Philippine Airlines said on June 6, 2026, that it will join oneworld, a move that will make the flag carrier the alliance’s 16th member once the process is completed in 2027. The announcement, made at the IATA AGM in Rio de Janeiro, marks a major shift for a national airline that has spent years building ties with carriers already inside the group.
For Lucio C. Tan III, the decision was not framed as a routine commercial update. He called it a defining and transformative moment for Philippine Airlines, saying the move would strengthen Southeast Asia’s representation in the alliance and bring the Philippines and the region closer to the world. That matters now because travelers and Mabuhay Miles members can see a concrete payoff ahead: reciprocal earning and redeeming across member airlines, plus access to more than 700 airport lounges and other oneworld benefits once PAL is fully in.
The timing also gives the announcement more weight. oneworld was founded in 1999 and now counts 15 member airlines before PAL joins, putting it behind Star Alliance and SkyTeam in overall market share even as it remains one of the industry’s most established global networks. PAL will become only the second oneworld member based in Southeast Asia, alongside Malaysia Airlines, giving the alliance a stronger foothold in a region where connectivity is increasingly valuable for long-haul and connecting traffic.
PAL did not arrive at the choice cold. It already had close cooperation with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways, including an extensive codeshare agreement with American Airlines since December 2023, a strategic partnership with Qatar Airways and a longstanding codeshare with Malaysia Airlines dating back to 2001. It also has agreements with Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Qantas, which made oneworld a natural home for a carrier that had already spent years stitching together links with many of its members.
Even so, the selection carries a quiet trade-off. PAL chose oneworld even though it has the smallest market share of the three major alliances, leaving open the question of why it favored this group over Star Alliance or SkyTeam in specific terms. The answer may lie in the network PAL has already built around its existing partners, but the airline did not spell that out in the announcement. What is clear is that the process is only beginning, and the real test comes in 2027, when PAL’s membership is expected to be finalized and Mabuhay Miles members find out how much of the promised reach turns into an ordinary part of travel.
