Philippine Airlines to Join the oneworld Alliance

Philippine Airlines is about to keep much better company. At the International Air Transport Association Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro on June 6, the Philippine flag carrier announced that it had accepted an invitation to join the oneworld alliance.

The airline is set to become oneworld's 16th member, slotting in alongside the likes of British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines, and American Airlines.

The Newest Member of oneworld

The invitation is the start of a process rather than the finish line. Philippine Airlines is expected to formally join the alliance in 2027, once the technical and commercial integration work is complete.

When it does, it'll connect to a network of close to 1,000 destinations across more than 170 countries and territories. It also becomes only the second full oneworld member based in Southeast Asia, after Malaysia Airlines.

That regional footprint is part of the appeal for oneworld, which gains a stronger hub in Manila and better access to domestic and regional routes across the Philippines.

Philippine Airlines has spent most of its history flying a largely independent path, leaning on a handful of interline and codeshare deals rather than a full alliance. Joining oneworld changes that, plugging its passengers into one connected system of schedules, lounges, and reciprocal status.

The timing is fitting, as well. The airline is marking its 85th anniversary this year, just as it prepares for one of the bigger network shifts in its history.

For Philippine Airlines' own frequent flyers, the headline benefit is reach. Mabuhay Miles members will be able to earn and redeem miles across every oneworld carrier, and top-tier members will receive oneworld Priority status with access to more than 700 lounges worldwide.

This isn't the alliance's first recent expansion, either. oneworld welcomed Hawaiian Airlines into the fold not long ago, and Philippine Airlines has been steadily building partner ties of its own, including a reciprocal loyalty partnership with Qatar Airways.

Reaching Manila on Your Points

Philippine Airlines serves both Vancouver and Toronto from its Manila hub, so this is more than a far-off industry story for Canadians.

The airline is also investing in the route. As of June 5, it began flying its new flagship Airbus A350-1000 between Manila and Toronto three times a week, with 382 seats split across business class, premium economy, and economy. That makes Toronto only the second North American city to receive the aircraft, after New York.

Once the airline is fully integrated, you'll be able to redeem oneworld currencies on its flights. The most accessible of these for Canadians is Avios, which you can build up by transferring from RBC Avion or American Express Membership Rewards into the British Airways Club.

Avios is especially handy here because it prices awards by distance, which keeps short hops cheap. Once Philippine Airlines is in the alliance, a small number of Avios could let you island-hop between Manila, Cebu, and the country's beach destinations after flying over.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles is another route worth watching, since Philippine Airlines flights should eventually price out on the Asia Miles multi-carrier award chart.

There's an earning side, too. If you already fly Philippine Airlines to the Philippines, those flights will count toward oneworld status and let you credit miles to whichever oneworld program you prefer.

The status perks are the same ones you'd expect elsewhere in the alliance, including lounge access, priority boarding, and extra checked baggage. It's worth crediting those flights to a program where you'll actually put the benefits to use.

Conclusion

2027 is still a way off, and alliance integrations rarely move quickly, so I wouldn't reshuffle any travel plans over this just yet.

What I'll be watching for is how Philippine Airlines prices on partner award charts once it joins, since that's where the real value will show up for Canadians sitting on Avios or Asia Miles. I'm planning to test a redemption myself the moment the airline goes live in the alliance.

For now, it's a welcome sign that oneworld continues to fill in its weakest region, and a good reason to start banking transferable points that can reach Manila.