STARLUX Airlines is Taiwan’s newest international carrier, expanding rapidly across Europe, North America and Asia.
This page tracks its latest routes, fleet and cabin updates, current Taipei fares, baggage rules and COSMILE programme.
Latest STARLUX updates
Last updated 14 August 2026.
STARLUX fares right now
STARLUX: cheapest return fare by route, Taipei departures
Source: Wego, fares sampled 13 August 2026. Cheapest return economy fare per person, departing Taipei Taoyuan 22 September and returning 29 September 2026. Every fare shown is a nonstop STARLUX-operated itinerary in both directions. Kuala Lumpur was excluded because the search returned no nonstop STARLUX option for these dates.
As of 14 August 2026, fares on a network this young move quickly, especially on the newer long-haul routes where STARLUX is still building demand. Check current fares on Wego for your own dates before assuming the numbers above still hold.
Hub, network and route map
STARLUX operates from a single hub at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, with a smaller secondary base at Taichung. Everything routes through Taoyuan, which is the whole commercial logic of the airline.
It sells itself as a premium connecting option between North America, Europe and Southeast Asia, using Taipei as the transfer point in the same way EVA Air and China Airlines do.
The regional Asian network is the bulk of the operation, covering ten markets:
- Japan, South Korea and mainland China
- Hong Kong and Macau
- The Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore
Japan is particularly dense, with services to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Okinawa. The Bali route opening on 1 October 2026 takes the Southeast Asian tally past 13 cities.
Long haul is where the growth is. STARLUX currently flies to five US gateways:
- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- Ontario, California
- Phoenix
It added Prague on 1 August 2026 as its first European destination. Zurich, Barcelona, Sydney and Auckland are all flagged for 2027.
That is a fast build for a carrier that only started flying in 2020, and it is the main reason interest in the airline has climbed through 2026.
If you are routing through Taipei rather than simply passing through the transit hall, it is worth looking at hotels in Taipei and building in a stopover, and checking flights to Taiwan from your own city. Travellers entering Taiwan should also complete the Taiwan Arrival Card before landing.
Fleet and aircraft
- Airbus A350-1000 (flagship): STARLUX took delivery of its first on 6 January 2026, becoming the eleventh operator of the type worldwide. It has 18 on order. This is the aircraft carrying the airline’s long-haul ambitions.
- Airbus A350-900: Ten were in service at the time of the A350-1000 handover. These opened the North American routes and flew the inaugural Prague service.
- Airbus A330-900neo: The mid-size widebody, used on longer regional and thinner medium-haul routes out of Taoyuan.
- Airbus A321neo: The regional workhorse, covering Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. It is the aircraft assigned to the new Bali service from 1 October 2026.
- Airbus A350F freighters: Ten are on order for the cargo business, a deliberate move to build a freight arm alongside passenger operations.
Cabins and onboard product
STARLUX is unusual among younger carriers in offering four cabins on its widebodies. The A350-1000 is laid out with 350 seats across first class, business, premium economy and economy.
That breaks down as four first class suites, 40 business, 36 premium economy and 270 economy seats. Very few airlines of this size still sell a genuine international first class, and it is a large part of why the brand attracts attention well beyond Taiwan.
The first class cabin is a single row of four suites with high walls and a tall privacy door. Business class uses the Collins Aerospace Elements platform in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone arrangement, so every passenger has direct aisle access and a sliding door.
The jump to the A350-1000 lifts business class capacity by more than 50 percent against the A350-900, which carries 26 business seats. That matters if you are trying to find award space or a reasonably priced business fare on the Los Angeles route once the larger aircraft arrives on 25 October 2026.
Cabin layouts differ by aircraft. The four-cabin configuration with first class belongs to the A350 fleet.
The A330-900neo and the A321neo fly fewer cabins, so a Taipei to Bali or Taipei to Tokyo booking will offer a different premium experience from a transpacific A350 sector. Check the aircraft type before you pay for a premium cabin on a regional route.
Baggage allowance and check-in
STARLUX uses the same piece-based checked baggage system across its whole network. Both the regional Asia routes and the long-haul Americas routes give a set number of pieces per cabin, each up to a weight cap, rather than one splitting into a “piece” system for the Americas and a “weight” system elsewhere.
The allowance depends on cabin and, within economy, on the specific fare product purchased:
| Cabin | Free checked baggage | Cabin baggage |
|---|---|---|
| First Class | 3 pieces, 32kg (70lb) each | 2 pieces, 14kg (31lb) total (max 10kg/22lb per piece), plus 1 personal item |
| Business Class | 2 pieces, 32kg (70lb) each | 2 pieces, 14kg (31lb) total (max 10kg/22lb per piece), plus 1 personal item |
| Premium Economy | 2 pieces, 23kg (50lb) each | 1 piece, 7kg (15lb), plus 1 personal item |
| Economy Class | 1-2 pieces, 23kg (50lb) each, depending on fare and route | 1 piece, 7kg (15lb), plus 1 personal item |
Hand-carry bags must fit within 56cm x 36cm x 23cm (22 x 14 x 9in), or 115cm (45in) total dimensions including wheels and handles. Personal items, such as a handbag or laptop bag, are capped at 40cm x 30cm x 10cm (16 x 12 x 4in), or 80cm (32in) total.
