Starlux to offer Clark-US flights

MANILA, Philippines — Clark International Airport will open its longest route ever in May as it is set to host flights to the US West Coast by way of Taipei through Starlux Airlines.

In another proof that Clark International Airport is gaining presence, the gateway will connect to Los Angeles and San Francisco with a stop in Taipei, marking the longest reach in its network.

Luxury carrier Starlux Airlines is launching connecting flights from Clark to Los Angeles and to San Francisco starting May 1, with the route  to be flown five times a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

At present, Starlux Airlines links Clark with the US through a connecting flight with a layover in Taipei that lasts 10.5 hours. The airline bringing in a dedicated flight for the route means that the layover will be cut to less than two hours beginning May 1.

Passengers from Clark headed for Los Angeles and San Francisco will hop first on the same jet, Flight JX 792, that departs 7:50 in the evening and arrives in Taipei two hours later. From Taipei, travelers will go their separate ways in reaching the US.

Flight JX 002 will fly out of Taipei at 11:40 in the evening and will land in Los Angeles in nearly 12 hours on the same day.

Meanwhile, Flight JX 012 will leave Taipei at 11:50 in the evening and will get to San Francisco in about 11 hours on the same day, too.

Based on the flight plan, Starlux Airlines will deploy an Airbus A321neo in reaching Taipei and an A350-900 in bringing passengers to Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Initial estimates from the website showed that a round trip between Clark and Los Angeles with Starlux Airlines will cost a minimum of $845.32. For San Francisco, a round trip ticket will cost at least $763.32.

Clark’s international network is focused mainly in Asia, with the farthest reach being the Middle East via Emirates (Dubai) and Qatar Airways (Doha). The government is working on expanding the flight network of the airport to improve its viability as a gateway to the Philippines.

In 2023, the Clark International Airport facilitated the travel of almost two million passengers, as the gateway benefited from the ballooning demand for air travel in the post-pandemic period.

For 2024, the Clark International Airport Corp. eyes to double the passenger traffic in the airport to at least four million.