Taiwan’s self-proclaimed “luxurious” airline will contact down in its third U.S. gateway later this yr.
Starlux Airways will start flights to Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) from its hub at Taiwan Taoyuan Worldwide Airport (TPE) on a thrice-weekly foundation starting Aug. 16.
The Taipei-based service will deploy an Airbus A350-900, which options 4 first-class suites, 26 business-class pods, 36 premium financial system recliners and 240 financial system seats, on the route.
This new 6,075-mile is now on sale, with round-trip tickets departing the U.S. beginning at round $950 for financial system, $2,200 for premium financial system, $6,000 for enterprise class and a whopping $10,000 for top notch.
Moreover — and maybe most fun — Starlux has launched saver award availability for this new route. Whereas availability can change at any time, there appears to be one business-class award seat accessible for 75,000 miles (and $46) bookable through the Alaska Airways Mileage Plan program on some flights.
In case you can snag considered one of these award seats, you will probably be in for an outstanding flight expertise. Starlux’s A350s characteristic Collins Aerospace’s new Components suite (designed in partnership with BMW Designworks), a product that builds on some extremely widespread predecessors to boost the bar for business-class seating.
The service’s catering, personalised onboard service and facilities additional elevate the premium expertise.
Starlux was the launch service for the Components suite, and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways additionally launched this seat on its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner deliveries.
Starlux gives a singular four-seat first-class cabin on the pointy finish of the A350 as nicely, however there isn’t any nice technique to redeem miles for this expertise. With round-trip fares beginning at $10,000, I am unable to think about these seats promoting too shortly.
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Although Starlux gives one of many world’s finest business-class experiences — belief me, I’ve tried it — the Seattle-to-Taipei market is hotly contested, even amongst another world-class carriers. By the point Starlux launches flights, Taiwan’s two different main carriers, China Airways and EVA Airways, will already be working this route.
Moreover, Delta Air Traces will start day by day flights from Seattle to Taipei starting in June.
With such stiff competitors, it is doable that we’ll see aggressive fare wars (and probably extra award availability) within the coming weeks and months.
Past Taipei, Starlux flies to greater than 20 widespread locations in Asia, giving Seattle-based vacationers loads of one-stop itinerary choices. The airline additionally has a codeshare partnership with Alaska Airways, so vacationers can ebook flights past Seattle to cities like Denver and Houston.
Starlux started flying to the U.S. final April with flights to Los Angeles. The service then expanded to San Francisco in December.
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