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Asia is surging in recognition with Individuals resulting from its reasonably priced costs, fully international but fascinating tradition, and relaxed visa insurance policies that profit U.S. passport holders, but it surely’s not all the time the simplest continent to fly to, particularly if off-path gems are in your radar.
In the event you’re based mostly in Seattle, we now have nice information for you: Taiwan-based luxurious airline STARLUX is coming to the town, launching nonstop flights to their Taipei hub, in addition to one-stop routes to six different unbelievable Asian locations that may enchantment to the adventurer in you.
We hope you have not made plans for spring 2024 already, as the beginning date is August 16. Here is all the things you have to know:
Every thing You Want To Know About The New One-Cease Flights To Asia From Seattle
STARLUX Airways has been making fairly the splash since its world launch final 12 months: a Taiwan-based luxurious airline, it first entered the market primarily serving locations in Asia earlier than including the USA to its flight map.
The primary U.S. cities STARLUX launched in have been Los Angeles and San Francisco, not coincidentally, as these Californian metropolises will not be solely America’s gateway to Asia, however they’re residence to a excessive variety of Asian-Individuals, and that usually pushes up demand.
Seattle is the third metropolis to host STARLUX, with Taipei flights ranging from August 17.
Via a partnership with Alaska Airways, Seattleites and Individuals residing in a number of different inland cities and as far-off as New York on the East Coast will probably be introduced nearer to the Oriental World.
In the event you fly out of any of the airports listed beneath, now you can get to Asia with Alaska/STARLUX through Seattle:
- Las Vegas (LAS)
- Portland (PDX)
- New York (JFK)
- Chicago (ORD)
- Phoenix (PHX)
- Salt Lake Metropolis (SLC)
- Denver (DEN)
- Dallas-Fort Value (DFW)
- Houston (IAH)
STARLUX is the solely Taiwanese airline providing first-class seats, and belief us, you do not wish to miss out on this:
Luxurious Service Mid-Air
The A350-900s deployed on Trans-Pacific routes include 4 first-class suites, with 60-inch doorways that present full privateness, 32-inch 4K flatscreens outfitted with Bluetooth pairing, a spacious wardrobe, and our favourite, and zero-gravity seat settings that can make you are feeling as should you’re sleeping on a cloud.
The Enterprise seats aren’t too shabby, both, organized in a 1-2-1 configuration and seating 26 passengers. The 48-inch sliding doorways shut partially, and TVs are smaller (24-inch), however they nonetheless characteristic bluetooth audio and on-demand leisure.
With inflight eating curated by chef Lam Ming Kin, recognized for including a high-end twist to native Asian delicacies, together with the unique Hutong Wagyu Bo Luo Bao (pineapple bun with black truffle butter), and different artisanal highlights, you may take pleasure in Michelin-starred eating mid-air.
Shifting all the way down to the 36-seat Premium Economic system and 240-seat Economic system Class, you need to count on the traditional 2-4-2 and 3-3-3 configurations, respectively. In the event you want extra legroom and you’ll’t do and not using a comfortable footrest, then you need to undoubtedly go for the previous.
Now, let’s take a look on the flight schedule:
Flight Schedule From Seattle To Taipei
From August 16, that is what STARLUX Airways’ flight schedule from Seattle (SEA) to Taipei (TPE) will appear to be:
- JX21 flight departs from Seattle at 2:10 a.m. touchdown in Taipei 5:10 a.m. on the following calendar date
- JX22 flight departs from Taipei at 8:00 p.m. arriving in Seattle 4:15 p.m. on the identical calendar date
Masking 6,075 miles, the Taipei-bound flight completes the journey in roughly 12 hours each Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. Return flights to Seattle block at 11h15 and function on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
We’re not precisely thrilled about Seattle’s suboptimal 2:10 a.m. departure time, however there’s nothing a well-spent in a single day in a STARLUX luxurious first-class cabin will not repair. You may get up in Taipei at 5 a.m. feeling like new.
How A lot Does It Price To Ebook?
