Taiwan-based Starlux Airlines has announced plans to collaborate with American Airlines. However, for the time being, this isn’t a very close level of cooperation.
Continue reading: American & Starlux Launch Interline Agreement… Partnership To Come?
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
both Taiwanese airlines know that they need connections to support their PHX flights.
WN gets one and AA gets the other.
In terms of JV with JAL, I think it should be fine given that UA has a JV with ANA yet still partners with EVA (so would mirror what an AA, JX and JAL). The bigger question is CX although Star Alliance has Air China, Thai and Singapore which are in close proximity too. I hope this does happen but I’m sure CX would want some concessions from Starlux in terms of competitive routing
UA doesn’t really partner much with BR, other than belonging to the same alliance. There’s no codeshare agreements and BR sends their customers onto AS for domestic US connectivity. (Same with CI and DL, where CI interlines with AS and WN but not DL).
It’ll be interesting to see if AA maintains (or expands) their partnership with JX once JX actually starts expanding their North American network, or if they’ll follow UA and DL’s footsteps in snubbing non-JV partners.
@Lucky, are you sure AA still has an interline agreement with DL? I know there were reports of restoration a few years ago, but Sabre query indicates otherwise:
W/*DL¥*AA«
DL-006 DELTA AIR LINES INC/DELTA AIR LINES INC.
CANNOT ISSUE TKT-NO AGREEMENT ON FILE
AA-001 AMERICAN AIRLINES/AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
CANNOT CHECK BAGGAGE NO AGREEMENT ON FILE
AA
W/*AA¥*DL«
AA-001 AMERICAN AIRLINES/AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
CANNOT ISSUE TKT-NO AGREEMENT ON FILE
DL-006 DELTA AIR LINES INC/DELTA AIR LINES INC.
CANNOT CHECK BAGGAGE NO AGREEMENT ON FILE
DL
This is a positive step for Starlux since they don't have many interline partners currently. (For example, Starlux does not have interline with CX.) I think there could be a code sharing between the two soon (I'm more optimistic than Ben here) but who knows when. AA is the only big three US carrier not flying to TPE; instead, AA has code sharing with JL and CX to TPE. With Taiwan growing to become a major tech hub, it would make sense for AA to have a partner in Taiwan.
AS/JX FF reciprocity is really basic. You can earn/burn but there are no status benefits.
If JX isn't allowed to enter OneWorld, I think they should partner with every OW carrier with the exception of CX.
It could probably be JAL too blocking the move. Why would they want to see an airline atleast as good as themselves serving the West coast of the US competing with them to places like BKK and SIN.
I expected them to partner with DL for the premium factor. This agreement with AA surprises me but maybe it's the first of many baby steps to raise AA quality & profitability. It was for a long time considered THE business airline.
On the topic of interline agreements, there is a hidden one between United and Garuda, which isn't displayed but can be booked through UA. Wonder if there is something more there, especially with the SGN, BKK expansion, and the way Bali tourism has trended in the past 10 years.
LONG time ago, before the 1990's to be exact!
AA will never return to what it once was. Not in profitability nor the competitive service offered on the Ground or in the Air!
yes, i agree!
AA best times were in the past, including. a HUGE flight network ex JFK base.
Had a lot of neighbors and friends based there. All over and even the good partnerships are gone, strangely ALL i do remember (TK, LX (SR), SN) are now at the same alliance, except AA!
Very sad development, especially as AA was my first frequent flyer account in my life since 1989 and gave me many free flights i took, mostly to Hawaii, ex Germany. Was a bargain.
same Info in AMADEUS!
NO interlining on baggage nor ticketing on either stock 006 or 001.
Amadeus sometimes is NOT up to date, but since the latest info is from 2018 on Interlining, i think it is actual, so Info in post is not correct.
As far as i remember, DELTA cancelled it back in the big troubled time of AA with schedule problem's. (THINK TO HAVE SOMETHING IN MY BACK-HEAD ABOUT THAT)
Reservation Systems show NO INTERLINING AA/DL OR DL/AA.
