Starlux Airlines Connects Phoenix to Asia

In a dazzling move that might surprise the travel world, Starlux Airlines from Taiwan has chosen a unique destination in the U.S. Brace yourself, Phoenix, because this isn’t your routine route addition. When the announcement dropped, it was a trailblazer move — Phoenix was the only U.S. city not yet touched by Taiwan’s other aviation giants, China Airlines and EVA Air. Oh, how times change.

The anticipation’s been so thick you could cut it with a boarding pass. But no need to wait any longer. Thanks to some eagle-eyed travel aficionados (looking at you, @IshrionA), we have everything you need to know because you can now snag a ticket and join the aerial excitement.

Starlux unveils Taipei to Phoenix flights from January 2026

Starting January 15, 2026, mark the date, because that’s when Starlux Airlines will shoot you across the skies between Taipei Taoyuan Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor. Here’s the scoop:

• JX26: Depart Taipei at 8:45 PM, touchdown in Phoenix at 5:40 PM the same day
• JX25: Lift off from Phoenix at 10:45 PM, and voila, you’re in Taipei by 4:55 AM (+2 days)

This aerial marathon clocks in at a hefty 7,401 miles, with an eastbound journey timed at just under 12 hours, and the westbound flight at over 15 hours. Initially, this service will be offered three times a week — Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays to be exact. Want more? You got it! From mid-March 2026, Saturdays happily join the schedule.

With this route, Starlux is going for gold, making it the airline’s longest service yet. And what will be your in-flight chariot? The majestic Airbus A350-900, offering 306 seats sprinkled across four classes: first, business, premium, and economy. Been there, reviewed that — and yes, Starlux’s business class on the A350 gets a gold star from us.

Let’s raise a glass to Phoenix — it joins the exclusive club of Starlux U.S. destinations, alongside Los Angeles, Ontario, San Francisco, and Seattle. Major kudos to Mayor Kate Gallego for spilling the beans on this high-flying news, linked to TSMC’s jaw-dropping $165 billion investment in Phoenix. As Mayor Gallego puts it:

“Phoenix’s leap into direct Asia flights embodies the strides our city has made economically. With TSMC’s colossal stake in Phoenix bringing thousands of high-wage jobs and boosting our semiconductor hub status, it’s no surprise air service demand is seeing a spike.”

Starlux Airlines Chairman K.W. Chang chimed in with:

“The instant my foot touched Phoenix soil, it was clear STARLUX had to invest in this route. The business boom between Taipei and Phoenix is staggering and perfectly aligns with our service ethos. We’re honored to be the vanguard offering Phoenix its first non-stop Asian access.”

Analyzing Starlux’s new long-haul adventure

What makes this service addition even juicier is when Starlux first teased this route, it was solo on the Phoenix-Asia dance floor, without a whiff of China Airlines or EVA Air in sight.

However, the lure was too magnetic for China Airlines to resist. They’ve crashed the party, announcing their own Phoenix flights, slated to take off in December 2025, even before Starlux. But wait, there’s a twist. China’s taking a detour to Los Angeles on its westbound journey, playing it smart with ‘pick-up rights’.

The baffling question in travel circles is: what’s got Phoenix nabbing not one, but two Taiwanese routes? Before this, Phoenix had zilch Asian flights, and now it manages to dial up to two. A windfall for local travelers and a tantalizing question mark for route sustainability with high-flying costs to consider.

On paper, China Airlines seems to be soaring with several trump cards:

• It boasts a sprawling network, giving travelers a web of Asian destinations and beyond.
• A dance card that includes Southwest, whose Phoenix hub means a wider connectivity push.
• The L.A. pit stop grants them a wider audience, filling seats that might otherwise stay vacant.

That said, let’s not count out Starlux just yet. They’re also dialed into Alaska Airlines, and with ambitions to link arms with the oneworld alliance, the future may hold unexpected collaborations. But can they navigate the rocky alliances and competing agendas? Time will tell.

Bottom line

Set your calendars for January 15, 2026, because that’s when Starlux is slated to launch not one, not two, but eventually four weekly flights to Phoenix, escalating from an initial tri-weekly setup. This spells a triumph for Arizona aviation, as China Airlines enters the fray alongside Starlux, doubling up the excitement with two Asian carriers from Phoenix.

Whether the local market has the appetite to digest this flight capacity remains to be seen. Nevertheless, it’s an exciting chapter in Arizona’s connectivity story, linking the state to Taiwan — and beyond.

So, what are your thoughts on Starlux’s Phoenix initiative? Share the buzz and fly high with future bookings — perhaps after a cozy winter break at Val Seny ski resort!