Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will increase the flight frequency between Manila and Seattle, Washington to five weekly flights starting November, fueled by the growing demand in the West Coast of the United States (US).

Starting Nov. 25, the Lucio Tan-led airline will move away from the current thrice weekly flights that it launched in October last year, with the introduction of new Tuesday and Thursday departures.

The new weekly service will soon operate every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday—providing more options for the only direct link to Seattle from the Philippines.

PAL President Richard Nuttall said the airline is focused on developing its Seattle route to open up more trade opportunities and boost commercial activities with the US market.

“Our decision to increase frequencies to Seattle highlights the importance of the US market to the Philippine Airlines global network,” said Nuttall in a statement.

“In particular the great value of Seattle as a gateway, not just to the Washington and Oregon areas, but to cities across the United States,” he added.

PAL said meeting the growing travel demand from the US, particularly in the West Coast, is part of its long-term investment to develop a more robust relationship between the two long-time allies.

With Seattle, PAL now serves eight destinations in the US and Canada, offering nonstop flights to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Toronto, and Honolulu, as well as the American territory of Guam.

Those coming from Seattle will have access to PAL’s extensive network covering the Philippines, Southeast Asia, North Asia, and Greater China.

Several US destinations are also available through PAL’s service partner, Alaska Airlines. Both airlines recently inked a frequent flyer partnership, expanding travel opportunities for loyal customers.

PAL operates its Seattle service with Boeing 777-300ER long-range jetliners that can accommodate 370 passengers, with 42 seats in business class and 328 in economy class.

Aside from increasing the number of passengers, the increase in flights will likewise boost cargo capacity by up to 40 tons per week, further supporting the trade between the two countries.