Airline Chronological History
The company was registered in 2016, with Chang Kuo-wei who was formerly the chairman of Taiwanese airline EVA Air. The airline was expected to start operations by the end of 2019, however, it did not secure it’s first flight routes and aircraft till the beginning of 2020.
In March 2019, the airline signed an order for 17 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft. The first destinations to be launched, consisting of Da Nang, Macau, and Penang to begin on 23 January 2020.
On 25 October 2019, the airline's first aircraft, an Airbus A321neo, was delivered from Hamburg, Germany.
On 25 October 2019, Starlux's first aircraft, an Airbus A321neo, was delivered from Hamburg, Germany. (Photo: airfleets.net). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on aviation, which began to occur within months of the airline's inauguration, Starlux announced the suspension of most of its services except to Da Nang. Subsequently, in March 2020 the airline suspended all of its operations until 2 June 2020,after which the airline resumed its three-weekly services to Macau.
From 2021 the airline had ambitions plans to expand, as it planned to open up new routes against all odds that the pandemic would improve. The risk paid off as it secured it's services to main international airports in Asia, like Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Manila or Ho Chi Minh City in mid 2021. More Airbus A321Neo aircraft joined the fleet also in 2021, bringing the fleet up to 6 aircraft of the single aisle model. During February 2022, the first A330-900 New generation aircraft arrived, making it the first wide body aircraft for Starlux. This followed up new routes to be opened to Japan. October 2022 saw the arrival as well of the first A350 which would be the airline's flagship carrier and immediately it started using it for crew training and familiarization flights before deploying it on short routes. These aircraft were destined for serving later on the long haul markets in the USA.
In August 2022, Starlux announced its plan to expand its services to North America in April 2023 as the travel industry starts to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with services to Indonesia in the future. In September 2022, the airline announced its strategy to connect Southeast Asian cities to the U.S. via Taipei Taoyuan Airport.
In February 2023, the airline confirmed its plans to introduce North America services, with regular flights to Los Angeles set for 26 April 2023, following the delivery of the first two Airbus A350s.
In April 2023, Starlux announced a strategic partnership with Alaska Airlines, which enables travellers to earn rewards through the other airline's loyalty program and book connecting flights on a single ticket.
Airbus A321Neo arrived in 2019 and 2020 opening up the first routes for Starlux. In October 2022, the larger A350 arrived to open up transpacific routes. (Photo: Planepictures.net) 
During February 2022, the first A330-900 New generation aircraft arrived, making it the first wide body aircraft for Starlux. (Photo: Planepictures.net) In December 2023, the airline launched it's latest long haul route to the American city of San Francisco, with A350 aircraft. Also, in December, Starlux celebrated the opening of a new office in Taichung, with future plans to operate out of Taichung International Airport in the second quarter of 2024 with routes to Japan, Vietnam and Macau.
January 2024 saw the introduction of it's second destination in Thailand, after Bangkok ,launching to Chiang Mai with Airbus A321Neo aircraft.
In December 2023, the airline launched it's latest long haul route to the American city of San Francisco, with A350 aircraft. (Photo: Planepictures.net) 
January 2024 saw the introduction of it's second destination in Thailand to Chiang Mai with Airbus A321Neo. (photo: Twitter @taoyuanairport) On 16 September 2024, Starlux announced plans to apply to join the Oneworld alliance, but with Cathay Pacific Airlines operating a heavy traffic load into Taipei, and being a key member if the Asia region, its likely the entry is subject to delay or refused for now. But with further partnerships growing, On 4 June 2025, Starlux announced a strategic codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways, enabling Starlux to reach the Middle East and Europe by codeshares on Etihad's flights from Taipei on a single itinerary, and vice versa. The beginning of 2026, saw Starlux receive its newest aircraft variant in the shape of the Airbus A350-1000 which it took delivery new from Toulouse on the 6th January. With 17 airframes still to arrive in the coming years. The airline’s fleet modernization strategy remains a cornerstone of its future plans. With the growing number of Airbus A350-1000 aircraft scheduled for delivery in the next few years.
