The longest international flight to/from Toronto is a gruelling sixteen-and-a-half hours in the air, but, surprisingly, this seemingly miserable 13,232-kilometre voyage between Toronto and Manila is in such high demand that the airline is actually upping the number of flights per week.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced on Monday that it will be adding another weekly flight on the single-longest route serving Toronto Pearson International Airport, connecting travellers between Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Toronto-Pearson three days per week.

PAL says this third non-stop flight between Manila and Toronto — which takes to the skies on April 5, 2024 — will give passengers "added flexibility to structure their travel plans."

The airline stated that added capacity on the direct YYZ to MNL route (in operation since 2012) will help meet the growing demand to and from Canada's east coast region.

blogTO covered the route firsthand in 2023, including the reasons for its extremely high demand, the price, and the overall flight experience.

Here's what it's like taking the longest flight from Toronto Pearson Airport https://t.co/OfNjclx7st #Toronto #Flight #Manila

— blogTO (@blogTO) February 19, 2023

The number one reason behind the route's popularity is that it serves as the only direct link between the Philippines and the large Filipino diaspora and foreign worker community established in Canada's largest city.

Other options are available connecting the two destinations, though these include layovers and connecting flights that can significantly increase travel time and stress.

These factors give Philippine Airlines a hold on the market, which has allowed the carrier to "drastically" increase its prices in recent years.

A round-trip Toronto-Manila ticket will cost a passenger well over $3,000 as of writing — a money generator that Philippine Airlines looks keen on expanding.