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American Airlines will soon have a new partner in the South Pacific.

Over the weekend, the Oneworld alliance announced that Philippine Airlines will soon become its newest member.

The move will see the airline, based in Manila, become a full-fledged alliance partner of American and more than a dozen other global airlines — like British Airways, Iberia, Qatar, Qantas and Japan Airlines.

The news of Philippine Airlines joining Oneworld came via a Memorandum of Understanding signed on Saturday at the International Air Transport Association’s general meeting in Brazil.

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A new partner for American, Alaska and others

What will this shift mean for frequent travelers?

In the future, you’ll be able to redeem your AAdvantage miles on a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila (or even elsewhere in Asia). You’ll also be able to make use of your AAdvantage elite status perks on the flight, from lounge access, priority boarding and free baggage.

The same would be true for travelers with a stash of Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles or award currency from any other Oneworld carrier.

Typically, Oneworld elite members receive reciprocal loyalty benefits when flying with any airline in the alliance — as long as they book their flight using the loyalty number of the airline they have status with.

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Alaska, Hawaiian to deepen PAL partnership

American isn’t the only U.S. airline gaining this new alliance partner.

Here in the U.S., fellow Oneworld member Alaska Airlines already had a more limited partnership with Philippine Airlines, allowing travelers to earn Atmos Rewards points on PAL flights.

But that tie-up will grow deeper once the carrier becomes a Oneworld member.

What PAL in Oneworld means for travelers

From its home base at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Manila, Philippine Airlines currently serves five airports in the U.S.:

• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu

With PAL’s arrival in Oneworld, you’ll be able to use your favorite Oneworld award currency to fly straight to Manila or, for instance, fly Hawaiian Airlines to Honolulu and then connect to the Philippines.

You could also use your AAdvantage miles to fly PAL to Manila and then connect onward to one of the many destinations PAL serves in Asia.

And, again, if you have status with American (or Alaska … or BA), you’d get some of those elite benefits on PAL.

Oneworld expands

Philippine Airlines will be the 16th Oneworld carrier (and the 17th airline brand, including both Alaska and the recently acquired Hawaiian).

Other recent Oneworld entrants include Oman Air and Fiji Airways.

In a statement, Philippine Airlines called this move a “defining and transformative moment” for the airline.

American, for its part, touted the carrier’s arrival in Oneworld as a boost to its partner footprint in the Pacific.

“Philippine Airlines’ entry into Oneworld supports our long‑term strategic growth and strengthens our connectivity across key markets in the Asia Pacific region,” American CEO Robert Isom said. “The airline has a proud heritage and will serve a critical role in our Southeast Asia network.”

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