PAL Express, formerly Air Philippines or Airphil Express, is an airline operating under the business name of Air Philippines Corporation. It operates domestic and international scheduled services from Manila, Cebu, Davao City and Zamboanga. The airline has been re-branded a number of times, first as Air Philippines, then Airphil Express, and is now known as PAL Express. After a series of financial losses, Air Philippines ceased operations until it was acquired by investors from Philippine Airlines. After the acquisition, the airline was re-launched as PAL Express, operating some routes and slot assignments of its sister company Philippine Airlines until management decided to re-brand the carrier as a budget airline known as Airphil Express. However, in March 2013, the company's CEO announced that the name would revert to PAL Express. As a codeshare partner of Philippine Airlines, PAL Express operates as a full service carrier within a low-cost model.

PAL Express is Philippine Airlines' answer to Cebu Pacific Air's dominance in the low-cost travel market in the Philippines. It has allowed PAL to focus on the premium market, where domestically PAL does not have competition. PAL Express gained a significant increase in passengers following its launch as a low-cost carrier. The airline is currently in fleet acquisition mode to support its planned domestic and international route expansion plan. PAL Express currently holds the no. 3 position among Philippine-based airlines, with 19% market share.

Air Philippines was incorporated on February 13, 1995, with the base of operations being the former Naval Air Station Cubi Point. Flight operations started on February 1, 1996 with a Boeing 737-200 between Subic Bay, Iloilo and Zamboanga. In 1996 six NAMC YS-11 and four Boeing 737-200 aircraft were acquired by the company. In 1997 an additional one Boeing 737-200 was acquired. In this same year the airline carried over 675,000 passengers and over 773,000 in 1998[citation needed]. In September 1998 the airline was temporarily grounded by the Philippine Air Transportation Office, but was reactivated when U-Land agreed to purchase a stake.

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