Philippine Airlines has applied for approval to operate services to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), requesting that the Department of Transportation (DOT) expedite its approval, as the airline aims to start flights in the upcoming summer 2026 season.
In an application filed on February 24, 2026, Philippine Airlines asked the DOT to approve services between Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) and ORD, which would begin sometime in the upcoming summer 2026 season, which starts on March 29.
“PAL intends to launch this service for the Summer 2026 IATA traffic season and therefore seeks expedited approval of this request so that it might commence sales.”
The carrier cited the US-Philippines Air Service Agreement, which authorizes Philippine Airlines to fly from the country to five airports in the US, including two airports in US island territories, and four additional points.
“The Republic of the Philippines has selected Chicago as one of the four points to be chosen under this provision.”
Philippine Airlines argued that the proposed MNL-ORD services will “open an entirely new gateway for scheduled US-Philippine services,” offering passengers flying from the Philippines to ORD and the Midwest “an important new service option.”
The airline did not provide much detail about the proposed service, failing to disclose the aircraft type that will operate between MNL and ORD or planned frequencies.
Cirium’s Diio Mi shows that at least since 2000, no airline has offered direct services between ORD and MNL.
Currently, Philippine Airlines has scheduled flights to four US mainland destinations in 2026: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
At LAX, the airline has a codeshare agreement with American Airlines, offering 6 onward connections to other US airports. It does not include ORD.
While Canada, Mexico, and the US will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, Chicago will not be one of the host cities.
Still, according to the US Census data, 128,259 Filipinos live in Illinois. In the Midwest, which includes 12 states, the Filipino population is 248,490, as of 2021.
