Manila to San Francisco: nonstop on PAL or United, or connect in Asia?
Last checked
Nonstop or connecting?
- Two nonstop airlines:
- United flies San Francisco–Manila nonstop, twice daily since its second daily flight started October 25, 2025 (Boeing 777-300ER). United says it's the only US airline serving the Philippines [S1].
- Philippine Airlines flies Manila–San Francisco nonstop and is putting its new Airbus A350-1000 on San Francisco from August 2026 [S2].
- With two airlines and several daily options, nonstop is the clear default.
Hub options (if not flying nonstop)
| Hub | Typical airlines (verified leg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo (HND/NRT) | JAL Tokyo–Manila from NRT and HND [S3]; JAL flies SFO to both HND and NRT [S4] | Stay within one airport; avoid NRT overnight. |
| Taipei (TPE) | EVA Air Taipei–Manila [S5]; SFO is an EVA North American gateway [S6] | One airline; free half-day tour on 7–24h layovers. |
| Hong Kong (HKG) | Cathay Pacific Hong Kong–Manila [S7]; Cathay HKG–SFO (not confirmed on an official page; check with your airline) | United serves Hong Kong from LAX/SFO, with onward Hong Kong–Bangkok and Hong Kong–Ho Chi Minh City flights [S1]; United HKG–MNL isn't confirmed; check with your airline. |
Which hub to pick and why
- Pick a nonstop. United or PAL, depending on schedule, alliance (United: Star Alliance; PAL partners with American, Alaska and WestJet [S2]) and cabin.
- Connect through Taipei (EVA) or Tokyo (JAL) only if you want a stopover or the nonstops are full.
- Philippine passport holders: nonstop avoids transit visa questions entirely.
Pitfalls
- Check the NAIA terminal for your airline (see the Manila hub page).
- United's overnight departure times can mean arrival dates that differ from what you expect; read the ticket's local dates carefully.
Sources
- [S1] United newsroom (Apr 2, 2025): https://www.united.com/en/us/newsroom/announcements/cision-125375
- [S2] Philippine Airlines press release (July 3, 2026): https://www.philippineairlines.com/us/en/newsevent-listingpage/press-releases-statements/philippine-airlines-expands-north-america-services.html
- [S3] JAL, Asia Pacific flight information: https://www.jal.co.jp/flights/en-ph/flight-resumption-asia
- [S4] JAL, US flight information: https://www.jal.co.jp/flights/en-us/flight-resumption
- [S5] EVA Air, Taipei–Manila: https://flights.evaair.com/en-tw/flights-from-taipei-to-manila
- [S6] EVA Air news release (Apr 22, 2025): https://www.evaair.com/en-global/about-eva-air/news/news-releases/2025-04-22-dfw-news.html
- [S7] Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong–Manila: https://flights.cathaypacific.com/destinations/en_HK/flights-from-hong-kong-to-manila
Hubs on this route
Photo: A.C.T. Alejandre · CC BY-SA 4.0Manila
Philippines
Get through, don't linger
Frequent flyer take
“Not an airport to spend extra time at”
US passport, leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed
Being verified
Photo: MaedaAkihiko · CC BY-SA 4.0Tokyo
Japan
Great layover airport (allow 3+ hrs if switching NRT–HND)
Frequent flyer take
“Cleanest restrooms anywhere”
US passport, leave the airport: Yes, visa-exempt
Being verified
Photo: Ralff Nestor Nacor · CC BY-SA 4.0Taipei
Taiwan
Easy, smooth transfers
Frequent flyer take
“Transfers are often easy and seamless inside the same terminal”
US passport, leave the airport: Yes, visa-exempt
Being verified
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0Hong Kong
Hong Kong SAR, China
Best for a city layover
Frequent flyer take
“In town in under 30 minutes by train”
US passport, leave the airport: Yes, visa-free
Being verifiedTransit Watch
Rule changes, route deep-dives and layover ideas
Coming soon