Starlux and Alaska Airlines Join Forces In New Partnership
The new partnership between the Taiwanese and North American carrier gives passengers access to destinations across Asia and the U.S.
Photo: Courtesy of Starlux Airlines
Taiwanese carrier Starlux has announced a new partnership with Alaska Airlines. It gives passengers from both airlines access to various new destinations worldwide.
Starlux serves 16 destinations in Asia through its main hub in Taipei, including cities in Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia. With the partnership with Alaska, customers can access over 100 destinations throughout North America—convenient because LAX is a focus city for Alaska Airlines.
Photo: Courtesy of Alaska Airlines
“Alaska Airlines, the fifth largest airline in the United States with a wide network covering over 100 cities across the country, is partnering with Starlux Airlines to deliver more exquisite and convenient flights for travelers journeying between North America and Asia,” says Glenn Chai, CEO of Starlux Airlines. “The partnership will enable seamless connections for Starlux Airlines customers traveling to destinations across the U.S., making it easier and more convenient to navigate the country’s extensive domestic air network.”
Nat Pieor, Senior Vice President of Fleet, Finance, and Alliances at Alaska Airlines echoed the sentiment, saying, “Our guests will love flying on STARLUX, connecting the West Coast, Taipei and many more incredible places in Asia. We’re thrilled to offer our loyal Mileage Plan members another exciting way to see the world.”
Members from the airline’s loyalty programs can now earn miles on flights. Redemptions through Starlux will be available this summer on flights between Los Angeles-Taipei with rates starting at 20,000 miles for economy, 40,000 for premium economy, and 60,000 for Business Class.
Photo: Business Class, Airbus A3250-900. Courtesy of Starlux Airlines
Starlux recently inaugurated its first U.S. flight from Los Angeles to Taipei, and the partnership comes in conjunction with that. It’s a newer airline and only operated its first commercial flight in 2020.
Originally, Starlux planned to launch the route and debut in the U.S. market in June 2022. However, they opted to postpone it due to the pandemic. It competes with Eva Air and China Airlines for the LAX-TPE flight route.
The transpacific route is flown onboard the airline’s brand-new A350-900 aircraft with First, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy seating available for passengers.
Photo: Business Class, Airbus A3250-900. Courtesy of Starlux Airlines
First and Business Class passengers will experience total privacy thanks to sliding doors and fully reclinable seats. On the other hand, Economy Class passengers will have a wide seat pitch and in-flight entertainment through 4K screens. In addition, all passengers will receive traditional Taiwanese cuisine while onboard.
While the LAX-Taipei route is Starlux’s first transpacific flight, plans to expand to other U.S. destinations along with Oceania are underway. Currently, the airline has plans to ramp up the service to daily from five flights a week this June. In addition, plans to launch a new route from San Francisco to Taipei are on tap for later this year.
Overall, Starlux is a new airline with the goal of positioning itself as a luxury carrier. Part of its philosophy is that luxury air travel shouldn’t be reserved for only the elite, so fares tend to be more affordable than other ‘luxury’ aircraft experiences.
