Delta disclosed this week that it is preparing to launch a new transpacific route, and its plans could cause complications for a foreign carrier looking to enter a new U.S. market.
In February, Philippine Airlines asked the U.S. Department of Transportation for permission to start service between Manila and Chicago. The carrier said the new service should be covered by the existing U.S.-Philippines air agreement, and will provide the only nonstop connection between the Philippines and the U.S. Midwest.
Delta weighed in on PAL’s application in a filing of its own on Wednesday. It asked the DOT to “defer action” on the proposed Manila-Chicago route until Delta’s entry into Manila is secured, disclosing in the process that it plans to connect Manila to Los Angeles in the summer of 2027.
Delta said it will operate the route with an Airbus A350-900.
The carrier told regulators that U.S. airlines “face significant barriers” obtaining commercially viable slots, gates, and related airport infrastructure in Manila. Delta wants to see those issues resolved, and its position in Manila solidified, before the DOT takes action on PAL’s request.
“Delta emphasizes that it is not requesting denial of PAL’s application at this time,” the airline wrote in its filing. “Rather, Delta respectfully asks the department to defer action until Delta and the U.S. government receive written assurances from the Philippine government that the slots and airport access necessary to implement planned Manila service will be available on commercially viable terms.”
If Delta launches its route to Manila as planned, it will compete directly with PAL, which currently offers the only nonstop connection between the Philippines capital and Los Angeles.
In the U.S., PAL also serves San Francisco, Seattle, New York-JFK, and Honolulu.
Delta does not currently fly to the Philippines.
While it is not clear if the DOT will follow through on Delta’s request, regulators have shown increased willingness to fight back over alleged access problems for U.S. airlines at foreign airports. Last year, the Trump administration cut off Mexican routes to the U.S. until the Mexican government ceded some slots at bustling Benito Juárez Mexico City International Airport to U.S. carriers.
