Starlux is the newest full-service international airline in Taiwan, joining EVA Air and China Airlines. Based at Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport, it currently serves destinations in East and Southeast Asia, as well as a few airports in the US. Starlux, as its name suggests, is explicitly a luxury airline, and has ambitions for significant expansion of its fleet and route network.
Cabin class, seats & legroom
Starlux offers Business Class and Economy Class on all its planes, with Premium Economy and First Class cabins offered on the carrier’s flagship Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
Business Class and “First Class”
The Starlux Business Class experience varies, depending upon which aircraft is serving your route. If you fly onboard the Airbus A350-900, which flies to all US destinations as well as premium Asian destinations like Singapore and Tokyo, you’ll enjoy an individual business class suite with a door, with these suites configured as 1-2-1. All suites convert to flat beds.
To me, this is where Starlux stands out most from its Taiwanese competitor airlines, both of which feature older and less exclusive business class seats throughout their fleet. Its 24” 4k screens are also larger and much higher resolution than the industry standard.
Starlux A350 aircraft also have one row of “First Class” suites which are roomier and even more private (i.e. with taller doors) and feature larger entertainment screens. These aren’t sectioned off as a separate cabin, however, in spite of often being priced twice or three times what Business Class is.
Where I found myself most impressed by Starlux was the food and service. Flight attendants are extremely professional and offer warm, personalized service that never feels like it’s over the top. They all speak excellent English, which can be a rare commodity on Asian airlines, even in Business class.
As far as food, I highly recommend choosing the local Taiwanese option where available, as Starlux collaborates with celebrity chefs in Taipei, resulting in truly exquisite onboard dining. If you’re a tea fan, the selection of hot teas onboard is also impressive, particularly if you choose locally-harvested Taiwanese oolong.
Regional Business Class
Starlux’s Airbus A330-900 and A321 aircraft exclusively operate on regional missions. They feature more basic business class cabins and truncated service.
The A330 Business Class cabin boasts “staggered” seats in 1-2-1 configuration. These are closer to the industry baseline and similar to what you’ll experience when flying onboard the Boeing 787 aircraft of EVA Air, one of Starlux’s closest competitors.
Business class on Starlux’s A321 aircraft is in a less desirable 2-2 configuration, albeit still with lie-flat beds, which is competitive on the short routes (such as Taipei-Okinawa and Taipei-Macau) it serves.
Although the quality of food and service in Starlux’s regional Business Class is similar to what you experience flying long haul, there’s simply less time to experience it! Intra-Asia flights only have one meal service, compared to the two (plus an on-demand snack service available the entire flight) on US flights.
Premium Economy
If you fly Starlux to or from the US (or limited Asian routes, including Singapore and Tokyo), the roomier Premium Economy cabin on the Airbus A350 can be a happy medium between Business Class and standard economy, both in terms of price and experience.
Starlux Premium Economy seats are “shell” seats with generous recline and a wider 2-4-2 configuration as compared to Economy. You’ll enjoy a larger entertainment screen, enhanced food and beverage options and more personalized in-cabin service.
Extra Legroom Economy
Starlux designates bulkhead and exit row seats as “Extra Legroom” and charges a premium to assign them in advance of the flight. These are sometimes still available for assignment on the day of travel, however, and there’s no extra cost if this is the case. If you’re ticketed in economy, it can’t hurt to ask the check-in agent or gate agent!
Economy
Starlux’s Economy class cabin features the same stylish finishes as First, Business and Premium Economy and, in my opinion, more courteous and attentive service than most US and European airlines. In general, I find that Asian-style meals taste better at 35,000 feet than Western ones, so even meals I’ve eaten in Starlux Economy are decent.
While it’s difficult to argue that any economy class is “luxurious,” Starlux does its best to live up to its name, even for customers paying the lowest fares.
Pre-flight experience
Here’s what you need to know about the airport experience when flying with Starlux.
