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We’ve just learned about the US destinations Starlux Airlines intends to serve, and there’s plenty to be excited about!
Starlux Airlines to start long-haul flights in 2022
Starlux Airlines is the Taipei-based airline that launched operations earlier this year. Obviously, now is not the perfect time for an airline startup, even though, on the bright side, the airline is well funded.
While most new airlines seem to take a low-cost approach, Starlux Airlines sees itself as a ‘detail-driven luxury airline’, so it is upscale by anything we see.
Airlines have ordered a total of 39 planes, including:
- 13 Airbus A321neos
- Eight A330-900neos
- 10 A350-900
- Eight A350-1000
While Starlux Airlines has started service with the A321neos, many jumbo jets will arrive in the next two years as the airline begins taking delivery of the A330 and A350 in the fourth quarter of 2021. The A350 will even feature a first class cabin. .
Starlux Airlines recently ordered an A330-900neos
Starlux Airlines could fly to 15 US airports
We’ve known for some time that Starlux Airlines plans to launch flights to the United States by the second quarter of 2022, and now we have more details on what that might look like.
As indicated by @kyflle, Starlux Airlines has received approval from the Taiwan Aviation Authority to operate flights to 15 North American destinations. The airline intends to begin these flights in June 2022, with Airbus A350s. So, for which destinations has Starlux Airlines applied for operating rights?
Starlux Airlines can fly A350-900s to the following seven destinations:
- Guam (GUM)
- Honolulu (HNL)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Ontario (ONT)
- San Francisco (SFO)
- San José (SJC)
- Seattle (SEA)
Starlux Airlines can fly A350-1000s to the following eight destinations:
- Boston (BOS)
- Chicago (ORD)
- Dallas (DFW)
- Houston (IAH)
- Miami (MIA)
- New York (JFK)
- Newark (EWR)
- Washington (IAD)
Starlux Airlines’ potential American destinations
Will Starlux Airlines really launch all of these routes?
Now, while Starlux Airlines has named the above 15 destinations in a government file, I don’t necessarily assume that the airline will end up flying to all of these destinations. I’m actually guessing that the airline is very likely not to fly for everyone:
- It is always better to ask for too much permission rather than not enough
- It’s still at least 18 months away, so a lot may change by then
- Even if the airline eventually flies to all of these destinations, that won’t be all from June 2022, as the airline is only gradually taking delivery of the A350s around this time.
- Serving 15 US destinations with a fleet of just 18 A350s seems aggressive, especially considering that the airline is likely to want to fly to certain destinations in Europe with these planes as well.
Anyway, I’m excited to see how well Starlux Airlines plans to fly to the United States in general. A few points stand out:
- If Starlux Airlines wants this network to work, it’s really going to have to develop partnerships in the United States that can provide power to the United States.
- It would be so exciting if Starlux Airlines actually flew to Miami, as it would be the only non-stop service between Miami and Asia, other than Doha.
- I suspect that most of the deposits for nearby airports (like JFK and EWR, or ONT and LAX) are due to the airline not having decided which airport to go to.
Starlux Airlines has A350-900 and A350-1000 on order
At the end of the line
Starlux Airlines has shared plans to serve up to 15 U.S. destinations, ranging from Guam to Miami. So far, the airline has received clearance from Taiwanese authorities, although it will still need to get US regulatory approval (this shouldn’t be a problem, given the Open Skies deal).
These routes can be expected to begin in mid-2022. Only time will tell how many of these destinations will end up being served in the years to come, but the prospect of some of these routes has certainly thrilled me. Bring this Taipei-Miami flight, please (although this also seems to be the least likely, given that no other airline has been able to make Miami to Asia outside of the Middle East) .
If you’re excited about Starlux Airlines flights to the United States, keep in mind that the airline currently offers four-year status matches in its COSMILE frequent flyer program.
What do you think of Starlux Airlines’ potential US routes?
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