Deal alert: Fly from the US to the Philippines from $754 round trip
Quick summary
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
The Philippines reopened its borders to tourists and eliminated the quarantine mandate for vaccinated travelers. Why not scratch that itch and book yourself a trip to this popular Southeast Asia destination?
This latest deal is for flights to the Philippines' capital city Manila and Cebu from U.S. departure cities Los Angeles, Miami, Newark and New York City. We came across some strong discounts even in this current age of sky-high airfares, and even a few downright blockbuster savings.
The best availability for travel is between September and March 2023. This fare sale involves Economy tickets, so you'll often have to pay for checked luggage. It's helpful to know airlines' baggage policies before booking.
Big thanks to Scott's Cheap Flights for first spotting this deal. Its Premium membership is available for $49 per year. The Elite tier option is available for $199 per year, and it offers access to deals on premium economy, business- and first-class tickets. The more flexible you can be with your travel plans, the better price you'll find.
Deal basics
Airlines: Delta, Philippine Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Air, United.
Routes: Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York City to Cebu City and Manila.
How to book: Search Google Flights and book directly through the airline.
Travel dates: Best availability from September through March 2023.
Sample flights
Let's start with a sweet fare from Los Angeles (LAX) to Manila (MNL) in February – only $781 for a round-trip ticket on Singapore Air. Aside from the major reduction in price for this itinerary, we also liked that the layovers weren't very long. A few of the best prices we found in this deal come with lengthy layovers. This one doesn't.
We also found some nice deals from L.A. to Manila in November, like this Philippine Airlines ticket for $948. While it's almost $200 more than the fare we showed you above, this one is nonstop on a Boeing 777. So if flying direct is worth a few extra bucks -- and this is still a big markdown from typical prices -- then this one may appeal to you.
There is quite a lot of availability on sale tickets from Los Angeles to Cebu City (CEB) in the fall. Here's a nice round-trip ticket on Philippine Airlines for just $948 in September. We found similar prices in October and November, but a lot of those itineraries had two and even three stops.
Newark (EWR) to Cebu is available on United for $1,122 round trip. The downside if you're flying from Newark to the Cebu province is you're almost assured of having to make two stops each way if you want to take advantage of the sale prices. One silver lining? United's ticket comes with a free carry-on and your first checked bag is free.
A similar choice awaits you if you prefer flying out of Kennedy Airport (JFK) in New York City. You can find some great deals on Singapore Air to Manila -- including a few in February for less than $800 round trip -- but expect to have two layovers.
One last one -- we found a nice price on a Miami (MIA) to Manila flight on Turkish Airlines in early November. Your first checked bag with this fare is free, adding to the savings.
Maximize your purchase
Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), the Citi Prestige® Card for 5 points per dollar on airfare, the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees) or Chase Sapphire Reserve for 3 points per dollar on air travel, the American Express® Gold Card for 3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2 points per dollar on travel.
The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.