It was in September last year when my friends and I came across a reasonably priced return ticket to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with Philippine Airlines. We did not think twice, we booked the tickets right away.
Fast forward to February 2025, we finally took the flight to Saigon and spent a few days exploring this vibrant Vietnamese city.
Today, allow me to share how our Manila to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) flight PR 591 went onboard the country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines. This flight report will give you an idea of what it is like to fly with PAL on one of their short-haul regional routes.
Last year (August 2024), I flew to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for five days and five nights. I wrote about this trip, sharing details about our accommodation, itinerary, and day tours. I also listed the cafes and restaurants we visited during the trip. I hope you’ll check out the trip blog here.
Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines, commonly known as PAL, is the Philippines’ flag carrier. The airline began operations in 1941 and is currently the region’s oldest commercial airline. It is part of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies and is also partly owned by ANA Holdings, the parent company of All Nippon Airways.
Philippine Airlines operates a fleet of nearly 50 Airbus, Boeing, and De Havilland aircraft, serving over 70 domestic and international destinations across Asia, Australia, North America, and the Middle East. The airline has a wholly owned subsidiary, PAL Express, which operates its domestic regional routes. PAL flies out of its hubs in Manila, Cebu, Clark, and Davao.
PAL is the country’s largest full-service airline, offering a premium experience to its passengers. It provides business class, premium economy, and economy class on most of its routes. Although it is not a member of any airline alliance, it has codeshare agreements with major carriers such as All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Turkish Airlines, Gulf Air, and many others.
The airline also offers a lifestyle and loyalty program called Mabuhay Miles. It is the only Philippine-based carrier to receive a 4-star rating from the world-renowned air transport rating organization Skytrax. Philippine Airlines is known for its warm and heartfelt hospitality, which is uniquely rooted in Filipino culture.
In October 2024, I flew with Philippine Airlines’ Domestic Comfort Class from Manila to Daraga (Legazpi) via Cebu. It is the airline’s domestic premium economy product. Curious about the comfort class experience? Check out these flight reports: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2853 – Manila to Cebu – First PAL Domestic Comfort Class Experience – Was the Last-Minute Booking Worth It? [October 2024] & PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2927 – Cebu to Daraga (Legazpi) – Domestic Comfort Class Experience on a Turboprop Aircraft [October 2024].
Airfare & Inclusions
My friends and I booked our tickets during Philippine Airlines’ seat sale back in September 2024. We scored return tickets for just $149.80 each. My local bank charged me ₱8,478.14, including foreign transaction service fees.
The fare included 7 kilograms of carry-on baggage, 30 kilograms of checked baggage, complimentary middle and window seat selection, inflight entertainment via mobile device, inflight meals on each flight, and the warm, hospitable service of the PAL cabin crew.
While it may not be as cheap as Cebu Pacific Air’s ₱1-base fare promotions, it was still a great deal, especially considering the inclusions, the convenient flight schedules (no red-eyes), and the fact that we were flying with the country’s flag carrier. Philippine Airlines rarely offers fares with this many perks at such a low price.
Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.
Travel Requirements
Philippine passport holders do not need a visa to enter Vietnam for tourism or business purposes. We are granted a 21-day, visa-free, non-extendable stay. For trips longer than 21 days, a visa must be secured in advance.
Additionally, the Philippine government requires all departing passengers to complete an online departure form and obtain a departure QR code from the eTravel website.
Before The Flight
A week before our flight, Philippine Airlines sent an email offering two optional upgrades: myPAL Upgrade and myPAL Seat Select Neighbor-Free. The first allowed us to bid for a business class seat starting at a minimum amount, while the second let us block the neighboring seat for a fixed fee. The airline sent another business class bidding invitation four days before departure.
Then, 24 hours before the flight, PAL emailed again to notify us that online check-in was open. The message also included travel requirements and airport reminders. I filled out the necessary details and checked in for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City right away.
Around two hours before departure, we received a final email advising that our flight would not have personal entertainment screens. Instead, wireless inflight entertainment would be available onboard, with instructions on how to access the system provided in the email.