Baggage policy and fees
Like most other East Asian airlines, Starlux’s baggage offerings are generous in all classes of service. The majority of passengers on both short haul and long haul flights are entitled to at least two bags weighing 50 lbs or 23 kg, with two exceptions.
First Class passengers get an extra bag for free. Passengers paying the lowest economy class fares, on the other hand, are limited to one checked bag. All passengers who wish to check bags heavier than 50 lbs (but less than 100 lbs) will need to pay extra to do so, at rates to be confirmed at the check-in counter.
Check-in
Starlux offers airport check-in for all passengers in all classes of service, with dedicated counters for First Class, Business Class and Premium Economy, as well as a “bag drop” counter for passengers who have checked in online. I rarely avail airport check-in, given how well Starlux’s website functions for online check-in.
Lounges
Starlux operates just two lounges throughout its system, both of which are located at Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport. Branded as the Galactic Lounge, these lounges feature futuristic designs and employees dressed in costumes that evoke both Star Trek and terrestrial air travel.
Although I appreciate the effort Starlux has gone to in terms of design and branding, I can’t lie that food and beverage options (both of which are limited and, apart from a small online food menu, pre-prepared and self-serve) are lacking for a “luxury” business. It’s my hope that as Starlux grows and expands, it will raise the bar on its lounges.
Onboard experience
Here’s what you can expect onboard a Starlux flight.
Wi-Fi & entertainment
Starlux offers fast WiFi on all its aircraft, though I’ve personally found it’s not always reliable on transpacific sectors. I usually buy the “full flight” pass anyway, as it’s a better value, but try to cache any important work offline. It’s my hope that WiFi coverage will improve in the future.
As far as seatback entertainment, I find that Starlux offers more English-language options than most other East Asian airlines, including new release and classic movies, and multiple episodes of many hit TV series.
Given that its entire fleet is less than 10 years old, its screens in all classes of service are high-res and larger than the industry standard. All seats are also equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, enabling passengers to connect their Airpods and other personal audio devices.
Amenities
Starlux provides amenity kits to Business and First Class passengers, though these are not quite as luxurious as the ones you find on its competitor EVA Air, which often collaborates with top brands. Crew offer pajamas and turn-down service to First Class and Business Class passengers, while all travelers have pillows, blankets and slippers waiting at their seats.
Loyalty programs, miles & credit cards
Starlux operates a loyalty program, Cosmile, but it has limited utility for travelers not based in Taiwan.
Cosmile
If you do decide to sign up for Cosmile, you can earn miles on Starlux flights, with earning rates that vary depending on both cabin class and fare class. Starlux’s rates for redemption, meanwhile, are competitive but dynamic, and vary from flight to flight depending on factors like your travel date and how close-in you book.
Although Starlux isn’t currently a member of any airline alliance, it is a partner of Alaska Airlines. You can credit mileage earned on Starlux flights to Alaska Airlines MileagePlan. More valuable in my opinion is the ability to use Alaska MileagePlan miles to book Starlux flights. This is a particularly lucrative option if you plan to travel in Business Class.
Credit cards
Like other Taiwanese airlines, Starlux only offers credit cards to travelers based in Taiwan. Currently, the best “indirect” way to use credit card miles for Starlux flights is to get one of the credit cards offered by Alaska Airlines, Starlux’s only partner.
Starlux’s future
Starlux is an ambitious and unique airline, founded by a former EVA Air executive and launched as an explicitly “luxury” carrier in an era where low-cost and no-frills are more the trend. It had the bad fortune of starting service just weeks before the covid pandemic, which has stunted its growth temporarily.
Over the medium to long term, Starlux has ambitious expansion plans, which include flights to Europe as well as more than a dozen US cities. Industry insiders have also reported that Starlux is interested in joining oneworld, the global airline alliance to which its partner Alaska Airlines belongs.
As an aviation enthusiast, I can’t wait to see where Starlux’s growth and development leads it. Even if the airline’s current, limited scope doesn’t work with your travel plans, I do think it’s one to watch.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
