1 week Ago By Vyte Klisauskaite
STARLUX Airlines is reportedly planning to expand its international network with new destinations in the United States in early 2026, according to a report by ETtoday , first seen by Ishrion Aviation. The news comes as the Taiwanese carrier awaits the delivery of its new Airbus A350-1000 widebody aircraft, which will open up new opportunities to launch routes to the United States. After receiving its new Airbus A350-1000 by the end of this year, STARLUX will consider adding multiple US destinations beyond its existing West Coast network.
The report suggested that the airline could launch new routes to cities like New York, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Texan destinations such as Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston. Looking To Expand Its Presence Beyond The West Coast STARLUX Airlines is focused on expanding its presence in the United States . With the new Taipei-Ontario, California route launching this summer, the Taiwanese airline is exploring additional growth opportunities in the country, particularly beyond the West Coast.
According to reports, the first Airbus A350-1000 will be delivered by the end of 2025. ch-aviation fleets data shows that STARLUX has a total of eight A350-1000s on order. This new aircraft will offer greater range, opening up possibilities for even longer routes.
The possible new routes mentioned in the report include corridors between Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), TPE and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), TPE and New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), TPE and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), and TPE and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). It is worth noting that the demand for air travel between the US and Taiwan is relatively stable.
Liu Yunfu, VP and Chief Strategy Officer at STARLUX Airlines, said that the passenger load factor in the first quarter of 2025 was close to 80%. He added that the US market remains “very important.” However, to ensure market stability, Southeast Asian routes must develop alongside the North American expansion, Liu said.
This is crucial for facilitating layovers in Southeast Asian countries, which are popular holiday destinations. The New Taipei (TPE) To Ontario (ONT) Route On June 2, 2025, STARLUX will launch its new route between Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) and Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Southern California. The Taiwanese carrier will deploy its existing fleet of Airbus A350-900 aircraft and operate the route four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
The route will run until October 25, 2025. The airline’s Airbus A350-900 widebodies can accommodate a total of 306 passengers in a four-class cabin layout: four in first class, 26 in business class, 35 in premium economy, and 240 in economy class. In addition to ten A350-900s, STARLUX boasts a fleet of 13 Airbus A321neos and five Airbus A330neos.
With the launch of the Taipei to Ontario route, STARLUX will offer a total of four direct corridors to the US West Coast. The current STARLUX Airlines direct nonstop destinations in the US include Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The TPE to LAX route is currently the carrier's longest US route, covering 5,908 nautical miles (10,942 km).
Notably, the Ontario to Taipei route will surpass the LAX to TPE route as the longest US route, spanning 5,936 nautical miles (10,993 km). The carrier will soon be the Southern California airport's newest operator. The First European Destination In 2026 Alongside its North American expansion, STARLUX is planning to open its first-ever route to Europe in 2026.
The carrier is considering deploying its Airbus A350-900s on the European route, as they are capable of reaching destinations in Western, Central, and Southern Europe. Taiwan and Finland have recently signed an agreement allowing Finnish operations. Therefore, the airline’s first European route is likely to be operated between Taipei (TPE) and Helsinki (HEL), according to ETtoday.
Currently, no other Taiwanese airline offers direct operations between the two cities. Currently, two major Taiwanese carriers, China Airlines and EVA Air , operate routes to Europe. STARLUX’s entry into the European market would provide more travel options between the two continents.
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