 2022.
Canada-Philippines milestone
“Vancouver is thrilled to welcome Air Canada’s new flight to Manila. As the first Canadian airline to offer this route directly and year-round, it’s a meaningful milestone that strengthens the connection between Canada and the Philippines. For our city’s vibrant Filipino community, it brings loved ones closer, makes reunions easier, and opens the door to even more opportunities to connect and celebrate their heritage,” said Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim.
“BC is home to a significant Filipino Canadian community who makes incredible contributions to our province and want to stay connected to friends and family overseas. A new direct route between Vancouver and Manila will make it faster and easier for people to travel between these two cities including for business and trade opportunities. This will strengthen cultural and economic ties between Canada and the Philippines,” said BC Premier David Eby.
“As we mark 75 years of our diplomatic relations, these new direct flights between Vancouver and Manila will help create stronger connections and partnerships, easier travel, economic growth, and generate shared prosperity. I look forward to seeing our Canadian companies continue to develop in the Philippines through initiatives like these,” said Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development of Canada.
Flights from Canada to Manila can be purchased starting today on Air Canada’s website, through Air Canada’s contact centres, and via travel agents. Flights for bookings originating in Manila to Canada will be available for sale shortly.
Manila flight schedule
Flights will be operated with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft featuring three cabins of service for customers to choose from, including Signature Class with lie-flat seats, Premium Economy and Economy Class.
Air Canada’s complimentary and extensive in-flight entertainment programming features more than 1,400 hours of movies, 1,900 hours of television shows and more than 600 hours of music and podcasts and where available, live tv is available at every seat.
The award-winning IFE features collaborations with Apple TV+, Audible, Disney+, Hayu, and others, bringing hours of movies, tv episodes, specialty channels, music albums, other video and audio content and games in multiple languages from boarding to landing.
| Flight | From | To | Day of Week | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Effective Dates |
| AC17 | Vancouver (YVR) | Manila (MNL) | Mon, Wed, Fri | 01:55 | 06:20+1 day | April 2 – April 30, 2025 |
| AC18 | Manila (MNL) | Vancouver (YVR) | Tues, Thurs, Sat | 09:25 | 06:20 | April 3 – May 1, 2025 |
| AC17 | Vancouver (YVR) | Manila (MNL) | Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun | 01:55 | 06:20+1 day | Effective May 1, 2025 |
| AC18 | Manila (MNL) | Vancouver (YVR) | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat | 09:25 | 06:20 | Effective May 2, 2025 |
Eligible customers will have access to the Vancouver Air Canada Signature Suite, offering a la carte dining and premium beverage options within a relaxed airport enclave, as well as the Air Canada International Maple Leaf Lounge. For inbound customers connecting internationally, Vancouver also has in-transit customs pre-clearance to simplify the transit through YVR. The new route has also been designed to allow customers to conveniently connect to and from more than 50 destinations across North America via Air Canada’s hub at YVR.
“We welcome today’s announcement by Air Canada that it is continuing to grow its Transpacific network from Vancouver with the addition of direct service into the Philippines,” said Tamara Vrooman, President and CEO at Vancouver International Airport (YVR). “This new Manila service builds on their extensive Asia network from YVR, bringing family, friends and business together and providing travelers with more choice and connections. In addition, the launch of this 14-hour non-stop service will generate $46 million in economic value to our region.”
Onboard services, travel requirements
Air Canada’s international onboard services showcase some of Canada’s best culinary talent through Air Canada’s panel of celebrated chefs, comprising award-winning chefs David Hawksworth, Vikram Vij and Jérôme Ferrer. Complementing the culinary journey is a selection of top wines chosen by leading Canadian sommelier, Véronique Rivest.
Customers have opportunities to collect and redeem points through Aeroplan Air Canada’s loyalty program when traveling with Air Canada. Eligible customers also have access to priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounges, concierge, priority boarding and other exclusive benefits.
Visit Air Canada’s Travel Ready Hub for the latest government entry requirements. Customers are responsible for ensuring they meet all government entry requirements, including holding the correct travel documents, visas, any required health certificates, and all other eligibility requirements for any flights they purchase.
