MANILA — Philippine Airlines will be flying direct flights between Cebu and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in Vietnam. 

PAL said that starting May 2 this year, it will mount thrice-a-week flights between Cebu and Vietnam's largest city. The route will be serviced with the Airbus A321 jetliners, which accommodate 199 passengers offering both Business Class and Economy Class, PAL said.

Flights from Cebu will be held every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with take off from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport at 10:55 p.m. and arrival in Ho Chi Minh at 12:55 a.m. the following day.

Flights from Ho Chi Minh meanwhile ill be held every Monday, Thursday and Saturday with take off at 1:55 a.m. and arrival in Cebu at 6:05 a.m.

"Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is a vibrant, tourist-friendly destination famous for its Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Opera House and the colorful Bến Thành Market. Saigon’s street cafes offer hearty portions of the famous bánh mì, southern-style savory pancakes (bánh xèo), and broken rice (cơm tấm), all of which pair perfectly with a glass of iced milk coffee (cà phê sữa đá)," the flag carrier said.

PAL said the route will cater to the growing interest of Filipinos in visiting Vietnam, which recorded approximately 216,000 Filipino travelers for 2024, ranking as the 9th most visited destination among Filipinos.

The airline will also boost its Manila-Hanoi-Manila flights to a daily service, up from the current five times weekly, starting April 01, 2025.

“We are pleased to expand Philippine Airlines’ footprint in Vietnam, our next-door neighbor and fellow ASEAN member country, through our new service linking Ho Chi Minh City to Cebu for the very first time,” said PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Captain Stanley K. Ng. 

PAL said it also aims to boost tourism in Cebu. 

"We are excited to invite Vietnamese tourists and business people to take the short hop to Cebu to discover the wonders of our islands and enjoy the warm hospitality of our people,” Ng said.

PAL has been expanding its routes. It added direct flights between Seattle and Manila last year, and is set to fly three times a week to Beijing starting March 30.