A Detailed Review of Starlux Airlines

Starlux Airlines is a relatively new Taiwanese airline, founded in 2020 by former EVA Air chairman Chang-Kuo-wei. With a big focus on luxury and premium travel, they’re aiming to set a new standard in the airline industry – especially with the slogan “Born to be luxury, Shining like stars”. But do their big ambitions meet your travel requirements? Let’s discuss the pros and cons to find out.

Key Facts

First Flight: 23 January 2020
HQ: Taipei, Taiwan
Alliance: None
Fleet Size: 26 aircraft as of 2025
Destinations: 29 destinations across Asia and North America

Our Ratings

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

????Global Connections ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

????Wi-Fi Performance ★★★★☆ (4/5)

????Value for Money: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

????Sustainability: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

⏰Reliability: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

When to Use Starlux

Starlux is a great choice for higher-earning travelers based in and around Asia. Their focus on luxury, comfort, and reliable services makes it perfect for people who value premium travel over cheaper fares.

Best For

- Comfort Travelers: as one of the fancier airlines out there, Starlux has spacious seating, lie-flat beds in business class, and lots of amenities onboard like face cream and pyjamas. It’s definitely designed for people who value a relaxing and productive work environment when flying.

Business Professionals: with free Wi-Fi for passengers in first-class, business-class and premium economy, travelers can stay connected en route thanks to its partnership with Viasat.
Asia-based Flyers: Starlux has a growing network of destinations across Asia, especially to busy hubs like Bangkok, Taipei, Singapore and Toyko. This is great if you need to hop between these places in style.
Eco-conscious Travelers: Starlux has made some big steps towards sustainable travel, operating one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the world. But they haven’t stopped there – they also offer carbon offsetting and source eco-friendly amenities and sustainable food for their passengers.

When NOT to Use Starlux Airlines

In case you haven’t guessed – Starlux is a very luxurious airline, but this might not be what you’re looking for, especially if you’re on a budget.

Potential Drawbacks

Budget Travelers: Starlux fares tend to be more expensive than other airlines because they prioritize quality over affordability, for example, their long-haul economy fares start at $235 USD. This won’t be the best option for people who travel on a budget.
International Jetsetters: As a relatively young company, Starlux’s network is still growing and so doesn’t fly to Africa, South America or Europe yet. People wanting to travel here will find that other airlines offer better route options.
Last-minute Travelers: Although they do offer flexibility with their booking options, the level depends on the fare you choose. Premium tickets include more generous policies like free date changes, whereas economy fares have fees. Flyers who need more ticket flexibility might want to choose an airline with better last-minute policies.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Exceptional comfort and luxury, especially in business class
High level of in-flight service and attention to detail
Growing number of destinations across Asia and North America
A young and modern fleet of aircraft
Great reliability for departures and arrival times

Cons

Higher fares compared to low-cost airlines
Limited global route network compared to larger airlines
Less flexible when it comes to changing or cancelling flights

Booking Experience

Website and App Usability ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Starlux’s sleek and user-friendly app and website make searching for flights, selecting seats, and managing reservations all very straightforward. Both platforms include useful features like meal pre-selection and prepaid Wi-Fi (for economy). However, some people have complained about the lack of flight updates, for example, gate changes or delays – which is why we can’t give it five stars.

Payment and Transparency ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

Like most airlines, you can pay for Starlux flights using a variety of methods including credit cards, PayPal and bank transfers. At checkout, they clearly outline the base fare and any additional fees such as baggage or seat selection costs. However, being a premium airline, these fees added up quickly, with extra legroom seat selection being a whopping $160 for long-haul flights! Ouch.

In-Flight Experience

Food and Dining ★★★★★ (5/5)

Dining at 35,000 feet has never been so wonderful. With gourmet meals crafted in collaboration with renowned chefs, the onboard dining experience is really something to look forward to. Business-class passengers even get dishes from Michelin-starrred chefs! If you don’t want traditional Taiwanese food, the airline also caters for a wide range of diets, including Western, Asian, and other dietary restrictions like vegetarian or kosher.

Entertainment Options ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Starlux Airlines has their own in-flight entertainment system that includes a big library of content to choose from. Excitingly, all of their aircraft have seatback 4K screens and bluetooth so you can finally pair your AirPods or wireless headphones with the screen – we’ve all been waiting for this feature for years! If you’re not a fan of their screens (which go up to 32 inches in first class), you can also stream content on your devices. If Wi-Fi was free for everyone, it would be five stars.

Does Starlux Have Wi-Fi Onboard?

Availability and Performance ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

You can get free high-speed Wi-Fi in all classes except economy. Although you have to pay for full internet access in economy, passengers do have access to free messaging via apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, which we thought was a nice touch. Due to some connection issues, Starlux is now rolling out a newer system from Viasat called ViaSat-3 which should improve speed, which could bump them up to four stars in the future.

Customer Service ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Starlux is renowned for their incredible customer service and after scouring the internet, the main complaints we could find were about the staff asking people to turn off lights at night (which is usually required on airlines). A few people have mentioned that they can be late to update flight information, but for the most part, customer service seems to be great.

Punctuality and Reliability ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

With an on-time performance of 76-79% across its network, Starlux places slightly above average for Asia-Pacific airlines. Some of their routes, like Hong Kong to Taipei, operate like clockwork with average delays of just 5 minutes, whereas other routes experience more disruptions. We therefore recommend checking your route before you leave as this will determine if you need extra buffer time or not.

The Future of Starlux

Starlux has ambitious plans for the future, including

Expanding Network: starting in June 2025, Starlux are adding new routes including direct flights between Taipei and Ontario, California. They’ve also announced plans to expand across North America, Asia and potentially Europe.
AI for Operational Efficiency: the airline is introducing a flight-based passenger revenue management system that uses AI to automate seat allocation and optimize revenue distribution by passenger type. As passengers we won’t notice much but it’ll save Starlux a lot of money.
Sustainability: in addition to their already more sustainable aircraft, Starlux have plans to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and follow international sustainability frameworks like CORSIA and ISO certifications.

Alternative Airlines

If Starlux is a little too much luxury for you, you might want to consider other airlines:

Airline	Best For	Features
EVA Air	Global business professionals	A bigger global network and excellent service make it perfect for business travelers around the world
Emirates	Luxury seekers	Onboard lounges and extensive entertainment options, more suitable for travelers
Turkish Airlines	Long layovers	Complimentary layover tours of Istanbul, a great option for people looking to explore on a budget
EasyJet	Budget travel	Some of the cheapest flight prices (excluding checked baggage), perfect for those who pack lightly

Conclusion

For travelers looking for a premium travel experience, great Wi-Fi and high-quality service, Starlux is the perfect choice. You won’t find many airlines out there that can beat their level of comfort. However, their high quality comes at a price, and not all travelers are willing to spend extra for comfort.

Who Should Fly Starlux?