Philippine Airlines, commonly abbreviated PAL, is the Philippines’ national passenger airline. It began flying in March 1941 and developed domestic links across the islands together with international services connecting the Philippines with Asia and more distant markets.[1]The airline in a nutshellPhilippine Airlines · philippineairlines.com · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details[2]Hong Kong: a long-time PALPhilippine Airlines · philippineairlines.com · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
First flights and wartime interruption
PAL’s inaugural flight took place on 15 March 1941. A Beechcraft Model 18 carried five passengers and two pilots from Manila’s Nielson Airport to Baguio. The Pacific war interrupted the young airline’s commercial operations. Its aircraft and personnel were pressed into wartime transport duties, including the evacuation of pilots to Australia.[1]The airline in a nutshellPhilippine Airlines · philippineairlines.com · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
Post-war rebuilding
The airline resumed domestic operations on 14 February 1946. It established an international division that year and obtained provisional certification for routes to China and the United States. Planned pre-war services to Hong Kong had been abandoned when war intervened, but non-scheduled Manila–Hong Kong flights began on 5 September 1946 using Douglas DC-3 aircraft.[2]Hong Kong: a long-time PALPhilippine Airlines · philippineairlines.com · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
International development
Hong Kong subsequently became part of a wider international network served by Douglas DC-4 aircraft. PAL’s historical account also identifies destinations such as Calcutta, Karachi, Cairo, Rome and Honolulu in its early overseas development. These services expanded its role from connecting Philippine communities to maintaining air links between the country and other regions.[2]Hong Kong: a long-time PALPhilippine Airlines · philippineairlines.com · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
Boeing 737-300
PAL introduced Boeing 737-300 services on 28 August 1989, deploying the type on four domestic trunk routes in place of the BAC One-Eleven.[1]The airline in a nutshellPhilippine Airlines · philippineairlines.com · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details On 20 October 2006 the airline accepted its first Airbus A319-100, the first of a new generation of Airbus A320-family aircraft that would form the backbone of its domestic and regional network.[1]The airline in a nutshellPhilippine Airlines · philippineairlines.com · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
Fleet renewal
PAL’s more recent investment has included both narrowbody cabin refurbishment and long-haul aircraft. During 2025 it retrofitted three A321ceo aircraft and added two A320-200s. Its first Airbus A350-1000 arrived in December 2025, followed by a second in May 2026. The airline describes the larger A350 variant as supporting its network between the Philippines and North America, with the aircraft forming part of an order for nine.[3]Philippine Airlines 2025 results and fleet investmentPhilippine Airlines · philippineairlines.com · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details[4]Arrival of the second A350-1000Philippine Airlines · philippineairlines.com · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details