PAL’s second-quarter income soared 48% to $60 million

Philippine Airlines (PAL) said Thursday its net income flew 48 percent to $60 million in the second quarter of 2025 from a year ago on the back of higher passenger volume.

This marks the airline’s 15th consecutive profitable quarter and reinforces its resiliency as a full-service carrier with solid prospects for sustainable growth in the near future.

PAL said its revenues reached $831 million in the second quarter, up 6 percent from the same period last year, while operating income rose 10 percent to $71 million.

“As we pursue strong financial results, we remain committed to earning the trust of our valued customers through excellence, service quality, and true Filipino hospitality on every PAL journey,”  PAL president Richard Nuttall said.

“To sustain our momentum in this dynamic operating environment, we will continue to focus on generating healthy revenues, maintaining financial discipline, sustaining operational integrity and providing the kind of exemplary travel experience that our customers deserve,” he said.

PAL carried 4.4 million passengers in the second quarter of 2025, a 9-percent increase from last year, although revenue growth was tempered by softening international yields.

Cargo revenues went up $2 million as the airline carried 51,200 tons, a 13-percent increase.  PAL operated 29,584 flights on its extensive international and domestic routes, or 5 percent more than last year.

Operating expenses in the second quarter increased 5 percent to $761 million, attributed to higher airport and rental charges, third-party contract costs and depreciation. This was partly offset by an 11-percent reduction in fuel expense, reflecting lower global fuel prices.

The solid second-quarter performance contributed to a net income of  $137 million in the first half of 2025, up 12 percent from last year, and an operating income of $146 million.

PAL operated 57,598 flights and transported 8.47 million passengers in the first six months of 2025, up by 2 percent and 7 percent respectively year-on-year.

PAL succeeded in improving its on-time performance to 81.23 percent systemwide from January to June 2025, compared to 78.66 percent last year, and was honored as the Asia-Pacific region’s most punctual airline in April 2025 after two consecutive years in the top ten rankings tracked by the international aviation analytics firm Cirium.

The Philippine flag carrier is now preparing to introduce 22 brand-new aircraft in the coming years, beginning with its first Airbus A350-1000, a 382-seater long-range jetliner that will join the PAL fleet before the end of 2025.

Eight more A350-1000s and 13 A321neo regional aircraft are slated for delivery from 2026 onwards.   It also expects delivery of the first of 18 retrofitted Airbus A321ceo aircraft with upgraded cabins, enhanced in-flight entertainment systems and Wi-Fi connectivity in October 2025.