Kudos to Philippine Airlines for keeping passengers well-informed about available services and flight updates.
Aircraft & Flight Information
Our Manila to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) flight with Philippine Airlines was operated by an 8.3-year-old Airbus A321-231 aircraft (at the time of the flight). Delivered to the airline in November 2016, the aircraft is registered as RP-C9929. It features 12 angle-flat business class seats in a 2-2 configuration, 18 economy extra legroom (also known as domestic comfort class) seats, and 169 standard economy seats, all in a 3-3 layout.
Flight PR 591 departed from Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 7:04 a.m., cruised at an altitude of 34,000 feet, and landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City at 8:13 a.m. local time. There is a one-hour time difference between Manila and Ho Chi Minh City. The total flight duration was 2 hours and 9 minutes. This flight is also a codeshare service with Vietnam Airlines.
In case you missed it, I flew with Vietnam Airlines last January 2023 from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on the Airbus A350 business class. I wrote about this trip and I hope you can check it out here.
Airport & Ground Experience
At the time of our flight, all international flights operated by Philippine Airlines were departing from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.
CHECK-IN & BAG DROP
Philippine Airlines occupies one side of Terminal 1 for check-in and bag drop, with dedicated counters for business class passengers, those needing assistance, and group travelers.
I arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 3:45 a.m. and immediately proceeded to pay the travel tax. By 3:53 a.m., I had joined the check-in queue and was done by 3:57 a.m., a smooth and efficient process. The ground staff were courteous and professional throughout.
PRE-DEPARTURE
After check-in, my friends and I proceeded through immigration and security. We then spent the rest of the pre-boarding time relaxing at the PAGGS Lounge, which I accessed using my credit cards.
BOARDING
At 6:00 a.m., my friends and I walked to Gate 15 for boarding. At 6:08 a.m., the ground staff made pre-boarding announcements in both English and Vietnamese. Priority boarding for business class passengers, elite status holders, and those traveling with infants began at 6:17 a.m.
Regular economy passengers boarded by row. By 6:40 a.m., the cabin crew had closed the aircraft doors, completing the entire boarding process in just 23 minutes. The plane pushed back at 6:48 a.m. and began taxiing to the runway for takeoff.
Inflight Hard & Soft Product
SEAT FEATURES
This Manila to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Philippine Airlines flight was operated by an 8.3-year-old Airbus A321-231 aircraft. It features 12 recliner business class seats in a 2-2 configuration, 18 economy extra legroom seats in a 3-3 layout, and 169 regular economy seats, also arranged 3-3.
According to the airline’s website, each business class seat offers a pitch of 37 inches, a width of 22 inches, and a recline of 6 inches. Economy Extra Legroom seats provide a pitch of 34 inches, a width of 18 inches, and a recline of 5 inches. Regular economy seats have the same width and recline but a slightly smaller pitch of 30 inches.
Every economy seat is equipped with an adjustable headrest, tray table, seatback pocket containing the safety card, individual reading light, cabin crew call button, and personal air vents. This aircraft does not have in-seat entertainment screens. Before takeoff, the cabin crew offered blankets to passengers upon request.
I chose seat 62K, a window seat, on this flight to Saigon. The seat provided decent comfort for the journey, not the best I have experienced but satisfactory. There’s potential for PAL to upgrade their short-haul economy experience.
INFLIGHT MEAL SERVICE
Philippine Airlines serves inflight meals on their international flights. For our flight to Ho Chi Minh City, passengers were offered two main options: beef asado with rice or chicken sausage with hashbrown. The meal also included a small pack of dried mangoes, a bottle of water, and a drink of choice. The food was served individually (not on a tray), accompanied by wooden cutlery and a napkin. After the meal service, the cabin crew made another round offering coffee, tea, or water to passengers who wanted it.
I chose the beef asado with apple juice. The meal was okay, not particularly memorable and a bit too salty for my taste. My friends mentioned that the chicken sausage option was not great either. Having tried better dishes on previous Philippine Airlines flights, this one fell short, but I still appreciate that they serve a meal on this relatively short, two-hour flight.
INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
The aircraft used for this flight was not equipped with traditional inflight entertainment screens. Instead, the airline offered wireless entertainment accessible through passengers’ mobile devices. To use it, passengers needed to connect to the inflight Wi-Fi and visit the myPAL aero website. Alternatively, they could scan the QR code found on the flyer in the seatback pockets.
The wireless entertainment system provided a decent selection of movies, TV shows, and music to enjoy during the flight. It also featured a moving inflight map, although the map itself was not interactive.
INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY
Philippine Airlines offers Wi-Fi connectivity on this flight, but it is limited to accessing the airline’s wireless entertainment system. Full inflight Wi-Fi for browsing the internet or using instant messaging apps is not available.
LAVATORY
Seated by the window, I did not get the chance to visit the lavatory during the short flight.
Cabin Crew Service
The cabin crew on this flight were warm and friendly, greeting and serving every passenger with their biggest smiles. They truly embodied the genuine heart and hospitality of the Filipino people.
Disembarkation
The aircraft touched down at Tan Son Nhat International Airport ahead of schedule, landing at 8:13 a.m. local time. It then taxied to the international terminal for disembarkation.
Business class passengers disembarked first, followed by the rest of the economy passengers. Immigration took about 20 minutes, while baggage claim and customs were quick and hassle-free.
Flight Experience
It was another pleasant experience flying with the country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines. After flying with them to Jakarta, Indonesia last November, I found myself on another PAL flight, this time to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. The flight had its highlights as well as areas for improvement.
Let us start with the positives. First, the return ticket price was not cheap, but it was not too expensive either. As someone who usually flies budget carriers, I found the ₱8,478.14 ticket price reasonable for this two-hour flight. It included 30 kilograms of checked luggage, an inflight breakfast, wireless inflight entertainment, and an overall premium experience.
Second, Philippine Airlines ensured passengers were well-informed about airport and flight procedures. The airline clearly communicated upgrade options and the fact that the aircraft did not have personal entertainment screens, all through timely emails before the flight.
Third, I am starting to prefer NAIA Terminal 1 over Terminal 3. The check-in process at the Philippine Airlines counters took just a few minutes, and both immigration and security had minimal lines. The overall terminal experience was pleasant, despite the limited dining options in the pre-departure area.
Fourth, Philippine Airlines provided a complimentary breakfast service on this short flight. Lastly, the cabin crew were warm, friendly, and professional – truly embodying the “Heart of the Filipino.”
On the other hand, there were a few areas that could be improved. First, both breakfast options were just okay and unfortunately did not suit our tastes. The meal was also served individually rather than on trays, which would have made the service faster and more efficient, like how PAL serves meals on their Manila-Jakarta flight.
Second, the cabin is starting to show its age. I believe it is time for the airline to retrofit some of their aging narrowbody fleet with modern seats and personal entertainment screens.
Despite these points for improvement, I still enjoyed my flight with Philippine Airlines. Will I fly with them again? Definitely – if the price is right and reasonable. I am also eager to try their Airbus A350, which is used on North American routes, hopefully someday soon.
Here is a summary of my Philippine Airlines flight from Manila to Ho Chi Minh City:
Airline: Philippine Airlines
Flight Date: 22 February 2025
Flight Number: PR 591
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam (SGN)
Duration: 2 hours and 9 minutes
Seat Number: Seat 62K (Window)
Aircraft: Airbus A321-231
Aircraft Registration: RP-C9929
Engines: 2 x International Aero Engines V2500
Age: 8.3-years-old
Delivered: November 2016
This sums up my experience flying Philippine Airlines on its PR 591 flight from Manila to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam.
If you have flown with PAL recently, I would love to hear about your experience! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. If you have any questions about the airline or this route, feel free to leave a comment below or reach out via email at contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’m always happy to chat and help however I can!
I hope you will check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, as well as other airlines like Emirates, EVA Air, Qantas, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Cathay Pacific. I also hope you look forward to more flight reports in the future.
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PS. Photos were taken using my Google Pixel 8 Pro.