Dubai-Manila flights resume as Philippine Airlines announces October restart

Dubai: Philippine Airlines (PAL) will resume direct flights between Manila and Dubai from October 2, 2026, restoring a key air link between the Philippines and the UAE after the US-Israel-Iran war upended regional aviation.

The airline will operate the Manila-Dubai-Manila route four times a week, with services scheduled every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Flight PR 658 will depart Manila at 12.50pm and arrive in Dubai at 6pm, while return flight PR 659 will leave Dubai at 7.45pm and arrive in Manila at 9.10am the following day.

The resumption gives passengers travelling between the UAE and the Philippines another non-stop option on one of the busiest travel corridors connecting the two countries.

To mark the return of the route, PAL will offer an introductory all-inclusive round-trip fare starting from $650 for a limited period, subject to applicable terms and conditions.

The airline said it will continue monitoring developments in the region and will restore full capacity as conditions allow.

“Updates will be communicated to affected passengers accordingly,” PAL said. Passengers have been advised to ensure they have a confirmed booking before travelling to the airport.

PAL said it would continue to monitor the situation while operating the service, with passenger and crew safety remaining a priority.

In an earlier interview with Gulf News, the airline's CEO, Richard Nuttall, said the airline plans to restart Doha flights from July 1 but was yet to make a decision on Dubai services.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has reduced capacity on its Middle East routes and delayed the return of some Gulf operations due to the US-Israel-Iran conflict. Prior to the recent disruptions, Philippine Airlines operated regular services to Dubai, Doha and Riyadh, with the Middle East accounting for roughly 7 per cent of the airline’s overall capacity, according to Nuttall.