Recently, Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines announced it would launch flights to Phoenix, marking the city’s first nonstop link to Asia. Well, the airline won’t have this market to itself, as competitor China Airlines plans to give this route a try as well, though with a twist (thanks to AeroRoutes and Lester for flagging this). This should get interesting…
In this post:
China Airlines launching Phoenix flights in December 2025
As of December 3, 2025, China Airlines will launch 3x weekly flights between Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), with the return flight having a stop at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Specifically, the flight will operate with the following schedule:
CI36 Taipei to Phoenix departing 10:55AM arriving 8:00AM
CI35 Phoenix to Los Angeles departing 11:55AM arriving 12:20PM
CI35 Los Angeles to Taipei departing 2:50PM arriving 9:30PM (+1 day)
The 7,401-mile route will operate in both directions on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The eastbound flight is blocked at 12hr5min, while the westbound flight is blocked at 18hr35min, and that includes a 2hr30min stop in Los Angeles.
China Airlines plans to use an Airbus A350-900 for the route, featuring 306 seats, including 32 business class seats, 31 premium economy seats, and 243 economy class seats.
For the return flight, that Los Angeles to Taipei flight is also bookable independently, for those originating in Los Angeles. So the airline will have a bit of a capacity imbalance there, with more flights from Los Angeles to Taipei than from Taipei to Los Angeles. This means China Airlines will fly direct from Phoenix to Asia, but not nonstop.
Can this Phoenix long haul route support two airlines?
The motivation for Taiwan’s airlines suddenly flocking to Phoenix is obvious. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) recently announced it plans to invest $165 billion into its Phoenix facilities, so the expectation is that demand between the two markets will grow considerably.
That being said, to go from no airlines operating from Asia to Phoenix, to suddenly having two airlines operating the route, certainly seems like a lot of added capacity. But it’s also not surprising, given the competitive dynamics, with Taiwan having three full service airlines. It’s funny to see China Airlines even beating Starlux with the timeline for launching this service.
On the surface, China Airlines has several advantages over Starlux, in terms of making this route viable:
- China Airlines has a much bigger network, so there are a lot more points in Asia and beyond that travelers can connect to
- China Airlines is launching a partnership with Southwest, which has a massive hub in Phoenix, so there will be connectivity on that end as well
- By stopping in Los Angeles, the airline has a wider customer base with which it can fill these planes
That being said, Starlux has the advantage in terms of actually operating the flight nonstop. In the westbound direction, the Starlux journey is around three hours faster, and China Airlines’ service isn’t necessarily faster than many existing one-stop options between airlines. Then again, I know many people like the concept of a “direct” flight, since they’re less worried if they’ll make their connection.
I’m mighty curious to see how this all plays out, and if two airlines can both sustain this service. 
Bottom line
As of December 2025, China Airlines will launch flights from Taipei to Phoenix, with the return flight stopping in Los Angeles. This service will launch just weeks ahead of Starlux adding flights in this market as well, but that service is nonstop in both directions.
I understand the new demand for Phoenix to Asia flights, though I’m curious if the market can support this much capacity.
What do you make of China Airlines launching Phoenix flights, and how do you see this all playing out?
No Atlanta flights? Come on. Delta and CI are skyteam partners but can't get along . Im thankful for Korean Air but folks from the South would love to have other options to Southeast or East Asia.
This is purely speculation, but my guess is that there’s a lot of cargo being shipped from TPE to PHX for the semi-conductors, which limits the number of seats available for passengers. On the return flight, with less cargo and likely lower demand for seats, it might make sense to stop in LAX to pick up additional passengers to improve loads.
Why does everyone talk about PhX like it’s the size of Sacramento or Austin? Please educate yourselves. Plenty of people and demand.
Great news that there will be TWO choices! I hope to be on one of them early in the spring when the weather warms up a bit.
But, not knowing about either airline, can anyone say whether the onboard service, food, lounge access, crew "niceness" are about equal in Business Class on the 2 lines?
