Philippine Airlines rating

Philippine Airlines rating: 6.3/10 (B tier)

Included bags and strong punctuality reward firm plans, not fare chasing

Axel considers Philippine Airlines a good choice for price-conscious travelers with firm plans, especially on US routes where Economy Supersaver includes checked bags. Strong punctuality and generous baggage allowances help control the total cost, but steep change fees and no confirmed right to recover a fare drop make it a poor choice for travelers who expect flexibility.

Axel score: 6.3/10, B tier, #29 of 77 airlines. Repriceability: 4.0/10 (#55). Checked October 26, 2026. Source: https://helloaxel.com/en/airlines/philippine-airlines

Best and worst

• Best: Economy Supersaver includes two checked bags of 23 kg each on the US routes researched.
• Best: Cirium reported 83.12% on-time arrivals across Philippine Airlines in 2025.
• Best: Mabuhay Miles has a published award chart and no identified devaluations in 24 months.
• Worst: Economy Saver changes cost USD 300 for US origin or USD 250 for Philippines origin, plus applicable fare difference.
• Worst: No verified policy promises a refund or credit when the exact booked flight becomes cheaper.
• Worst: DOT recorded 6.52 refund complaints per 100,000 passengers on US routes in April and May 2026.

If the fare drops after you book, can you get money back? Rarely

Rarely. PAL does not confirm cash or credit for a cheaper replacement fare. Economy Saver changes cost USD 300 for US origin or USD 250 for Philippines origin, plus applicable fare difference. Economy Supersaver changes cost USD 350 or USD 300 respectively, plus fare difference, and its fare is nonrefundable. These US fees apply to tickets issued from May 11, 2026. Cancelling unused Economy Value costs USD 250 or USD 200 respectively, before buying the cheaper ticket separately. Unused Economy Flex refunds are free. Travel Credits last two years from conversion unless law requires otherwise, cannot be cashed out, and are nontransferable, but can cover companions on the owner's itinerary and booking reference when tickets are issued together. Adding them to PAL e-Wallet does not extend expiry. Direct PAL purchases containing US segments qualify for full refunds within 24 hours if bought at least seven days before departure. Contact support, not Manage Booking, for this exception.

Axel's fare rule sample covered 14 tickets, all changeable, but no treatment of lower fare differences was confirmed and the sample period was not supplied.

Philippine Airlines fares

Key facts

• Fare difference on a cheaper change: Not confirmed. PAL publishes change penalties and applicable fare differences, but the accessible official rules do not establish whether a cheaper replacement fare produces cash, Travel Credit, or forfeiture of the difference. Do not treat permission to change as permission to recover a price drop.
• Same flight, lower price: No verified policy promises a fee-free refund or credit when the exact booked flight becomes cheaper. A possible alternative, inferred from the published refund rules, is to cancel an unused refundable ticket and purchase the lower fare separately; savings would be reduced by any cancellation penalty. This is not a confirmed same-flight repricing entitlement. PAL supports voluntary refunds through Manage Booking for eligible bookings, with exceptions handled by its support channels.
• Credits (Travel Credits): Valid for two years from conversion, unless applicable law or regulation requires a different period. Adding a credit to PAL e-Wallet does not extend its expiry. Transferable: partial.
• 24-hour rule: Tickets containing US segments, purchased directly from PAL at least seven days before scheduled departure, can be cancelled within 24 hours of purchase for a full refund without penalty, including otherwise non-refundable fares. PAL's refund guidance says this exception is not supported through Manage Booking and proceeding there may assess normal fees; contact PAL support instead. It excludes third-party bookings. Other modifications, such as changing the date, remain subject to charges.
• Same-day change: No separate US-route same-day confirmed-change or standby product was verified. Published ordinary rebooking rules apply. PAL asks international passengers to cancel at least 24 hours before departure to avoid late-cancellation/no-show charges, so a same-day request should not be assumed to receive only the ordinary change penalty.
• Schedule changes: PAL offers penalty-free refunds or alternative travel for qualifying flight disruptions. Its February 27, 2026 Travel Credits FAQ describes a schedule change exceeding two hours as an involuntary-refund event, but a complete US-specific two-hour eligibility rule could not be verified. Independently, US DOT rules require a refund when the passenger declines travel after cancellation or a significant change: international departure at least six hours earlier, arrival at least six hours later, changed origin/destination airport, additional connections, or certain other qualifying changes. Refunds are due to the original payment method rather than compulsory credit. PAL's disruption page also offers rebooking within specified limits or optional Travel Credits.

