I Flew All Three Taiwanese Airlines: A Business Class Comparison

For such a small island, Taiwan punches well above its weight in aviation, with three great airlines that all offer a fantastic business-class experience: EVA Air, Starlux, and China Airlines. I’ve long wanted to fly all three and I finally completed the trifecta a few weeks ago, so here’s a fun article comparing them all.

I will say I’ve flown all three only once long-haul, so that’s the experience I’ll focus on comparing. I’ve also flown Starlux a few more times within Asia in business class, as 15,000 Atmos Rewards points for a flight like Taipei–Tokyo is a smoking deal.

Also, I won’t be comparing lounges, as I’ve only visited the Starlux lounge of the three; I flew the other two inbound to Taipei.

My favourite is Starlux, followed by EVA Air in short order, and then China Airlines in a more distant third. Keep in mind that what I care about in business class may differ from what you care about in business class, but hey, that’s what makes these blog posts fun.

China Airlines Doesn’t Stand Out

For most people, I’d wager the best business class is a toss-up between EVA and Starlux. That might make China Airlines’ business class sound underwhelming, but it speaks to how competitive the market is. It still beats every North American airline and most European carriers on soft product. However, newer seats, such as Air France’s A350 suites with sliding doors, remain superior.

China Airlines business class

China Airlines catering stands out as the best of the three, as I was able to pre-order a delicious lobster main served alongside a foie gras appetizer. But aside from that, nothing else really stood out. EVA and Starlux both offer excellent pyjamas and a stronger hard product. EVA’s 777 is older, but I still prefer its seat to China Airlines’ reverse herringbone, although I flew EVA’s 787.

China Airlines lobster main (online pre-order only) was delicous!

China Airlines also ranks lowest for sleep, as the mattress pad is more of a sheet, and the pillow is really poor for business class.

EVA is More Polished

If I were booking for friends or family who don’t fly business class often, I’d choose EVA — it delivers a consistently higher standard. Meals are served course by course without a tray, garbage is cleared promptly, drinks are proactively refilled, and the service never misses a beat. I was given a walkthrough of the seat upon boarding.

A first-time business class passenger might not notice these details, but they also wouldn’t know to ask for anything. EVA takes care of everything and makes a strong impression from the start.

EVA isn’t flashy, but it gets all the important parts right

Starlux stands out for its hard product, but without a point of comparison, that advantage is less noticeable.

I also prefer EVA’s pyjamas over Starlux’s, but that really is a more subjective opinion.

Starlux is More Fun

“The fun factor” is one of the top 3 things I care about in my business class experience (along with pyjamas), and Starlux leans fully into its galactic theme. From the flight attendant uniform to the alien-themed safety video, I enjoy every moment. I know I said I wouldn’t talk about lounges, but the way the bathroom doors slide open as if you’re on a spaceship truly brings me joy.

Starlux T2 business class lounge

Polish is great, but I prefer fun. That’s not to say Starlux’s service isn’t good — it’s still excellent, just not quite at EVA’s level. Starlux serves meals with a tray table, and flight attendants will often leave garbage on my seat despite walking down the aisle a few times. Weirdly, Starlux had full lights during the main meal service even though it was nighttime. For breakfast, there was normal mood lighting.

Where Starlux really stands out is the seat itself. The reverse-herringbone seat with sliding doors and a modern 4K 24-inch screen is miles ahead of EVA’s best seat on the B787. It’s even less of a comparison compared to China Airlines, whose Super Diamond reverse-herringbone seats are really starting to show their age (I was also unlucky, and my tray table could not lock in the middle position).

Starlux A350 business class

Starlux provides a substantial mattress and makes for a great sleeping experience. The “Zero G” seat position sounds gimmicky, but I find it quite comfortable, especially for watching movies.

Check out that mattress pad

Ex-Taipei, Starlux also serves boba! EVA serves matcha milk tea, but I prefer Starlux’s boba.

Starlux boba

Takeaway

Honestly, all three Taiwanese airlines offer excellent business class, and I’d gladly fly any of them again. It’s only because the competition is so strong that we can be this nitpicky.

EVA and Starlux are a toss-up depending on your priorities: EVA excels in soft product and consistency, while Starlux stands out with a more modern, fun hard product. China Airlines still holds its own, but falls behind with an older seat, lack of pyjamas, and weaker bedding.