Vietjet starts Clark service as PAL adds Chicago flights
The Clark–Ho Chi Minh route operates three times weekly, while Chicago becomes Philippine Airlines’ eighth US destination.
Vietjet Air has launched a non-stop service linking Clark with Ho Chi Minh, while Philippine Airlines (PAL) has begun serving Chicago from Manila. The routes expand international connections from two Philippine gateways.
Vietjet is the first carrier to fly non-stop on the Clark–Ho Chi Minh route, with departures scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The airline said passengers arriving in Ho Chi Minh could connect to other Vietnamese destinations, including Da Nang.
Nguyen Thanh Son, Vietjet’s chief executive, said the carrier saw potential in Clark as Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp., the airport’s private operator, expands its route network.
PAL’s Chicago service establishes Manila’s first direct connection with the US Midwest. Chicago is the airline’s eighth destination in the United States. The city had around 145,000 Filipino residents as of 2019.
Carlos Luis Fernandez, PAL’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, said the route would also serve business travellers and support its transpacific ambitions. PAL serves 41 overseas cities, with a network extending to North America and the Middle East.