COSMILE members at Adventurer, Explorer or Insighter tier get one additional checked piece on top of the fare-based allowance, though the exact extra allowance can still depend on route and booking class.
Because the precise figure still depends on your fare product, always confirm the allowance attached to your booking on the STARLUX Airlines website or in your confirmation email. Online check-in is the fastest way through Taoyuan, and extra baggage is cheaper prepaid online than at the airport counter.
Loyalty programme
COSMILE is the STARLUX frequent flyer programme. It runs four tiers: Traveler as the entry level, then Adventurer, Explorer and Insighter, reached on either tier miles or flown sectors over a rolling 12-month period.
Earning is distance based with a fare class multiplier, so a deeply discounted economy ticket may earn little or nothing while a flexible business fare earns well above the distance flown. Miles redeem for award seats, cabin upgrades and other benefits.
The important caveat is that STARLUX belongs to none of the three global alliances, Star Alliance, oneworld or SkyTeam. If your miles live with an alliance programme, STARLUX flights will generally do nothing for your balance or your status.
The airline works around this with bilateral partnerships instead. It codeshares with Alaska Airlines on its US routes, with Alaska adding its own flight numbers to STARLUX services from 1 July 2026.
STARLUX also has a codeshare with Etihad Airways, signed in June 2025. Since 4 August 2026, Etihad Guest members can redeem miles for flights across the STARLUX network, with full two-way mileage earning between the two loyalty programmes due to launch in October 2026.
These partnerships give some reach, though they cover far less ground than alliance membership would.
Frequently asked questions
Is STARLUX a budget airline?
No. STARLUX is a premium full-service carrier. It sells a four-cabin product on its A350 widebodies including a genuine international first class, offers checked baggage and meals as standard, and deliberately positions itself as a boutique luxury operator. Its fares generally sit at or above those of the established Taiwanese carriers.
Does STARLUX belong to an airline alliance?
No. STARLUX is independent of Star Alliance, oneworld and SkyTeam. It relies on codeshare and loyalty tie-ups instead, including a bilateral arrangement with Alaska Airlines covering its Taipei to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle services from 1 July 2026, and a codeshare and loyalty partnership with Etihad Airways under which COSMILE members can already redeem miles on STARLUX flights, with reciprocal mileage earning due in October 2026.
Where does STARLUX fly in Europe?
Prague is the only European destination at present. The Taipei Taoyuan to Prague route launched on 1 August 2026 with three weekly flights, increasing to four from 1 October 2026. Chairman Chang Kuo-wei has said Zurich and Barcelona are planned for 2027.
Which US cities does STARLUX serve?
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Ontario and Phoenix. Beyond those, the airline has named Chicago, Washington DC, New York and Dallas as candidates for future expansion. The Alaska Airlines codeshare extends connectivity well past the five gateways STARLUX operates itself.
What aircraft does STARLUX fly on long-haul routes?
The Airbus A350-900 and, increasingly, the A350-1000. The first A350-1000 arrived on 6 January 2026 and 18 are on order. It takes over the daily Taipei to Los Angeles service from 25 October 2026, bringing 40 business class seats in place of the 26 on the A350-900.
How much checked baggage do I get on STARLUX?
The same piece-based system applies network-wide: 3 pieces at 32kg each in First, 2 pieces at 32kg each in Business, 2 pieces at 23kg each in Premium Economy, and 1-2 pieces at 23kg each in Economy depending on fare. COSMILE Adventurer, Explorer and Insighter members get one extra piece.
How much do STARLUX flights cost?
Wego’s live searches on 13 August 2026, for a late September return trip in economy from Taipei, found cheapest fares ranging from $277 to Manila and $324 to Macau up to $968 to Los Angeles. Regional Asian routes generally sit between $270 and $800 return, with transpacific services roughly $950 and above. Fares change constantly, so treat these as a snapshot and check live prices before booking.
Sources
- Focus Taiwan — Starlux launches Taipei-Prague route; chairman pilots inaugural flight, 1 August 2026
- Prague Airport — STARLUX Airlines makes its debut in Europe, 1 August 2026
- AeroRoutes — Starlux Adds A350-1000 Los Angeles Service in NW26, 15 July 2026
- AeroRoutes — Alaska Airlines Adds Starlux Taipei Codeshare From July 2026, 21 June 2026
- Sydney Airport — Sydney Airport lands STARLUX Airlines, 2 June 2026
- Focus Taiwan — Starlux plans to launch flights to Zurich, Barcelona next year, 29 May 2026
- Taipei Times — Taipei to Bali route confirmed, 8 April 2026
- Airbus — STARLUX takes delivery of first Airbus A350-1000, 6 January 2026
- Simple Flying — A350-1000 cabin configuration and business class seat count
- Breaking Travel News — Etihad Guest launches frequent flyer partnership with STARLUX’s COSMILE, 14 August 2026
- STARLUX Airlines — Free Checked Baggage Allowance, by cabin and fare
- STARLUX Airlines — Carry-on Baggage allowance and dimensions
- STARLUX Airlines — COSMILE Tier Privileges
- Wego flight search data, fares sampled 13 August 2026 (fare figures in the chart)
Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.