I think Lucky has written about Starlux as very good...I will look that up. But, I would also be grateful for your ideas and suggestions.
Thanks.
Almost 6 million people in mtro Phoenix with a catchment area of almost 8 million. Plus all the tech activity AND the Southwest feed. No brainer.
Bravo to CI.
Thinking out of the box with LAX as backup load add-on.
Clap clap.
I'd imagine a lot more cargo to pick up at LAX for return to TPE too
I am guessing the return flight will be catered at LAX, which will probably be better for passengers.
Makes me wonder what service they’ll offer on PHX-LAX.
I'm just hoping there is a price competition here, if we ever try to fly to Asia from PHX.
The TPE-PHX leg will be full of cargo for TSMC..
Phoenix immigration just happens to be at T4, where WN flies out of. American too for when/if Starlux makes an agreement.
The return should stop in Japan, not LAX. With AF’s success from PHX to CDG, I’m surprised JAL hasn’t slapped a Boeing widebody at PHX, especially with the A350 taking over some other routes.
There really just isn't that much demand for Asia in PHX. It actually has less than the national average of Asian demographics.
That's why you're seeing the Taiwanese airlines being so conservative with 3x weekly flights.
I suspect the planes themselves won't even be that full unless the new flight stimulates additional demand outside of pure TSMC O&D.
JAL aircraft are very low density (their 787-8 only has 161 seats compared to 243 at United) so they only fly to premium heavy markets that cannot support their high cost per seat. PHX is not such a market.
Basically China Airlines does not have any spare A350 to start any additional long haul flight, but in order to spike Starlux, it decides to pull the aircraft used on the daytime CI 5/6 and changes into the new Phoenix flight. The return has to stop in LAX because of possible issues with the warm temperature in the afternoon (despite winter months should be okay) and maybe they are a bit worried about the loading...
Basically China Airlines does not have any spare A350 to start any additional long haul flight, but in order to spike Starlux, it decides to pull the aircraft used on the daytime CI 5/6 and changes into the new Phoenix flight. The return has to stop in LAX because of possible issues with the warm temperature in the afternoon (despite winter months should be okay) and maybe they are a bit worried about the loading too.
Ideally, they really should wait for the extra Airbus A350 and Boeing 787-9 to be delivered first, but they cannot wait to beat Starlux to the game. However this daytime schedule is really not good for connections on the taipei side, and the additional 180 minutes stop on the return segment will not be fun. I presume passengers can deplane at LAX since it is a "domestic" flight, so at least premium passengers get to stay in a lounge and other passengers get to walk around the new TBIT.
However I still find the 10:55am Taipei departure/8am arrival time at Phoenix a bit earlier that I have expected, but maybe China Airlines wants to make sure that they can take advantage of the new Southwest codeshare arrangement, as well as some connections to some Delta flights from PHX too.
Starlux must be pretty upset but seemingly decides to stick with the January 15, 2026 inaugural date. They will fly nonstop in both directions so that will give them an advantage.
Well clearly the stop isn’t just heat related otherwise Starlux would be doing the same, right? Same aircraft
Starlux is flying at night...
Ahhhh fair
Thank you
The Southwest partnership only makes China Airlines' entry to Phoenix more appealing.
Starlux can do the same with American. But so far, no partnership has been made. So I think CI gets the advantage.
I’m hoping to take a trip to Taiwan next year…if it works out I’ll be taking the JX flight on the way there and CI on the way back. No thanks on stopping in LAX.
And yet ATL can’t get one single true Asian carrier minus Korean Air. What a joke.
Does ATL have a new semi-conductor lab that will help justify the route?
ATL is also located in the southeast which is just further from Pacific Asia and harder to make work. Note that MIA has no “true” Asian carriers
Just plugging into GreatCircleMapper, distance isn't really an issue for the A350 to get from ATL to Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, or Shanghai with an 800-1k mile fuel reserve for a fully fueled A35K. Flying from Miami drops the reserve enough that I think it might be iffy flying farther than Tokyo or Seoul. And this is taking in to account the need to avoid Russian airspace.
