The service will reopen later this year.
In its advisory on Tuesday, July 8, Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced the revival of its seasonal flights between the Philippines and Hokkaido in northeastern Japan.
Beginning November 24, 2025, direct flights of the Philippine flag carrier between Manila and Sapporo will resume and serve travelers until March 27, 2026.
Prior to this, PAL operated the Manila-Sapporo-Manila route from December 2018 to March 2020, before it was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PAL President Richard Nuttall said, “We are thrilled to announce the reopening of our direct flights from Manila to Sapporo, which will help us strengthen both bilateral relations and cultural ties with our Japanese counterparts.“
He continued, “This route not only provides a convenient travel option for Filipino tourists and overseas workers, but also opens doors for Japanese travelers to explore and experience the Philippines’ vibrant culture and warm hospitality.”
According to PAL, they will offer non-stop flights from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport (CTS) every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
The outbound PR 406 flight from the Philippines to Japan will depart Manila at 6:30 am (PST) and arrive in Sapporro at 12:15 pm (local time) every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The return PR 405 service, meanwhile, will leave CTS on the same day at 1:15 pm and arrive in MNL at 6:10 pm.
The route is set to operated using the 168-seater Airbus A321neo aircraft with a configuration of has 12 business class seats and 156 in economy class, with extensive inflight entertainment options and Wi-Fi connectivity on board.
Moreover, the PAL route will operate every succeeding winter season from November to March, the airline also disclosed.
Sapporo is known for its world class skiing resorts and annual Snow Festival featuring enormous ice sculptures, along with a wide range of cultural and culinary adventures that are popular tourist draws during the winter season.
At present, PAL offers other nonstop services between the Philippines and Japan via its routes between Manila and Osaka Kansai, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita.
On top of that, Philippine Airlines also has direct flights from Cebu to both Osaka Kansai and Tokyo Narita.
AloJapan.com