People travelling between B.C. and the Philippines now have more flight options as Air Canada launches a direct route from Vancouver to Manila.
The first flight is set to depart YVR Wednesday, according to a news release, which notes there are more than one million Filipinos living in Canada – with upwards of 170,000 based in British Columbia.
There will be four departures out of YVR and four from Manila per week once the route is fully up and running in May.
“We are proud to be the only Canadian carrier flying to the Philippines, building on the longstanding ties between our countries to make visiting family and friends, conducting business, or heading on vacation more convenient than ever,” Mark Galardo, an executive with Air Canada said in the news release.
The only other non-stop flight between Vancouver and Manila is offered by Philippine Airlines, according to information available online, which shows there is one departure out of each city per day.
Kumusta! 🎉 Today, we're celebrating the launch of @AirCanada's inaugural flight to Manila, expanding into the Asia-Pacific region. With up to 4x weekly service, this new flight will generate $33 million in economic output and connect B.C. proudly to the world. pic.twitter.com/p5rFHIjJBG
— YVR (@yvrairport) April 1, 2025
Premier David Eby, in a statement, welcomed the addition – with a nod to the ongoing tariff threats from the U.S.
“At a time where we are focused on expanding our global markets, this new flight will benefit tourism, trade and strengthen our overall economy,” he said.
For the month of April, the Air Canada flights out of Vancouver will depart at 1:55 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The flights out of Manila will take off at 9:25 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
