Manila to Peru for vacation together ​😃

[top_secret 2,666]

Since there has been some interest here in flying Filipina/o spouses/fiancés/partners to a neutral third country as a way to get around travel bans to meet and spend time together, here’s the best deal I have seen in a long time for a Philippine Passport friendly way to get from Manila to South America.  I did already book this one and will join my wife next month for just a vacation together in Peru while we wait on this I-130.  Turkish Airlines currently has round trip Manila to Lima Peru for $1,169 all in.  Manila-Istanbul-Panama-Lima. Panama-Lima is on Copa Air but it is all on one Turkish Airlines ticket which is an important detail for Philippine Passport holders due to transit issues that may arise with separate tickets booked together.  To book this deal search MNL-LIM on turkishairlines.com .  Do a “Flexible Dates” search since the flights only operate a few days a week.  The days on the grid at $1,202 will price out at $1,169 if you go to buy them.  I have not found this price anywhere except directly from turkishairlines.com.

Anyone who has looked into Philippine Passport friendly routes from Manila to South America, (ie no North America transit) will know those itineraries usually price out at $1,800 to $2,200 or more, so although $1,169 may not be "cheap", it is a real bargain and much lower than usual ticket prices. Many Caveats apply.  There are the well know issues inexperienced Filipina travelers may face getting past Philippine Immigration on the way out.  It probably IS a bit much for many travelers if it would be their first trip alone out of the country.   Philippine Passport holders can transit Istanbul without a visa, trouble free, if their layover is less than 24 hours and they remain airside. Panama is a little more restrictive but allows transit without a visa if their layover is less than 12 hours and they remain airside. So be mindful of the length of any long layovers.  Peru is Visa Free for Philippine passports but requires a negative PCR test within 72hours prior to departure from all foreign travelers.  Philippines requires COVID travel insurance, and of course, there is a week in a quarantine hotel and another PCR test in Manila when they get back to the Philippines.  If they are coming from or returning to a Province, that may or may not be the deal breaker for such a trip depending on provincial travel rules du jour.  It is a long-haul flight, followed by a long-haul flight, followed by a mid-range flight.  Not for everyone and it will take allot more planning than a couple of paragraphs on the internet.  But for the adventurous types it's the best Philippine Passport friendly 😃deal you are likely to see for MNL to South America.  Me personally?  The tickets are already bought and I will be vacationing with my Filipina wife in Peru next month.

[Missthanger 22]

My trip was cancel twice with Turkish Airline twice . Once last year and this month . Good luck on your journey . Not sure , if I will use them again , or if I will booked somewhere else . I paid  770 both times but they have gone up now . How much is the visa ? 

[top_secret 2,666]

We flew Turkish Airlines twice out of Manila last year.  In August 2020 it was pretty much a crapshoot if any particular flight would operate to or from Manila trying to fly with them or any other airline as flights were canceling completely at random daily.  NAIA was placing extreme limits on daily passenger arrivals due to testing constraints at the time.  By December the second time we used Turkish Airlines out of Manila they were operating all of their flights as scheduled.  Flying ANY airline during COVID you have to check flight history and make sure they are actually really operating their flights.  Just because a flight is scheduled does not mean it is really operating.  So far this month at least Turkish are 100% reliable to Manila.  https://flightaware.com/live/flight/THY85/history

 

Philippine Passports require no visa to enter Peru and there is no travel ban in place there.  Hence it's appeal as a meeting place

Edited March 13, 2021 by top_secret