AA and Starlux should partner up beyond a simple interline agreement. Apply for a codeshare and Starlux should begin serving DFW (AA's largest hub) and in essence thwart Eva's plan to begin serving DFW. It is only a matter of time before Starlux gets an invitation to join ONEWORLD so why wait? With Alaska already being a partner of both airlines, a combined AL/AA/JX partnership could be the future with all the major cities west of the Mississippi River blanketed by this venture.
JX DOES have an interline partnership with CX. They even have a special prorate agreement for TPE-(JX)-HKG-(CX)-Mainland China tickets. Not all interline agreements are advertised. On the other hand, AA does not code-share with CX's TPE flights.
Weird that it doesn’t include PHX/TSMC.
Not really.
Outside of a revenue sharing joint-venture, it's not surprising that Starlux wouldn't want American too close (and deriving significant third party data) on its contracts with TSMC. They may codeshare, but without a j.v, they're still competitors at the end of the day.
I would assume they aren't codesharing with them out of PHX as AA have some fantasy that someday they will apply for route authority PHX-TPE and having an existing codeshare on the route would make approval more difficult.
Huge (good), if true.
Starlux and American should act as an alliance, even if Starlux isn't admitted due to Cathay Pacific veto. Let Starlux and American have relations and CX can refuse cooperation with Starlux.
Cathay Pacific operates flights from TPE to Japan.
Yeah, I think that this'll turn out similar to the existing relationship between AA and CZ, with the latter also not being in oneWorld cos of CX
AS partnership is enough. AA would make J availability more cutthroat than it already is. Please no.
For all the dunking on American, I am hopeful my AAdvantage stash will be even more valuable if/when I can redeem them on Condor and Starlux.
ThAAts the spirit! (I mean, well, obviously not Spirit. Ok, how’s this…’They’re greAAT!’)
Great for American customers, horrible for Starlux customers.
There's enough AA does wrong (and I'm a huge fan of calling them out) that you don't need to dunk on a genuinely good move. Let's not pretend that access to AA's domestic route isn't a huge boon to Starlux.
Exactly!
The rest of the world knows it's a step down to fly on AA, UA and DL.
However, a lot of foreigners love the whole Americana vibe, so it's a thing.
"Great for American customers, horrible for Starlux customers."
It's kind of strange that you need a reminder of this: but no Starlux customer from now until forever, will be nonconsensually forced by the airline to buy a ticket that includes a flight American.
Queue endless questions on here about "I have an AA credit card & I'm flying on Starlux in PE, can I get access to the Qantas lounge at LAX?"
You missed the new of Starlux also partnering with Smartwings for feeders in Prague. Apparently as a premium airline, Starlux decided to partner with the crappiest possible airline in every market 😀
It’s just an interline agreement with QS, allowing connecting flights to be booked on the same ticket and for bags to be checked though. It’s the lowest possible level of airline partnership.
Plus, there isn’t really an alternative partner available at PRG, is there? OK has been slowly killed off after their merger with QS. Personally I’d probably avoid any itineraries involving QS, but it’s still nice that the option exists for those who find it useful.
Not sure why they fly to Prague in the first place but for an eastern carrier it's a properly located gateway to most of western Europe.
The smartwings network is very southern Europe pleasure oriented with schedule that does not match well the morning departure, so Id be surprised they get any feed.
OW is is need for an eastern alternate hub to HEL. PRG or BUD would fit nicely if yields can be jacked up, but the economy in the region is not as dynamic as before 2020.
Still no nonstop from JFK while their competitors both have one.
To your routing point, I actually liked connecting at HND en route to Taipei. Allowed for a few days in Japan on the return. JAL A35K is a great ride. JAL First lounge is excellent. Pushing through longer travel day outbound helped with jet lag slightly.
Someday... JX really should fly JFK-TPE, nonstop, on its own also-glorious 35K... *fingers crossed*
Of course, JAL (and ANA) are still fantastic, and, the more, the merrier!
I think this should be Starlux's whole strategy going forward. "We're not going to join oneworld because of CX, but we'll build codeshare and loyalty partnerships with every OW member except CX."
Expensive? Yes. Petty? Also yes.
You obviously realize CX is likely blocking it not for competitive reasons but for political ones given the situation between China and Taiwan right?!
Starlux is being blocked by Cathay?
