Philippine Airlines (PAL) is adding more flights to Japan and Australia ahead of the holiday travel rush, giving passengers more seats and flight options during one of the busiest periods for winter vacations and year-end trips.

The flag carrier said Tuesday it will increase frequencies on three Japan routes starting late October to meet stronger seasonal demand from Filipinos traveling for the winter holidays and Japanese visitors heading to the Philippines.

PAL will raise Manila–Tokyo (Narita) flights from 14 to 21 weekly from 25 October to 27 March.

Manila–Osaka (Kansai) flights will also increase from 14 to 21 weekly over the same period.

Flights between Manila and Sapporo (Chitose) will rise from three to five weekly from 24 November, to February 2027, covering the peak winter travel window.

The additional services will bring PAL’s Japan operations to as many as 87 weekly flights, giving passengers more choices for departure times and travel dates as holiday bookings pick up.

PAL said the expanded schedule, which includes early morning departures from Manila and evening departures from Narita and Osaka, will allow travelers to spend more time at their destination while giving them greater flexibility.

"The winter season is one of the most popular times of the year for Filipinos visiting Japan, while it is also a peak period for Japanese travelers seeking the Philippines' tropical destinations," PAL President Richard Nuttall said.

"By adding more flights, we are giving our customers greater flexibility during these high-demand months while strengthening tourism, business and cultural exchanges between our two countries. The additional services also provide more cargo capacity to support growing trade between the Philippines and Japan," he added.

PAL currently operates the widest Japan network among Philippine carriers, serving Tokyo via Narita and Haneda, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka and Sapporo from Manila. It also flies to Narita and Osaka from Cebu.

Apart from Japan, PAL is also adding capacity to Australia for the Christmas and New Year peak travel season.

The airline will mount additional flights to Melbourne and Perth on selected peak travel dates, while selected Sydney and Brisbane services will be upgraded to larger aircraft to provide more seats.