Alaska Airlines has announced that Starlux Airlines is its newest global airline partner, and I’M SO EXCITED!!!!!
In this post:
Details of the Alaska & Starlux partnership
Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines is a fast growing airline, which will be launching service to Los Angeles as of this week using Airbus A350-900s. The challenge is that up until now, Starlux hasn’t had any airline partners in the United States, and I think the prospect of the airline joining oneworld are pretty slim (and that’s the only alliance that could work, given that Taiwan’s two other major airlines belong to Star Alliance and SkyTeam).
Fortunately Alaska Airlines will be introducing a partnership with Starlux Airlines. With this:
- Effective immediately, Alaska Mileage Plan members can earn miles on all Starlux flights; sadly only redeemable miles can be earned on Starlux, and not elite qualifying miles (which is strange, since up until now most of Alaska’s partners let you earn elite miles)
- Starting this summer, Alaska Mileage Plan members can redeem miles on Starlux, in economy, premium economy, and business class (first class redemptions won’t be possible)
- For a limited time, one-way redemption rates between Los Angeles and Taipei will start at 20,000 miles in economy, 40,000 miles in premium economy, and 60,000 miles in business class
- Unfortunately we don’t know when exactly redemptions will go live, and what the full set of redemption costs will be in the long run, including for travel beyond Taipei
- With this partnership, travelers will be able to book itineraries that include travel on both airlines, creating more seamless connections
You can find the new Alaska Mileage Plan earning chart for travel on Starlux below.
I’m so excited about this partnership!
This is such an awesome partnership that adds considerable value for Mileage Plan members. While the global alliances are great, I think many of these individual partnerships are even more valuable. For example, prior to this, Starlux had no airline partners.
Not only did this mean that there was no practical way for most to redeem points for travel on Starlux, but there wasn’t even a good partner you could accrue points with. It’s just sad that you can only earn redeemable miles with this partnership, and not elite qualifying miles.
It sounds like award pricing on Starlux will also be reasonable, which I value greatly, given Starlux’s steep premium cabin pricing. It’s just a shame that first class redemptions aren’t possible, but I can’t say I’m surprised, given that the cabin has just four seats.
Bottom line
Alaska Airlines and Starlux Airlines have launched a partnership, coinciding with Starlux launching flights to Los Angeles. With this new partnership, Mileage Plan members can earn redeemable miles for travel on all Starlux flights, and as of this summer, it should also be possible to redeem miles on Starlux. We’re told that award pricing will start at just 60,000 miles in business class, which is exciting.
What do you make of this new Alaska & Starlux partnership?
If only Starlux would actually fly somewhere!
I’m currently in BKK and wanted to shift my current ANA flights home to LAX from Sunday to Saturday, but the fare difference was too high.
Noticed Starlux was now serving that route, so I’m booked for this Saturday. Hoping it lives up to the excitement, and that there aren’t any complications with the 1 hour transfer in TPE (between terminal 1 to 2).
Hopefully this means Starlux will announce new routes to SFO and SEA soon. Hard to imagine the partnership is purely about LAX.
Yup,
SFO: End of 2023
SEA: Mid-2024
JFK: 2025 (as Starlux will need to wait for A350-1000 deliveries)
https://udn.com/news/story/7270/7126188
a review by sam chui stated it would be SFO, SEA and then Dallas.
I am a little surprised that AlaskaMP has put a deal together with Starlux, althought it is plainly undercooked at the moment, with introductory award rates, when that does happen. Heaven knows where they will end up though. MP doesn't really have a great track record in this regard when adding new partners.
A better fit for Starlux, IMO, would be Aeroplan. Maybe both would be an option. Plainly the feelers are out as Starlux execs intimated would happen.
Flew Starlux Sunday NRT-TPE. Very good airline, but better than EVA or China Airlines? Not necessarily. The cabin is gorgeous. Finishes and color tones perfect. First class? Forget it. At least for the seating. Same seat, slightly larger footwell otherwise no class partitoin only 9 inches or so higher pod wall. Food and drink would have to be some outrageously priced stuff to make up for difference in fares. Pod is actually smaller that the...
