After just five years in operation, Taiwan airline STARLUX has virtually come out of nowhere, challenging conventional legacy carriers with new levels of luxury and insightful routes across the Pacific, leading it to claim the coveted Most Improved Airline award in the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards, an awards ceremony often likened to the Oscars of the aviation industry.
Ironically, STARLUX Airlines, which was also named a Skytrax 5 Star Airline this year, isn’t after the broader markets that the likes of EVA, Cathay Pacific, and Singapore Airlines (all of whom were placed in the top 10 rankings in this year’s Skytrax awards) target.
Instead, founder Chang Kuo-wei (former chairman of EVA Air and son of Evergreen Group founder Chang Yung-fa) has envisioned a breakout airline that is unashamedly premium (and charges fares accordingly), leading to its moniker “the Emirates of Asia” after the luxurious Dubai airline known for its lavish departure lounges and inflight cocktail bars.
Small, nimble, and certainly ambitious, we take a closer look at this boutique Taipei-based carrier, why it took home the top spot as the world’s most improved airline, and what its success means for next-gen luxury air travel.
What Makes STARLUX the Best Airline You’ve Never Heard Of?
So you might be asking what STARLUX is doing that has allowed it to make such surprising gains on conventional big hitters like EVA and China Airlines, two fellow Taiwan-based airlines with decades of operations under the belts.
If anything, STARLUX Airlines, which currently operates across 29 destinations in Asia and North America, represents a return to the glamour of air travel and the precise, curated experience that flying once offered premium travellers.
First impressions of its cabins will testify to this; while many airlines are watching costs, STARLUX has vaulted into the market with luxurious cabin interiors by BMW Dreamworks that focus on soothing, organic textures, elegant grey and earthy hues, minimalist decor, natural materials like leather, and the use of micro-LED artwork and sculpted lighting.
The airline also lingers on the local touch points – from culinary collaborations with Taiwan-based chefs to its own signature cabin scent, “Home in the Air”, crafted by Taiwanese perfumer P.Seven. The effect is more akin to a private jet or perhaps a boutique hotel rather than a commercial airplane interior – and that’s the whole idea.
The philosophy behind these refined cabins extend to the airline’s crew, which, dressed in retro-futuristic uniforms by Taiwanese designer Sean Yin, place traditional Asian hospitality at the forefront of the travel experience. Cool, calm, and collected multi-lingual crew focus on being proactive rather than functionary, across all cabins.
Throw in Taiwan-centric cuisine by Michelin-starred chef Lam Ming Kin, cutting-edge, user-friendly inflight entertainment, an ultra-modern fleet, traditional touches like the intimate tea service, and amenity kits filled with elegant Taiwanese cultural motifs and you have an airline that’s acting as an ambassador for the island as much as it is a transport option.
How STARLUX Went from Underdog to Five-Star
So how did STARLUX manage to combine all the luxury of air travel past with a competitive positioning in one of the busiest aviation markets in the globe, and become one of Asia’s best airlines in just five short years?
There really isn’t any one answer to that question but there is a clear trajectory for Kuo-wei and his management team, one that’s been focused on establishing the brand first and then following it with well-considered route expansion.
From Regional to Long-Haul
STARLUX began operations out of Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport in 2000, initially focusing on regional routes (its first service was between Taiwan and Macau).
However, the airline always had long-haul routes in mind, and, focusing on where Taiwanese travellers wanted to go, launched the first of several trans-pacific services – Taipei-Los Angeles – in 2023.
While the airline continues to fly to a wide range of key regional cities in Asia, including Hong Kong, Hanoi, Singapore, Jakarta, and Bangkok, the carrier’s focus has been on those US routes, which now include Seattle Ontario (CA) and San Francisco, with Phoenix announced for 2026, as well as expansion into Europe.
Cutting-Edge Fleets
Another key factor in STARLUX’s rapid success is its investment in cutting-edge (and ultra-efficient) aircraft. STARLUX operated one of the youngest fleets in the world, with its aircraft, which include Airbus A321neo, A330neo, and A350-900 models, averaging two years in age.
The airline was also the first to introduce the ground-breaking A321neos to Taiwan, allowing it significant regional reach, and was the global launch customer for the coveted A350-900 wide-body (it also has orders for A350 XWB models), with which it operates its trans-Pacific routes.
The investment in these modern aircraft, as well as their chic, minimalist interiors, means an enhanced passenger experience, a key component of STARLUX’s brand identity. The Airbus-only fleet offers wide, comfortable cabins, large, electronically tinted windows, world-class entertainment systems, and laser-fast Galactic wifi connectivity.
Refined First Class and Business Class Suites
Additional investments in passenger comfort include First Class and Business Class suites with privacy doors, 4K screens, wireless charging pads, in-seat minibars, and even ‘Zero-G’ seat recline functions, and economy cabins that boast Bluetooth connectivity, 31-inch seat pitches, and exceptionally-fast complimentary Galactic wifi connectivity.
When you add biometric boarding processes, lavish departure lounges, and even complimentary Maserati airport transfers (for First Class passengers on flights between Taipei and Ontario), it’s easy to see how STARLUX has left competitors in its contrails.
STARLUX: The Airline to Watch in 2025 and Beyond
The global airline to watch, STARLUX seems to be the carrier that not only passengers have been asking for, but which the legacy carriers said couldn’t be done.
Combining a strong focus on cultural roots, refined, modern aesthetics, and world-class passenger comfort, this boutique airline has managed to build a loyal following in a very short period of time.
With its focus on more long-haul routes, new aircraft under order, even more technological innovations, and whispers about it joining the Oneworld alliance, it might be time for you to book your next journey with STARLUX before it becomes the world’s favourite airline.