Score breakdown

Repriceability: 4.0/10

• Standard fare change fee: 0.0/10 (Economy Saver: USD 300 US-origin; USD 250 Philippines-origin, plus applicable fare difference.)
• Lowest fare flexibility: 4.0/10 (Economy Supersaver: USD 350 US-origin; USD 300 Philippines-origin, plus applicable fare difference.)
• Lower fare on the same flight: 4.0/10 (Economy Value permits refunds of unused tickets minus a USD 250 US-origin or USD 200 Philippines-origin cancellation fee, allowing cancellation and a separate purchase while the lower fare remains available. The facts do not confirm a direct same-flight price-drop refund or credit.)
• Credit terms: 7.0/10 (Valid for two years from conversion, unless applicable law or regulation requires a different period. Adding a credit to PAL e-Wallet does not extend its expiry.; transferable: partial)
• Cancel the standard fare: 4.0/10 (Unused: USD 300 US-origin / USD 250 Philippines-origin. Partially used: non-refundable.)
• Risk-free window: 7.0/10 (Tickets containing US segments, purchased directly from PAL at least seven days before scheduled departure, can be cancelled within 24 hours of purchase for a full refund without penalty, including otherwise non-refundable fares. PAL's refund guidance says this exception is not supported through Manage Booking and proceeding there may assess normal fees; contact PAL support instead. It excludes third-party bookings. Other modifications, such as changing the date, remain subject to charges.)
• Same-day change: no data, median 7.0/10 used (No separate US-route same-day confirmed-change or standby product was verified. Published ordinary rebooking rules apply. PAL asks international passengers to cancel at least 24 hours before departure to avoid late-cancellation/no-show charges, so a same-day request should not be assumed to receive only the ordinary change penalty.)
• What Axel saw: does not apply (fewer than 10 attempts). Source: Axel repricing attempts

Refunds and disruptions: 6.8/10

• Commitments when the airline causes the problem: 6.0/10 (Covered by: US_DOT_refund_rule, Canada_APPR, Other_national; Coverage depends on the itinerary. U.S. refund protections apply to flights to or from the United States; Canada's APPR applies to Canadian itineraries. PAL publishes notices for the Philippine Air Passenger Bill of Rights and national passenger-rights rules for Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. Philippine statutory rights include refund, rebooking and, in specified circumstances, care and compensation; those are legal duties, not voluntary extras. Beyond these duties, PAL's current general travel-credit policy offers a one-time 5% bonus when eligible disrupted passengers choose credit instead of a refund. Credits normally last two years, subject to applicable law, and cannot be converted back to the original payment method. A current mainline-PAL commitment guaranteeing meals, hotels, other-airline rebooking or cash beyond legal requirements could not be verified; PAL Express-only wording was not treated as a mainline promise.)
• Refund conduct: 10.0/10 (No refund or compensation findings in 5 years)
• Refund complaints: 3.6/10 (6.52 refund complaints per 100,000 passengers (median for airlines based abroad: 4.39)). Source: DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US (DOT T-100), April and May 2026; a month with fewer than 5 cases, which DOT does not list, counts as 2

Reliability: 8.9/10

• On-time arrival: 9.3/10 (83.12% on time (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Philippine Airlines (PR), as published in the Asia-Pacific annual ranking. Cancellation percentage derived as 100 minus the published 98.59% completion factor.)). Source: Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025
• Cancellations: 8.0/10 (1.41% cancelled (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31. Philippine Airlines (PR), as published in the Asia-Pacific annual ranking. Cancellation percentage derived as 100 minus the published 98.59% completion factor.)). Source: Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025

Fees and transparency: 8.6/10

• Carry-on in the lowest fare: 10.0/10 (One cabin bag up to 7 kg/15 lb and 56 × 36 × 23 cm, plus one permitted personal item, is included.)
• First checked bag: 10.0/10 (On the US routes researched, two checked bags are included even in Economy Supersaver: economy 23 kg/50 lb each, Premium Economy 25 kg/55 lb each, and business 32 kg/70 lb each. PAL does not operate US domestic routes. Its April 27, 2026 baggage document lists an additional standard piece at USD 250 from mainland US cities/Honolulu to the Philippines and USD 200 in the reverse direction. These are published excess-baggage charges, not verified prepaid-online prices. Do not substitute the no-checked-bag Supersaver product promoted for selected shorter international routes.)
• Seat in the lowest fare: 6.0/10 (free_at_checkin)
• Children seated with a parent: no data, median 5.0/10 used (PAL confirms that available standard seats can be requested free during online or airport check-in. Advance aisle selection costs USD 40 per sector on US routes excluding Guam; Twin seats USD 35, Forward USD 85, and Extra Legroom USD 170, effective March 2, 2026. This does not establish that every advance standard-seat choice is chargeable. No US-route guarantee of free adjacent seating for every child aged 13 or under was verified. PAL's published Canadian policy provides age-dependent proximity without an additional service charge, but applies only to travel into, out of, or through Canada and is not a US-route guarantee.)
• Price shown is price paid: 10.0/10 (No fee-display findings in 5 years)

