Philippine Airlines to Join Oneworld

Perhaps not a surprise to some, Philippine Airlines has today announced it will join the Oneworld Alliance in 2027. This will make the airline the 16th member of Oneworld, after Fiji Airways, Oman Air and Alaska Airlines joined in recent years.

This is a logical move for Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines’ addition to Oneworld makes a lot of sense for the alliance, with only one current partner in South-East Asia. It also should serve as a boost for the airline, with a much more compelling reason for flyers to choose Philippine Airlines.

Philippine Airlines already has agreements with a variety of Oneworld airlines, including Qatar Airways, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and recently Qantas. Joining Oneworld will further cement these partnerships. The airline already flies into four Australian cities, although this may lead to further co-operation with Qantas.

No date has been given for the full integration, although it’ll likely be towards the end of 2027/first half of 2028. IT will need to be integrated, and Philippine Airlines may have to create an entirely new status tier above its own Premier Elite tier, to have a Oneworld Emerald equivalent.

What does this mean for travellers?

With Qantas’ partnership with Philippine Airlines, you could already burn points on flights throughout the Philippine Airlines network.

Once Philippine Airlines joins Oneworld, you’ll also be able to include Philippine Airlines on Qantas’ Oneworld Classic Flight Reward. Also, you can add their flights on cash fares like the Oneworld Explorer.

If you have Qantas status or Oneworld equivalent, you’ll get standard Oneworld benefits when flying with Philippine Airlines. This includes priority check-in, boarding and lounge access, depending on your tier. Of course, Philippine Airline Mabuhay Miles elite members will also get Oneworld status benefits.

If you’re flying on a cash fare on Philippine Airlines, you’ll be able to earn Qantas points and status credits. This could potentially open up some great opportunities for status runs in South East Asia! Philippine Airlines is also one of the best options for domestic flights within the Philippines, greatly benefiting Oneworld loyalists who travel to the Philippines.

However, this move also increases the competition for award seats on Philippine Airlines. This could be especially apparent on Philippine Airlines’ routes to North America. This is because all Oneworld frequent flyer programs will now have access to their award inventory.