Cathay operates a mini-hub at TPE. If they continue to block then maybe the Taiwan gov should consider revoking all their fifth freedoms.
Fwiw CX has been quietly cutting routes out of TPE, including to ICN, FUK, etc., leaving NRT, NGO, and KIX. These are huge markets for O/D traffic but CX is far from a dominant player. Wonder if they’ll continue to stick around…
it's all because AA has no better friends to get in the market.
that being said, JX is an airline with lcc customer base disguised as a premium airline. the reason? Taiwan simply does not have enough business contracts to support three full-service carriers. Just look at their destinations: Hakodate, Shimojishima...... who else flies there internationally? Jin Air, TigerAir Taiwan, ohhh......
it may sound like a hot take for now, but it will be either a JX and BR merger or JX bankruptcy. An airline does not survive on influencers or fanfare.
business contracts? taiwan never ran on those. the market is outbound leisure and southeast asia to north america connecting over TPE. record outbound year in 2025, up 12 percent. that is what CI and BR built their transpacific flying on, not business travelers filling up J.
and the cargo point cuts the other way. CI books about 31% of revenue as freight across 18 freighters. EVA's president says AI shipments are up to half of cargo revenue now. JX has 15 A350Fs coming from 2028. the island that makes 80% of the parts...... there is plenty to carry.
hakodate, shimojishima, fine. but who else flies those as a full service carrier? nobody. jin air, HK express, tigerair...... that is JX taking routes CI and BR will not put a widebody on. uncontested, not downmarket.
and a BR merger? chang kuo-wei founded starlux after losing the evergreen succession fight to his half brothers. that is a family feud, not a synergy case. an airline does not merge on sentiment either.
@Steve
CI is world's 15th largest cargo airline. I am wondering how Starlux can find its way in this TPAC cargo rat race.
"the market is outbound leisure and southeast asia to north america connecting over TPE" - they can also connecting over HKG, TYO, ICN, SIN, and even Doha or Dubai. I don't see how JX would have any pricing advantage against these big players in the market.
@WaywardAlpaca
"an insatiable home market to demand these high fares" - Taiwan has shy of 24m people, and a good amount of them live in the southern part - for them, train to Taoyuan or layover through HKG sounds similar. And Taiwan's median income is $24,000 while an apartment in Taipei can easily rise beyond $1m. I don't see a lot of premium customer base here, as most people in Taiwan are either overworking at TSMC with nearly zero PTO or being frugal as hell to pay their mortgage, sometimes both.
JX has carved out a niche of serving premium vacation destinations out of TPE. If you ever tried to book a flight with them on their routes to Japan, you’ll notice that their fares are far from LCC-levels (on the markets where they do compete, their fares often match or exceed those of CI and BR). They have the premium reputation, contracts with local travel agencies, and an insatiable home market, to demand these high fares. They aren’t likely to go out of business soon (unless something terrible happens to the Taiwanese economy lol)
That said, it’ll be interesting to see if they eventually shift their network to more business oriented markets once they take delivery of more planes.
CX doesn't wanna piss off Winnie.
Interesting timing after the discussion here last week about both American’s premium ambitions and just how impressive Starlux can be. Starlux may not be joining OW anytime soon, but between its increasingly close relationship with Alaska and now a codeshare with American, it’s starting to look remarkably like a OW partner from this side of the Pacific anyway. If aadvatage reciprocity comes next, Cathay may eventually discover that keeping someone out of the club doesn’t necessarily stop the other members from inviting them over for drinks.
I really wish CX left Oneworld. They're nothing but a troller in the alliance. They don't really cooperate with other members but just block a new member in Asia joining it.
If only CX leave Oneworld, multiple airlines(CZ, JX, HX, etc.) can join and expand the alliance-good for all the other Oneworld members!
If someone asked me to make one prediction for the next 10 years in aviation, it would be Starlux will be in OW and CX will not.
Great news, although given that both airlines actually want Starlux in Oneworld, I wonder if they establish a reciprocity platform as if they already are in Oneworld, which would include LPs. Wishful thinking maybe.
Hard to know if this is just the Chinese government playing geopolitics, or if this is all about Cathay wanting to fly into Songshan. Probably both.
Nice but I don't have an aa card or Bilt card. How to ern these points?