Flew Starlux Sunday NRT-TPE. Very good airline, but better than EVA or China Airlines? Not necessarily. The cabin is gorgeous. Finishes and color tones perfect. First class? Forget it. At least for the seating. Same seat, slightly larger footwell otherwise no class partitoin only 9 inches or so higher pod wall. Food and drink would have to be some outrageously priced stuff to make up for difference in fares. Pod is actually smaller that the new VS retreat suite. Most window seats have windows partially or fully blocked with pod wall. Row 2 is good. IFE great. Menus on IFE. Food for short flight was served on proper dishes and tasty, nothing to get excited about. Of course A350 is outstanding and a joy to fly. And this plane was 001. I bought model of it online during flight. JAL is doing their ground services in NRT. Weighed my bag and I was told not to buy anything before boarding otherwise would have to check bag. App didn't work, couldn't check in. Sakura lounge in NRT. Didn't see TPE lounge, the one without a washroom. Lots of things to iron out. Oh, 5 pax in J while it appeared economy was pretty full from number of people in boarding area. I had checked BR and CI seat maps on this day for their NRT-TPE flights and all were full. Sure JX is new but their fares are slightly higher than BR or CI. Would I fly them for 60K across the Pacific, absolutely. Probably my expectations were too high, but afterwards IMO other that the new shiny plane which won't last, splitting hairs with other TPE carries.
Ben, this is great news! We already have tickets on Starlux flying from Taipei to Penang in November. Do you know if we will be able to get them "counted" for Alaska Miles even though I booked the tickets directly with Starlux, not through Alaska?
I wish redemptions were possible starting May 1 because I would redeem even an economy seat.
This is excellent news for Starlux! I’m confident in them and excited to see what’s in store in the future. They bring something new to the industry especially with the space theme. Out of all airlines they could’ve partnered with, Alaska was a no-brainer. I think this could very well lay the foundation for eventual Oneworld membership. It’s great news hearing that they will be launching SFO at the end of the year!
@Ben Schlappig What will the regular pricing be? After the "limited time" redemption rates? Will they revert to the 80k-100k rates for OW partners? When they "simplified" i.e. devalued partner awards it was under the guise of it being the same for all OW partners. Yet SQ got devalued to the same degree, 100k east coast to se asia in biz. Shouldn't non alliance partners keep separate charts? Also, is it just me or is...
@Ben Schlappig What will the regular pricing be? After the "limited time" redemption rates? Will they revert to the 80k-100k rates for OW partners? When they "simplified" i.e. devalued partner awards it was under the guise of it being the same for all OW partners. Yet SQ got devalued to the same degree, 100k east coast to se asia in biz. Shouldn't non alliance partners keep separate charts? Also, is it just me or is double the price for premium economy(20k Y vs 40k W) a bit steep?
Hey Ben, you mention earning elite miles, but from the partner page on the Alaska website, it looks like you cannot earn elite qualifying miles on Starlux flights.
Not sure if you've read or heard something different?
Definitely no EQM. Per Alaska’s website: “ Flights must be within the flight number range 1-2, 201-202, 205-206, 701-704, 711-718, 721-722, 725-726, 731-732, 741-742, 745-746, 781-786, 800-803, 820-823, 840-841, 850-851, 862-863, 870-871, 1701-1702 on STARLUX flights. Award flights booked into the fare classes listed are not eligible to earn miles or segments. Miles earned with STARLUX do not count as elite-qualifying miles.”
Definitely great news as Taiwan is on the very top of my bucket list at the moment. I was planning on going in the fall... too bad they won't start redemptions earlier. Curious to see if they'll have reasonable amounts of availability or if they'll do it ANA style and have pretty much nothing.
Great news if premium award seats become available in any meaningful way. Lately I cannot find decent redemptions with my bucket load of AS miles. Most of the good value redemptions just don't exist.
This is great news. I'm really excited for Starlux, they seem like the real deal.
That is a fantastic news. I hope they fly out of east coast as well.
Agreed! I think they will probably add something in "the middle" first though, like Chicago, Houston, or DFW (hopefully!!!).
According to this video/interview with Captain Chang, Starlux will be operating TPE-SFO by the end of the year.
https://youtu.be/mpkxIvfo1es?t=78
Is it just me or can someone else too see Ben booking a roundtrip award in business class and then upgrading one leg to First using cash?
Would love to see them join oneworld as a connect partner via AS and AA.
Agreed! I really would LOVE for them to become full OneWorld members, but of Cathay Pacific or another member can't or won't allow that, a connect member would be good too. Next up maybe a deal with AA???
Oneworld Connect would work perfectly for now. There's a good chance CX in its current form will die out over the next couple of bdecades so that would be good time for them to transition to being a full Oneworld member.