Manila to Penang: no nonstop found, so connect in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Bangkok

Last checked October 18, 2026

Flying it: nonstop options

We found no current Manila–Penang nonstop on an official airline page. Philippine Airlines' winter timetable (Oct 25, 2026–Mar 27, 2027) has no Penang flights ^[S1]. Treat any Manila–Penang "direct" listing as not confirmed (check with your airline) until your airline confirms it's a nonstop.

Via	First leg (Manila)	Second leg (to Penang)	Notes
Kuala Lumpur (KUL)	PAL Manila–Kuala Lumpur, twice daily ^[S1]	Firefly (Malaysia Aviation Group) flies jets from KLIA Terminal 1 and has added Penang flights ^[S2]; Malaysia Airlines sells flights to Penang ^[S3]	Shortest second leg. Check whether both flights use the same KLIA terminal (T1 or T2). See Kuala Lumpur to Penang.
Singapore (SIN)	PAL Manila–Singapore, four times daily ^[S1]; Singapore Airlines, five daily ^[S4]	Singapore–Penang (not confirmed on an official page; check with your airline)	Good if you want Changi's transit facilities. See Manila to Singapore.
Bangkok (BKK)	PAL Manila–Bangkok, four times daily ^[S1]	Bangkok–Penang (not confirmed on an official page; check with your airline)	Usually the longest of the three.

Manila (NAIA): PAL's international flights use Terminal 1 ^[S5]. Check NNIC's list for other airlines ^[S6].
Kuala Lumpur (KLIA): two terminals, T1 and T2, about 2 km apart; low-cost airlines use T2 ^[S7].
Penang: Penang International Airport (PEN).

Book one ticket if you can, so your bags are checked through and a missed connection is the airline's problem.
Separate tickets via Kuala Lumpur mean entering Malaysia (US passports: no visa for short visits; MDAC within 3 days before arrival) and possibly changing terminals. Allow at least 3 hours (our guidance, not an official rule).

[S1] Philippine Airlines, International Winter Timetable, Oct 25, 2026–Mar 27, 2027 (as of Oct 16, 2026): https://www.philippineairlines.com/content/dam/palportal/migration/feature/timetable/261016-International-W26-as-of-Oct-16-2026.pdf
[S2] Malaysia Airlines news release, Malaysia Aviation Group network expansion (2025): https://www.malaysiaairlines.com/sg/en/mh-media-centre/news-releases/2025/mag-2025-network-expansion-new-routes-inflight-upgrades.html
[S3] Malaysia Airlines, flights to Penang: https://www.malaysiaairlines.com/hq/en/plan-trip/destinations/flights-to-malaysia/flights-to-penang.html
[S4] Singapore Airlines, Manila–Singapore route page: https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/ph/plan-travel/destinations/flights-from-manila-to-singapore/
[S5] AirAsia Newsroom, AirAsia Philippines to operate all international flights at NAIA Terminal 1 starting March 29 (2026): https://newsroom.airasia.com/stories/2026/2/25/airasia-philippines-to-operate-all-international-flights-at-naia-terminal-1-starting-march-29
[S6] New NAIA (NNIC), Airline Information / Airlines by Terminal: https://www.newnaia.com.ph/flights/airline-information
[S7] Ministry of Transport Malaysia, KLIA airport information: https://www.mot.gov.my/my/aviation/infrastructure/list-of-airports/KLIA

Philippines

Frequent flyer take

“Not an airport to spend extra time at”

US passport, leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed

Frequent flyer take

“Laid out very nicely, but expect a good bit of walking”

US passport, leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed

Transit Watch

Coming soon

Last checked October 18, 2026