Philippine Airlines plans nine more A350-1000s for nonstop flights to the US East Coast and Canada

Philippine Airlines wants nine more Airbus A350-1000s. At the Farnborough Air Show on July 21, 2026, the airline signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus for the jets, according to Airbus's announcement. It is not yet a firm order. Airbus says the contract still has to be finalized, and that it expects to do so soon.

If it goes through, PAL's A350-1000 commitment doubles, from nine aircraft to 18. For travelers, the deal matters less for its size than for where the planes will fly and what is inside them. The short version: more nonstop flights between Manila and North America, in a cabin with closed-door business suites and a separate premium economy section.

An MoU, not a contract

A Memorandum of Understanding is a statement of intent. Most become firm orders, but some change shape along the way. Airbus's release is careful on this point. It says the agreement, "once finalized," will take PAL's A350-1000 total to 18. Until then, the nine jets do not sit in Airbus's order book.

PAL's first nine A350-1000s are a firm order from 2023, and deliveries have started. Airbus announced the first delivery in December 2025, and its July release counted two in PAL's fleet. Airbus also says PAL is the first airline in Southeast Asia to fly the A350-1000, and so far the only one.

Where the jets will fly

Airbus calls the A350-1000 PAL's new flagship, and the release is specific about its job: long-haul flights linking Manila with North America. That includes nonstop flights, in both directions, between Manila and cities on the East Coast of the United States and Canada.

That last line is the one to read twice. Manila to the US East Coast is among the longest routes in the world, and flying it nonstop both ways, with a full load, is a stretch for many widebodies. Airbus quotes up to 9,700 nautical miles of range for the A350-1000.

PAL already serves New York, the US West Coast and Canada from Manila with its current widebodies. The release does not name routes or dates for the new jets, and PAL has not published a route plan tied to the MoU. Lucio Tan III, president of PAL Holdings, said in the release that the type "has expanded our reach across North America." Trade reports have pointed to San Francisco, New York and Toronto as early A350-1000 routes. We have not confirmed that with PAL.

The cabins: 42 suites with doors

This is the part premium flyers will care about most. Airbus's release gives PAL's layout for the whole A350-1000 fleet, including the extra nine: three classes and 382 seats.

Business class has 42 suites. Each has a privacy door and a fully flat bed, Airbus says. That is a step up from PAL's older long-haul jets, which have lie-flat seats but no doors. Premium economy gets its own cabin with 24 seats, which the release describes as spacious and separate from economy. Economy has 316 seats. All cabins get the latest entertainment screens and connectivity, the release says, but it gives no detail on Wi-Fi pricing or speed.

Airbus's release does not name the seat maker or the business cabin layout. PAL has not published a seat map for the type, so we cannot say how the 42 suites are arranged.

On a 15-hour flight, the door and the flat bed matter more than any other feature. And 24 premium economy seats is a small cabin for a 382-seat jet; expect it to fill early on peak dates.

When they arrive, and what they replace

The release gives no delivery schedule for the additional nine aircraft. That is normal for an MoU; dates come with the firm contract. PAL has not said when the new jets would arrive, or what they would replace.

The first batch of nine is arriving now. Besides the A350, PAL flies A330-300s to the Middle East, Australia and points in Asia, and A320 and A321 jets on domestic and regional routes, per Airbus. PAL's other long-haul widebodies today are the smaller A350-900 and the Boeing 777-300ER. Whether the 777s go as the A350-1000s come is something PAL has not said.

PAL is not alone. KLM's first A350 flies to Toronto, and Emirates is bringing the type to Orlando.

Where to wait in Manila

Philippine Airlines is based at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, with a second hub in Cebu. Its lounge brand is Mabuhay Lounge, and the Lounge Frog directory lists one at Manila: the Mabuhay Lounge in Terminal 2, in the North Wing near Gate 7.

The directory describes it as PAL's flagship hub lounge, with a large window on the apron and a full bar. It rates a 4 overall, on drinks and exclusivity. Access, per the directory, is for PAL Business Class passengers and Mabuhay Miles elite members, each with one guest. It lists no showers, which is a real gap before a flight of 15 hours or more. Mabuhay Miles runs from Member up to Elite, Premier Elite and Million Miler.

One caution. PAL has been shifting flights between NAIA terminals, so check your terminal before you head to the lounge. If your flight leaves from Terminal 1, the directory lists the PAGSS Premium Lounge and the Marhaba Lounge there, both open to Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass. Neither is rated yet.

For now, the A350-1000 is a plane to seek out on PAL across the Pacific. If the MoU becomes a contract, it will be hard to miss.