I think the bigger issue is that, despite...
Just plugging into GreatCircleMapper, distance isn't really an issue for the A350 to get from ATL to Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, or Shanghai with an 800-1k mile fuel reserve for a fully fueled A35K. Flying from Miami drops the reserve enough that I think it might be iffy flying farther than Tokyo or Seoul. And this is taking in to account the need to avoid Russian airspace.
I think the bigger issue is that, despite Atlanta having a decent sized Asian diaspora, we're not even in the top 10 for Japanese or Taiwanese populations in the US. We are number 7 for largest Korean population, which explains the KE flights. Believe me, I'd love to have the option of flying JAL or ANA to Tokyo direct from Atlanta, but the market for those airlines just isn't here.
Well remember that every additional 1000 miles of flight distance requires an extra 2000 gallons of gasoline, so the length absolutely plays a role. It's just harder to make a profit. There's also the fact that ATL and MIA's location makes them horribly suited for connections. Virtually anywhere in the county is better served with a connection in ORD/DTW/MSP/LAX/SEA etc.
Even with the Korean population in Atlanta you probably don't get a Korean flight...
Well remember that every additional 1000 miles of flight distance requires an extra 2000 gallons of gasoline, so the length absolutely plays a role. It's just harder to make a profit. There's also the fact that ATL and MIA's location makes them horribly suited for connections. Virtually anywhere in the county is better served with a connection in ORD/DTW/MSP/LAX/SEA etc.
Even with the Korean population in Atlanta you probably don't get a Korean flight without them being a DL partner
Korean Air has been flying to Atlanta since 1996 way before the Delta partnership. If this route could survive back then without a DL partnership it could survive without one now.
One thing you didn't consider is the other asian communities in Atlanta. Taipei would be a great place for folks to connect to get home.
@Jeff
I did consider, but when you add in a stop you're not really adding any value over existing 1-stop flights on KE or Delta. We also just don't have a really large diaspora of any one particular nation, and all of them aside from the Korean one are pretty small compared to other major cities. Pleasant Hill Rd is about as close to a Koreatown as exists in Atlanta, and nothing else comes...
@Jeff
I did consider, but when you add in a stop you're not really adding any value over existing 1-stop flights on KE or Delta. We also just don't have a really large diaspora of any one particular nation, and all of them aside from the Korean one are pretty small compared to other major cities. Pleasant Hill Rd is about as close to a Koreatown as exists in Atlanta, and nothing else comes close to that. Buford Hwy has loads of awesome authentic foreign restaurants, but it's a blend of businesses from all over Asia and Central and South America, not just a couple well known Asian countries.
I sense lots of empty seats, and reward ticket opportunities.
Yeah, but let’s wait for the corporate price tag for these flights after the intro…..ring a ding ding.
Lame
Shame the fifth freedom segment isn't bookable, flying China Airlines from PHX-LAX would've been one for the books.
Maybe it will be bookable? Qantas had JFK LAX rights as long as the passenger continued on to Australia at a later date on the same ticket and on a Qantas flight. They were fined for carrying a few passengers that weren't
@Alvin | YTHK - since the LAX-PHX sector is a domestic route, this would require the 8th freedom.
It's not a fifth freedom as it is w/in a single country.
I do believe that both will be able to work on this route with how big the semiconductor industry has grown in the area - all driven by TSMC. This will involve quite some traffic as it's not only TSMC personel but all the supporting around the manufacturing activities that will involve them flying in/out.
All other traffic that they have will be secondary and might become significant in the near future as more...
I do believe that both will be able to work on this route with how big the semiconductor industry has grown in the area - all driven by TSMC. This will involve quite some traffic as it's not only TSMC personel but all the supporting around the manufacturing activities that will involve them flying in/out.
All other traffic that they have will be secondary and might become significant in the near future as more and more Taiwanese will make PHX and area their home. I am sure both China Airlines and Starlux has done their homework. Furthermore, the large communities in the CA area will have another option if price is a factor.