Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced that it will launch nonstop flights between Cebu and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), offering the first direct air service linking Central Visayas and Vietnam’s main economic and commercial hub.
The new PAL Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City-Cebu route will start May 2, 2025, with an initial schedule of three flights per week.
The route will cater to the growing interest of Filipinos in visiting Vietnam, which recorded about 216,000 Filipino travelers for 2024, ranking as the 9th most visited destination among Filipinos.
The Philippine flag carrier is also increasing its Manila-Hanoi-Manila flights to a daily service, up from the current five times weekly, starting April 1, 2025, which will provide more convenient access between Manila and Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, known for its rich history and cultural treasures.
“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 Ng.
“We look forward to boosting tourism, strengthening Cebu’s position as the nation’s emerging business and leisure gateway, and building on the strong and friendly relations between Vietnam and the Philippines. 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,” said Ng.
The Cebu-Ho Chi Minh City flights depart from Mactan-Cebu International Airport every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The return PAL service departs from Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport every Monday, Thursday and Saturday.
The pioneer PAL service will be flown with Airbus A321 jetliners, which accommodate 199 passengers offering both business class and economy class.
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).
Cebu offers a cosmopolitan lifestyle set amidst natural beauty, including a 200-kilomter-long coastline surrounded by coral reefs and luxury resorts, enabling visitors to go boating and scuba diving.
PAL is supporting the Department of Tourism (DoT) and the local travel community in attracting more Vietnamese tourists to the country, of whom 58,000 visited the Philippines in 2024.
The early morning arrivals in Cebu allow passengers to connect smoothly not only to PAL’s domestic destinations but also its Cebu-Osaka and Cebu-Tokyo Narita nonstop flights, making Mactan-Cebu a convenient transfer hub for Vietnamese travelers.
PAL’s new Cebu-HCMC route and increased Manila-Hanoi services complement the eight weekly regular PAL flights between Manila and Ho Chi Minh City.
