Among Singapore Airlines’ busiest routes is its three-hour Singapore – Manila service, with 28 weekly flights in each direction between Changi Airport and the Philippine capital. The airline has sustained this high frequency for over 15 years, since July 2009, with only the COVID-19 pandemic causing temporary disruptions.

The carrier has now confirmed a fifth daily service from August 2025, increasing seat capacity by 27%.

All flights will continue to use wide-body aircraft – wither Airbus A350 Medium Haul or Boeing 787-10 jets – featuring Singapore Airlines’ 2018 Regional Business Class seats alongside Economy Class, ensuring direct aisle access and full flat-bed comfort in Business Class across the entire route.

Which flight is actually additional?

Singapore Airlines has been juggling flight numbers and timings on the Manila route since mid-May 2025, making it difficult to track what’s really “new” from August onwards. Here’s what’s actually happening:

From 11th May 2025:
SQ914/913 was launched as a new morning departure from Singapore, with a lunchtime return timing – but it temporarily replaced the existing SQ916/921 service, rather than adding to overall capacity.

From 22nd June 2025:
SQ916/921 resumed operations, but this time the long-running SQ912/919 service disappeared from the schedule, maintaining total operations at just four daily flights – the current situation.

From 1st August 2025:
The “fifth daily service” will actually be the return of SQ912/919 – a flight timing Singapore Airlines has operated for years, not a genuinely new timing option.

Ultimately, therefore, while Singapore Airlines is adding a fifth daily service, the airline is really just restoring a historical flight (SQ912/919) that has temporarily vanished. Meanwhile, SQ914/913 – which offers the genuinely new morning timing compared to the long-term four-daily pattern – has been quietly operating since May.

The schedule

Here’s how the schedule looks from 1st August 2025, with the new flight timings compared to the usual schedule highlighted.

Singapore    Manila
1st August 2025 to 25th October 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ914 787-10^
SIN 06:55		MNL 10:50
	SQ914 A350 MH
SIN 07:55		MNL 11:50
	SQ910 A350 MH
SIN 08:55		MNL 12:55
	SQ912 A350 MH
SIN 12:00		MNL 15:45
	SQ916 787-10
SIN 13:30		MNL 17:25
	SQ918 787-10
SIN 19:25		MNL 23:20

^ A350 MH from 22nd September 2025

Manila    Singapore
1st August 2025 to 25th October 2025

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ915 787-10
MNL 07:40		SIN 11:20
	SQ913 787-10^
MNL 13:05		SIN 16:40
	SQ913 A350 MH
MNL 13:05		SIN 16:40
	SQ917 A350 MH
MNL 14:05		SIN 17:50
	SQ919 A350 MH
MNL 16:55		SIN 20:30
	SQ921 787-10
MNL 18:30		SIN 22:15

^ A350 MH from 22nd September 2025

A similar schedule for five times daily Manila flights operates for the upcoming winter season from 26th October 2025, with minor timing differences and a mixture of Airbus A350 Medium Haul and Boeing 787-10 aircraft used.

Singapore Airlines flights to Manila operate from Terminal 2 at Changi Airport, which will progressively see brand new SilverKris and KrisFlyer Gold lounge options opening between late 2025 and mid-2027.

Some replacement for Jetstar capacity

As many readers will know, Singapore-based Jetstar Asia is ceasing operations at the end of July 2025.

These additional Singapore Airlines flights from 1st August 2025 will therefore help fill the capacity gap left by Jetstar’s withdrawal from the Manila route, which as of late May 2025 saw 18 weekly flights operated with 3,240 seats per week in each direction.

Indeed SIA’s service boost will offer 2,359 additional seats on the route by early August 2025, compared with the last week of May 2025 – 11,081 seats per week compared to 8,722 seats per week, a 27% increase.

This goes some way to replacing Jetstar’s capacity on the Singapore – Manila route, though there’s still an overall shortfall for the time being.

KrisFlyer awards

While SIA’s Singapore – Manila Saver awards typically offer good availability, especially during off-peak periods, this capacity increase thanks to the fifth daily flight has to potential to improve award space even further.

The applicable award rates are shown in the following table.

KrisFlyer Redemption Singapore ⇄ Manila
	Saver	Advantage
Economy	13,500	25,000
Business	24,000	40,000

Manila regularly appears on SIA’s monthly Spontaneous Escapes list, with 30% off Saver awards.

This brings one-way redemption rates down to 16,800 miles in Business Class and 9,450 miles in Economy Class.

If you already hold or intend to book a firm ticket in an eligible Economy booking class, here’s how many miles it will then cost you to upgrade to Business Class on this route, assuming Saver upgrade award availability.

Upgrade using KrisFlyer miles Singapore ⇄ Manila
Upgrading to →	Business Saver
Existing booking ↓
Economy Standard (Class: M, H, W)	18,500
Economy Flexi (Class: Y, B, E)	15,500

As usual, upgrading with miles is not a great deal, unless perhaps your company is paying for an Economy Standard or Flexi fare on your behalf.

Other Manila options

35 weekly Singapore Airlines flights to and from Manila aren’t the only option on this route from August 2025.

Even with the loss of 18 weekly Jetstar services, here are the other options available, some of which offer relatively competitive fares and potentially more useful timings than SIA.

• Cebu Pacific: 18/wk (A321 x 2, A320neo x 5, A321neo x 11)
• Philippine Airlines: 27/wk (A321)
• Scoot: 13/wk (788 x 5, 789 x 2, A320 x 3, A320neo x 1, A321neo x 2)

Singapore Airlines’ expansion to five daily Manila flights from 1st August 2025 marks a new milestone for the route, exceeding the four-daily frequency that has been the airline’s standard since mid-2009.

While the airline is adding a fifth daily service, the reality is more nuanced – SIA is essentially restoring the long-running SQ912/919 service in August that has temporarily disappeared, while the genuinely new morning timing (SQ914/913) has been quietly operating since May.

The capacity boost of 2,359 weekly seats will provide some relief following Jetstar Asia’s market exit, though it only partially fills the gap left by the budget carrier’s 18 weekly flights.

With 35 weekly Singapore Airlines services joining a now slightly less competitive field that includes Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Scoot, travellers will benefit from some new timings and potentially improved award availability on the route.

For frequent flyers, SIA’s all-wide-body operation using Airbus A350 Medium Haul and Boeing 787-10 aircraft will continue to ensure a consistent premium cabin experience on this busy city pair.

(Cover Photo: Shutterstock)