Manila-Sapporo flights back in winter

Filipino travelers can once again chase snow in northern Japan as Philippine Airlines (PAL) revives its nonstop Manila-Sapporo flights just in time for winter.

After a five-year pause, the country’s flag carrier is reopening the seasonal route starting in November, offering direct access to Hokkaido’s famous ski slopes, steaming bowls of miso ramen, and the iconic Sapporo Snow Festival.

“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.

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,” PAL President Richard Nuttall said.

PAL will operate flights every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until 27 March 2026, using its Airbus A321neo aircraft. The 168-seater plane includes 12 business class and 156 economy seats, with in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi onboard.

Flight PR 406 departs Manila at 6:30 a.m. and lands in Sapporo at 12:15 p.m. PR 405 returns from Sapporo at 1:15 p.m., arriving in Manila at 6:10 p.m.

The Manila-Sapporo-Manila service was previously offered from December 2018 to March 2020. PAL now plans to make the route a regular seasonal staple each winter.

With the comeback, PAL seeks to strengthen its position in the Philippine-Japan routes, which already include nonstop flights to Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai, Nagoya, and Fukuoka, plus direct Cebu connections to Osaka and Tokyo Narita.