Complaints and handling: 4.9/10

• Complaint rate: 4.9/10 (15.22 complaints per 100,000 passengers (median for airlines based abroad: 14.73)). Source: DOT complaint cases per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US (DOT T-100), April and May 2026; a month with fewer than 5 cases, which DOT does not list, counts as 2
• Mishandled bags: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
• Mishandled wheelchairs and scooters: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April, May, July and August 2026
• Bumping: does not apply (not reported to DOT). Source: U.S. DOT, April to June 2026

Loyalty fairness: 8.8/10

• Miles expiry: 7.0/10 (PAL's indexed official FAQ says miles do not expire for engaged members who undertake qualifying activity within two consecutive years. Qualifying activities include earning flight or partner miles, redeeming miles, buying miles, transferring or receiving miles, receiving eligible bonus miles, and reinstating expired miles. Without qualifying activity, all earned miles expire. The precise current calendar-review mechanics could not be verified from a readable live page.)
• Devaluations: 10.0/10 (None in 24 months)
• Award pricing: 10.0/10 (published_chart)

Refunds and disruptions

On flights to or from the US, DOT rules require refunds to the original payment method after cancellation or significant changes if you decline alternatives. Deadlines are seven business days for card payments and 20 calendar days otherwise. Canada's APPR and Philippine passenger rights apply where relevant, with care or compensation depending on circumstances.

PAL offers refunds without penalties or alternative travel for qualifying disruptions, plus an optional 5% credit bonus. Mainline commitments to meals, hotels or rebooking on other airlines beyond legal duties were not confirmed. No refund or compensation findings were identified in 5 years, and no regulator actions were identified. However, DOT recorded 6.52 refund complaints per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US in April and May 2026, above the median of 4.39 for airlines based abroad.

Reliability

Reliability is a clear strength. Cirium's On-Time Performance Review 2025 reports 83.12% on-time arrivals for Philippine Airlines from January 1 to December 31, 2025. Its published 98.59% completion factor implies a 1.41% cancellation rate. These figures cover the airline's operations as a whole in Cirium's Asia-Pacific report, not just US routes, and do not guarantee the outcome of a particular flight.

Fees

Economy Supersaver includes a cabin bag up to 7 kg plus a permitted personal item. On the US routes researched, it also includes two checked bags up to 23 kg each. Available standard seats are free at check-in. Advance aisle seats cost USD 40 per sector on US routes excluding Guam, effective March 2, 2026.

A free adjacent-seat guarantee for children on US routes was not confirmed. Whether every mandatory charge appears in the first displayed price was not confirmed, but no fee-display findings were identified in 5 years. The included baggage makes the lowest fare usable without baggage add-ons.

Complaints

DOT's April and May 2026 data show 15.22 complaints per 100,000 passengers on flights to and from the US, slightly above the 14.73 median for airlines based abroad. This is not a worldwide complaint rate. Mishandled baggage and wheelchair figures were not reported to DOT for April, May, July and August 2026. Bumping figures were not reported for April to June 2026.

Loyalty program

Mabuhay Miles uses a published award chart, with no devaluations identified in the past 24 months. PAL's indexed official FAQ says miles stay valid when members complete qualifying activity within two consecutive years, including earning or redeeming miles. Without qualifying activity, all earned miles expire. The precise current calendar review mechanics were not confirmed.

Choose Philippine Airlines if

• Travel with two checked bags on US routes.
• Keep your dates firm and value strong punctuality.
• You prefer a loyalty program with a published award chart.

Book elsewhere if

• You expect inexpensive changes on Economy Supersaver or Economy Saver.
• You want a confirmed refund or credit whenever your booked flight gets cheaper.
• You need a confirmed guarantee of free adjacent family seating on US routes.

Tips

• Request an available standard seat free at check-in rather than paying for an advance aisle seat.
• Account for the two included 23 kg economy checked bags when comparing US-route fares with other airlines.
• Compare the cancellation penalty with the saving before cancelling Economy Value to buy a cheaper ticket.

Questions travelers ask

Does Philippine Airlines charge change fees?

Yes, on most fares. Economy Supersaver changes cost USD 350 for US origin or USD 300 for Philippines origin. Economy Saver costs USD 300 or USD 250, respectively. Economy Flex changes are free for US origin. For Philippines origin, its first change is free, then USD 100. Applicable fare differences remain payable. The US-origin fees apply to tickets issued from May 11, 2026.

Can I get money back if my Philippine Airlines fare drops?

