With its inviting combination of island beaches, cosmopolitan city life and friendliest To New Zealanders to welcome an ideal holiday destination from summer through late October 2023. Flying to Manila Philippines takes a connecting service (as opposed to direct) – however, with the right planning this journey is far more straightforward than you might at first think. This guide details everything you need to know about the route options, fare patterns, and entry requirements before booking.
Understanding Your Route Options
There is currently no nonstop fly to Manila Philippines. Reaching connecting itineraries using Air New Zealand mainly transfer through Singapore's partner and rival airlines, while there are also connections via alternative regional hubs depending on whether you were traveling with Cathay Pacific, Malaysia Airlines and China Southern. Philippine Airlines also operates between the corridor, with Australian gateways such as Brisbane often serving as connecting points.
On almost all these itineraries, total journey time from arrival to destination is greater than sixteen hours including the layover. This is longer than many other regional destinations, but the hubs themselves, (especially the exemplary Singapore and Hong Kong) are well-designed for long layovers and so most travellers should find the trip tolerable.
Choosing the Right Connecting Hub
Each transit hub offers a slightly different travel experience. Singapore's Changi Airport is consistently ranked among the best in the world for transit comfort, featuring vast dining, shopping, and rest amenities. Cathay Pacific offers an equally highly regarded transit experience at Hong Kong International Airport. When planning your trip, it is worth looking at layover lengths across different connecting options on BookMyTrip, as some routings offer a tight one- to two-hour connection while others require a longer stopover of several hours. Balancing total transit time against ticket cost will help dictate the best path for your budget
Visa-Free Entry for Travellers from New Zealand
Philippines Entry Arrangements for New Zealand Passport Holders Resident in the Philippines: Even more remarkably, visa-free access and upon-arrival entry arrangements are available to citizens of New Zealand entering the Philippines. New Zealand passport holders can stay up to 30 days without pre-applying for a visa, which covers most tourism or short-term business under the country's visa-free entry policy.
With this entry, your passport must have enough remaining validity and you may also need to provide proof of a flight back from East Timor or continue onward at the time of border control. Those wanting a stay of more than 30 days should check local rules and procedures for extending their stay, as this is different from the standard visa-free visit.
Execute on Booking windows — Best prices by date
Historically September mid-to-late has also been one of the cheaper windows to pull up in Manila whilst Christmas and East go hand-in-hand with much higher fares and demand levels. In general, booking about 85 days in advance of your planned departure date tends to be the most effective time for securing a competitive price on this route.
Flexible search tools — such as Google Flights, Kayak and Skyscanner — can unlock huge savings for travellers with flexibility in their dates, particularly if you shift your departure date by just a few days one way or the other.
Learn how to analyse your travel price & comfort based on airlines
Both China Eastern and China Southern have emerged as providers of comparatively low one-way fares on this corridor. Another one worth comparing is Malaysia Airlines, which comes with generally decent onboard service and competitive fares across its network.
Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines are more traveller friendly when it comes to comfort an overall less disruptive connecting experience, but charge a small premium over the lowest fares available. A balance of the overall cost of your trip with creature comforts and layover duration will dictate which carrier aligns most closely with your travel objectives.
A Few Practical Tips
Check where can you fly from: Auckland will have the most connections but we also find that flying Christchurch or Wellington into Manila is usually possible with an internal flight so it pays to compare both.
Pack for hot and humid weather: The Philippines has a tropical climate in the majority of the country, with a roughly defined wet season from June through October.
Easy access to travel documents: The faster the arrival process through immigration, the better — especially when your passport and any onward travel evidence are easily accessible.
Conclusion
Although there is no option directly for this group, traveling fly to Manila Philippines from New Zealand with the right combination of connecting routes and entry requirement requirements all congeal into a much more manageable task. Put your preferred hub head-to-head and book when sensible lead time permits, plus facilitate this nifty visa-free entry system, then you'll be well on your way to having an easy Philippine adventure.
