Salamat po! Thank you! Celebrating a year of direct flights from YVR to MNL
“When I learned Air Canada was starting a direct flight to Manila, I couldn’t stop thinking about how it was going to be,” says Roderick Del Rosario, Service Director at Air Canada. “Everyone knows how much I love going to the Philippines to see my relatives and friends. Now I get to come home in my uniform. I carried the Canadian flag to where I grew up, where I learned everything, from childhood to hospitality.
“I was a member of the Manila International Airport folk dance team when I was in elementary school. I got to perform on the tarmac when foreign leaders would come to visit. Fast forward 40 years, and now I'm the one that’s being welcomed in my hometown.”
Economic benefits for Canada
Air Canada’s inaugural flight from YVR to Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) took off on April 2, 2025. Since then, more than 100,000 passengers have travelled on one of the four weekly flights, and 2,500 tonnes of cargo have been transported.
The flight from Vancouver to Manila is delivering major economic benefits. Air Canada’s route out of YVR is estimated to generate $24.7 million in economic output, a $127 million boost to GDP, and the creation of 135 jobs across the ecosystem. Each new flight connecting YVR to the Asia–Pacific region strengthens our position as Canada’s gateway to Asia and creates opportunities to get more local products to global markets.
Strengthening cultural ties
For the 174,000+ people of Filipino descent living in British Columbia, Air Canada’s direct service makes it easier to connect with friends and relatives.
“The majority of my family is in the Philippines,” says Macy Yap, a passenger on one of Air Canada’s direct YVR–Manila flights in February 2026. “When I didn’t have a baby, I would take whatever flight to get to a destination, even if it was one or two stopovers. Now I have a two-year-old. It made a pretty big difference not to have to get back off the plane and board another plane. It saves so much time.”
The flight also benefits the Filipino community across the rest of North America. “I’ve had passengers [on this flight] coming home to the Philippines from New Jersey, North Carolina, California...” says Del Rosario.
The in-flight meal provides a preview of the Filipino cuisine passengers will find in Manila. “To be on board a flight where people get to eat the food that we love to eat back home is something that I celebrate,” says Del Rosario.
“I was pretty impressed with the food,” says Yap. “A pork coconut curry dish, cold noodle salad... every meal I had was good.”
A warm and welcoming destination
For Yap, the trip provided a welcome opportunity for her to catch up with family, including meeting her brother’s two-month-old baby, and to visit Manila’s beautiful beaches together.
For tourists, the reasons to visit are equally compelling. “From the minute you arrive, you’ll want to come back,” says Del Rosario, citing the warm hospitality, beautiful islands and beaches, impressive dive sites, and delicious cuisine.
“Everything is accessible within the airport area, from accommodations and food to history and tourism. And on the outskirts, you can find beautiful resorts, hot springs, home-style cooking, tropical fruit . . . You’ll fall in love with everything Manila and the country have to offer.”
Air Canada’s four-time weekly flight to Manila operates year-round. For more information or to book, visit aircanada.com.