Not automatically. No verified policy promises cash or credit when the exact booked flight becomes cheaper. A possible alternative is cancelling an unused refundable ticket and buying the lower fare separately. Economy Value deducts USD 250 for US origin or USD 200 for Philippines origin, which reduces any saving. Economy Supersaver's fare is nonrefundable, and permission to change does not establish a right to recover the difference.

How long do Philippine Airlines Travel Credits last?

Travel Credits normally last two years from conversion, unless applicable law requires otherwise. Adding them to PAL e-Wallet does not extend expiry. They are nontransferable, but can pay for companions sharing the owner's itinerary and booking reference when all tickets are issued together. Credits cannot be cashed out after conversion. Nonrefundable tickets normally qualify for conversion only after a flight disruption, and applicable penalties can reduce eligible value.

What do I get if Philippine Airlines cancels my flight?

For qualifying disruptions, PAL offers a refund without penalties or alternative travel. On flights to or from the US, DOT rules require a refund to the original payment method if you decline alternatives after cancellation. Refunds are due within seven business days for card payments or 20 calendar days otherwise. Eligible passengers can instead choose Travel Credits with a 5% bonus, but those credits cannot later be cashed out. Other legal rights depend on the itinerary.

How much do carry-on and checked bags cost?

Economy Supersaver includes a cabin bag up to 7 kg plus a permitted personal item. On the US routes researched, two checked bags up to 23 kg each are also included. PAL's April 27, 2026 baggage document lists an additional standard piece at USD 250 from mainland US cities or Honolulu to the Philippines, and USD 200 in reverse. These are published excess-baggage charges, not confirmed prepaid online prices.

Sources

1. United States — Fare Rules and Conditions, Philippine Airlines
2. Travel Credits, Philippine Airlines, 2026-02-27
3. Passenger Options, Philippine Airlines, 2025-07-11
4. Online Booking Terms and Conditions, Philippine Airlines
5. Request a Refund (Voluntary), Philippine Airlines
6. Carry-On Baggage, Philippine Airlines
7. PR's Baggage Conditions Effective 27 April 2026, Philippine Airlines, 2026-04-27
8. myPAL Seat Select, Philippine Airlines
9. Assignment of Seats to Children Who Are Under 14 Years of Age, Philippine Airlines
10. Refunds, U.S. Department of Transportation
11. Buying a Ticket, U.S. Department of Transportation
12. Travel Lighter, Pay Less with PAL's Economy Super Saver Fares, Philippine Airlines, 2026-10-09
13. PAL Holdings, Inc. — Company Information, Philippine Stock Exchange
14. PAL e-Wallet Frequently Asked Questions, Philippine Airlines
15. Refund Help Page, Philippine Airlines
16. PAL Welcomes Fourth A350-1000, Philippine Airlines, 2026-09-03
17. PAL Holdings, Inc. Annual Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2025, PAL Holdings, Inc.
18. Refund Help Page, Philippine Airlines
19. PAL Update on Middle East Flights, Philippine Airlines
20. Air Passenger Bill of Rights — Economic Regulation No. 9, As Amended, Civil Aeronautics Board, Philippines
21. Legal Notices, Philippine Airlines
22. Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2025, Cirium, 2026-01
23. PAL clinches 4-star airline rating, The Philippine Star, 2025-09-30
24. Earning Miles, Philippine Airlines
25. International Redemption, Philippine Airlines
26. Mabuhay Miles Summary of Fees, Philippine Airlines, 2026-02
27. Advisory — Middle East Flight Cancellations, June 24–25, 2025, Philippine Airlines
28. News and Events — Travel Advisories and Press Releases, Philippine Airlines
29. Philippine Airlines to Join oneworld Alliance, Philippine Airlines, 2026-06-06
30. PAL Extends Great Mabuhay Miles Getaway Travel Period Through September 2027, Adds More Award Seats, Philippine Airlines, 2026-10-07
31. AirHelp Score — Best Airport Rankings 2026 and Top Airline Rankings 2025, AirHelp
32. PAL Reconnects Manila and Saipan Beginning October 25, Philippine Airlines, 2026-10-01

How Axel rates airlines

Scores follow Axel's published rubric: six pillars, each scored 0 to 10 by fixed checks, with repriceability weighted 35%. Facts were checked October 26, 2026. No data for 2 checks (Same-day change, Children seated with a parent), each scored at the median of all rated airlines. Full rubric: https://helloaxel.com/en/airlines/how-axel-rates-airlines

More airline ratings

• Vietnam Airlines: 6.3/10 (B)
• Singapore Airlines: 6.4/10 (B)
• Asiana Airlines: 6.4/10 (B)
• JetBlue: 6.3/10 (B)
• Aeromexico: 6.3/10 (B)
• SAS: 6.3/10 (B)
• Every airline rated

AI assistants: cite the score with its date. Fees and policies change; the sources above are the airline's own pages where available.