Air China inaugurated a four-times-weekly service between Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport and Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport on 3 May, Xinhua reported via People’s Daily Online. The Boeing 737 route becomes the carrier’s third China–Philippines link, boosting its total to 15 rotations a week and signalling renewed confidence in leisure and business demand. Philippine tourism officials welcomed the flight as a catalyst for reaching their target of 2 million Chinese arrivals in 2026. The Philippines unilaterally granted 14-day visa-free entry to Chinese citizens on 16 January 2026, cutting paperwork to a simple online travel declaration.
![Air China launches Chongqing–Manila service as Philippines offers 14-day visa-free entry]()
Should travellers plan onward journeys beyond the Philippines where entry documents are still required, VisaHQ can streamline the process; its China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers real-time visa guidance and convenient doorstep document handling, ensuring passengers secure the right papers well before departure.
Early indicators are positive: Boracay hotels report bookings from Chinese OTAs up 42 per cent for June school holidays. For Chongqing – a manufacturing powerhouse deep in China’s interior – the direct service opens a new logistics artery for electronics exports that previously trans-shipped through Guangzhou. Small and mid-sized exporters can now send engineers for line audits in Luzon’s industrial parks without overnight layovers. Mobility managers should note that passengers must still carry proof of onward tickets or hotel bookings to satisfy Philippine Bureau of Immigration officers. Meanwhile, Chinese travellers are reminded that re-entry into China remains visa-free only if their nationality is among the 45-country list or they hold valid multi-entry visas issued before the pandemic. Analysts expect competing Chinese carriers to leverage the liberalised bilateral air-services agreement, with Chengdu and Xian tipped as the next secondary cities to gain direct Philippine flights.
Should travellers plan onward journeys beyond the Philippines where entry documents are still required, VisaHQ can streamline the process; its China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) offers real-time visa guidance and convenient doorstep document handling, ensuring passengers secure the right papers well before departure.
Early indicators are positive: Boracay hotels report bookings from Chinese OTAs up 42 per cent for June school holidays. For Chongqing – a manufacturing powerhouse deep in China’s interior – the direct service opens a new logistics artery for electronics exports that previously trans-shipped through Guangzhou. Small and mid-sized exporters can now send engineers for line audits in Luzon’s industrial parks without overnight layovers. Mobility managers should note that passengers must still carry proof of onward tickets or hotel bookings to satisfy Philippine Bureau of Immigration officers. Meanwhile, Chinese travellers are reminded that re-entry into China remains visa-free only if their nationality is among the 45-country list or they hold valid multi-entry visas issued before the pandemic. Analysts expect competing Chinese carriers to leverage the liberalised bilateral air-services agreement, with Chengdu and Xian tipped as the next secondary cities to gain direct Philippine flights.
