PAL Express

Air Philippines, known today as PAL Express (ICAO: GAP), is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Philippines' flag carrier, Philippine Airlines. It primarily operates domestic and some regional international flights, serving as Philippine Airlines' budget and regional brand.

Air Philippines Corporation was established on February 13, 1995, and commenced flight operations on February 1, 1996, initially based at Subic Bay International Airport. After experiencing financial difficulties, the airline ceased operations and was subsequently acquired by investors from Philippine Airlines. It was relaunched as PAL Express on April 14, 2008, focusing on inter-island routes. The brand then underwent another change, operating as Airphil Express from March 28, 2010, before officially reverting to PAL Express on March 15, 2013, to harmonize with its parent company, Philippine Airlines.

PAL Express maintains its primary operational hub at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila, with domestic flights typically utilizing Terminal 2. Secondary hubs include Clark International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and Francisco Bangoy International Airport (Davao), supporting a distributed network across the Philippines. The airline's fleet consists of modern narrow-body aircraft such as the Airbus A320, Airbus A321, and De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprops for shorter regional routes.

The route network of PAL Express primarily serves 32 domestic destinations throughout the Philippine archipelago. It also operates a limited number of regional international services to destinations in Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates. PAL Express is not a member of any of the major global airline alliances (Star Alliance, SkyTeam, or Oneworld); however, its parent company, Philippine Airlines, has various codeshare agreements with other carriers. As a full-service carrier operating with a low-cost business model, PAL Express offers various cabin classes including Economy, and on some aircraft and routes, Premium Economy (marketed as Comfort Class for domestic flights) and Business Class, often mirroring the offerings of Philippine Airlines. Passengers on domestic flights exceeding 45 minutes typically receive a complimentary beverage and snack, while international flights include meal service. In-flight entertainment can be accessed via personal touch-screen monitors or personal electronic devices. Travelers can also earn and redeem points through Philippine Airlines' Mabuhay Miles frequent flyer program.