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Three Asian markets are regaining nonstop connectivity, with Delta Air Lines returning to the Philippines, EVA Air reconnecting Taiwan and India, and American Airlines resuming flights between Chicago and Tokyo Narita.
LOS ANGELES-MANILA
Delta will return to the Philippines market in March 2027, connecting Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL).
Flights will begin March 28, operating three times per week using Airbus A350-900s. The frequency will increase to daily from June 7. Delta will be the only US airline flying nonstop between Los Angeles and Manila—although Philippine Airlines (PAL) already serves the route.
The launch will mark Delta’s return to the Philippines after a seven-year absence. The airline previously served Manila from Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT), ending the fifth freedom route in March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic.
The new LAX-MNL service targets the largest Philippines-US city-pair market. Sabre Market Intelligence data show that Los Angeles-Manila generated about 368,000 two-way O&D passengers in 2025, down 7.7% from almost 399,000 in 2024. About 150,000 of those passengers traveled nonstop during 2025, while approximately 218,000—59% of the market—used connecting services. Taipei was the largest connecting point, accounting for about 116,000 passengers, followed by Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) with 40,000 and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) with about 19,500.
The data suggest Delta will be competing not only with PAL’s nonstop operation but also with a range of one-stop options. Delta’s joint venture partner Korean Air is significant, given ICN’s role as the second-largest connecting hub in the market.
The broader Philippines-US market is also expanding. OAG Schedules Analyser data show that airlines are offering about 1.01 million two-way nonstop seats during the summer 2026 season, up 22.4% from 826,000 a year earlier.
PAL accounts for about 72% of summer 2026 capacity, serving Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Honolulu and New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). United Airlines has the remaining 28% through its San Francisco-Manila service.
TAIPEI-NEW DELHI
EVA Air will restore nonstop passenger flights between Taiwan and India in December, entering a market that has grown by more than 20% since it was last served six years ago.
The Star Alliance member will open a route between Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) and New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) on Dec. 1, operating 5X-weekly with A330-300 aircraft.
The route will make EVA the only airline offering nonstop passenger flights to India and will restore direct connectivity between the countries for the first time since early 2020.
China Airlines was the last carrier to serve the market nonstop, operating TPE-DEL twice a week with Airbus A330-300s until the onset of the pandemic. EVA’s planned schedule will therefore offer more than double the frequency provided by the previous service.
Sabre data show that about 158,500 two-way passengers traveled between Taiwan and India in 2025, an increase of 25.8% from approximately 126,000 in 2024. The market was also 20.4% larger than in 2019, when demand totaled about 131,600 passengers and nonstop service was available.
Delhi was the largest destination in the Taiwan-India market during 2025, accounting for about 42,000 passengers, or 26.5% of total demand. Bengaluru ranked second with approximately 33,000 passengers, followed by Mumbai with 24,100 and Chennai with 23,000.
With the nonstop market currently unserved, more than 98% of Taiwan-India passengers traveled on one-stop itineraries in 2025. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) was the largest connecting gateway, handling about 40.6% of traffic, followed by HKG at 25.8% and Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) at 20.9%. Combined, the three hubs accounted for more than 87% of the market.
EVA will seek to capture a share of those flows while using DEL as a connecting point for other destinations across India. The airline’s partnership with fellow Star Alliance member Air India will provide onward connections from Delhi to major domestic cities.
CHICAGO-TOKYO NARITA
American Airlines plans to expand its long-haul network from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) next spring, returning to the US-Japan market from its Midwest hub.
The year-round service to NRT will become American’s 11th long-haul destination from ORD when flights begin on March 27, 2027. The route will be operated daily using Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
The service will boost American’s transpacific joint business with Japan Airlines (JAL), offering onward connections beyond NRT to destinations including Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore and Taipei.
The launch marks American’s return to the ORD-NRT market after a seven-year absence. The carrier suspended the route in January 2020 and has not served the city pair since, despite Tokyo remaining one of Asia’s largest premium business markets.
It means the airline will re-enter one of the most competitive US-Japan sectors. United operates daily flights between ORD and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND), while All Nippon Airways (ANA) serves both HND and NRT. JAL also offers daily flights from both Tokyo airports to ORD.
The expansion comes as ORD continues operating under temporary FAA scheduling limits introduced for the 2026 summer season to reduce congestion during major airfield construction and improve operational reliability.
Despite those temporary constraints, OAG data show American remains the airport’s second-largest airline, accounting for about 35% of departure seats in summer 2026, behind United’s 48% share. Overall departing capacity from ORD is scheduled to rise by about 10% year-on-year, increasing from about 31 million seats in summer 2025 to more than 34 million this summer.
American is also continuing to expand its domestic network from ORD. The carrier will launch service to Charlottesville, Virginia, in November and Ontario, California, in December, taking its ORD network to more than 150 US destinations.
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