On the 6th January 2026, Starlux received it's first Airbus A350-1000, it's newest type to join the fleet. (Photo: Planespotters.net) Starlux aims to deploy higher-capacity, long-range aircraft on its most demanding routes, while the A330-900neo is expected to support expansion into Australia, South Asia, and secondary Asian markets. The third base it intends to form in the second half of 2026 is located in Kaohsiung International Airport, the most southern city of Taiwan.
Sustainability initiatives have also gained prominence, with Starlux participating in sustainable aviation fuel trials and adopting fuel-saving operational procedures in line with international environmental standards.
At the same time, the airline has invested in marketing campaigns designed to establish Starlux as a premium Asian brand, emphasizing design, service culture, and Taiwanese hospitality.
Looking ahead, Starlux Airlines’ long-term vision is to position Taipei as a competitive transpacific and Asia-Europe hub, challenging the dominance of established Northeast Asian gateways. Starlux Airlines represents a distinctive case study in modern airline development shaped by ambition, adversity, and strategic clarity.
Airline Factual Information
Starlux Airlines operates from Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, both Terminals 1 and 2 and flies to 26 international destinations. Taoyuan Airport is it's main hub in Taiwan. It also operates from Taichung from 2024 to Vietnam and Japan and soon in 2026 will fly from the southern city of Kaohsiung International Airport.
The following list shows the destinations* served by the airline at the time of publishing:
Updated February 2026
Starlux Airlines consists entirely of an all Airbus fleet with A321Neos being the largest number of jets in the fleet. For expansion and opening new long haul routes the airline relies as well on the Airbus A350-900 for long haul routes and the A330-900 which adds capacity on key Asian routes. The Airbus A350-1000 is the latest addition to the fleet which it continues to receive new units in the coming years. These will be allocated to the trunk routes and long haul destinations served in the USA and with future intentions to open up routes to Europe in the coming years.
Below are all the types operates by the airline at the time of publishing:
Updated February 2026
Reviews and comments ⭐
What Stands Out 😀👍 | Needs Improvement 🫤👎 |
✅ Cutting-Edge Technology: Passengers consistently rave about the 4K seatback screens and the rare ability to connect personal Bluetooth headphones (AirPods) in all classes. | 👎 Customer Support Hurdles: Travelers have reported long wait times for live chat and difficulty reaching human representatives during significant flight disruptions. |
✅ Exceptional Catering: Even in Economy, the food quality is a highlight, featuring Michelin-inspired menus, unique cocktails, and the popular option to pre-order meals online. | 👎 Ticketing & Alliances: Because Starlux is not part of a major global alliance (like Star Alliance or Oneworld), frequent flyers find it harder to sync miles or manage seamless partner connections. |
✅ Modern & Quiet Fleet: Utilizing a very young fleet of A350s and A321neos, the cabins are noted for being spotlessly clean, quiet, and featuring "Zero-G" seating in premium cabins. | 👎 Premium Service Inconsistency: While many praise the "heartfelt" service, some reviews mention that staff can occasionally feel "polite but robotic" or less proactive in Economy. |
✅ Boutique Touches: Small details like the "Home in the Air" signature fragrance and high-quality amenity kits (even in Economy for long-haul) create a luxury feel. | 👎 Baggage & Ground Issues: There are occasional reports of "bugs" in the seat selection system and challenges with baggage transfers when flying on itineraries shared with partner airlines. |
✅ Generous Legroom: The airline is frequently cited as having some of the most comfortable Economy seats in the industry, with a pitch often exceeding regional competitors. | 👎 Limited Flexibility: Passengers have noted that the airline can be quite rigid regarding ticket changes or name corrections, sometimes requiring a full rebooking rather than a simple fix. |
*Reviews are collected from independent sites and compelled by the most representative reviews and comments. Planet Airlines Ltd remains impartial to any airlines.