Costs for Seattle-Taipei flights begin from solely USD $897 return in Economic system.
Touring within the lowest tier, you’ll be able to deliver one piece of maintain baggage weighing 23kg and below.
Premium Economic system means that you can deliver two items of bags onboard, and you’ve got a complimentary seat choice.
Enterprise Class begins promoting from $3,691, and at last, the second you have been ready for, a First Class seat averages a whopping $10,029.
We all know it is a fairly lengthy, strenuous journey, and breaking the financial institution earlier than you even make it to Taipei will probably be no assist, however do not despair simply but:
Bear in mind STARLUX has partnered with Alaska Airways to enhance connectivity between the inland U.S. and Asia?
You probably have gathered Alaska Mileage Plan miles and also you’d very a lot quite journey in consolation, you’ll be able to spend your mileage on a deluxe STARLUX expertise.
Tthis partnership means that you can use your Alaska miles to ebook a First or Enterprise Class seat on Trans-Pacific flights, lowering the eye-watering airfares.
With a view to get deal on Enterprise or First, and even fly totally free, it is beneficial to have at the least 75,000 miles gathered.
No matter the place they’re flying in Asia with STARLUX, Individuals can have a brief layover in Taipei, Taiwan, however that is not essentially a foul factor:
Nonstop Flights to One Of The Most Thrilling Cities In Asia
Taipei is without doubt one of the most fun cities in Asia, and the capital of Taiwan, an unbiased Chinese language island that, opposite to the mainland, has adopted extra democratic values, and has cozied as much as Western values in latest a long time.
Aside from strolling the colourful, market-lined streets and admiring historic temples, vacationers can use Taipei as a place to begin for exploring the island, filled with pure landmarks and historic seaside villages with origins to misplaced to time.
From Taipei, passengers can connect with as many as 22 different locations in Asia, together with 10 in Japan. From the USA, primarily from Los Angeles, you’ll be able to journey to the next Asian cities with a stopover in Taipei:
- Phu Quoc, Vietnam
- Hakodate, Japan
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Nagoya, Japan
- Kumamoto, Japan
- Clark, Philippines
- Sendai, Japan
- Cebu, Philippines
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Sapporo, Japan
- Okinawa, Japan
- Fukuoaka, Japan
- Singapore
- Manila, Philippines
- Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, Vietnam
- Kuala Lampur, Malaysia
- Tokyo, Japan
- Osaka, Japan
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Da Nang, Vietnam
- Penang, Malaysia
- Macau, SAR China
A few of the locations listed above, akin to Tokyo and Singapore, host nonstop flights from the USA, often through their very own nationwide carriers, so except you’d wish to couple these with a brief go to to Taipei, it is best you ebook straight with Japan or Singapore Airways.
STARLUX is nice, nonetheless, for reaching lesser-known locations in Asia that aren’t usually served by mainstream Trans-Pacific airways.
Straight from Seattle particularly, these are 6 different unbelievable locations you’ll be able to ebook full tickets with a stopover in Taipei, with departure instances all the time set for two:10 a.m:
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai is the cultural capital of Northern Thailand, a UNESCO-listed moated previous metropolis jam-packed with centuries-old temples, together with the storied Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, with its towering golden stupa, and a foodie hotspot of the best order.
One-way tickets from Seattle to Chiang Mai, with an 8h10 layover in Taipei, begin from $541.30 on STARLUX’s website close to launch dates. Following departure from Seattle, arrival in Thailand is ready for 4:15 p.m. of the next day, native time, totaling over 24 hours of journey.
Cebu, Philippines
One in all Southeast Asia’s final hidden gems, Cebu is a paradisaical Filipino island that mixes vibrant metropolis breaks (try cosmopolitan Cebu Metropolis) and nature preserves (image powder white sands licked by turquoise waters and untarnished jungles).
Flying from Seattle, you’ll find tickets for as low cost as $535.90 (return flights not included), with an excellent longer layover in Taipei, blocking at 10h50, which ought to provide you with loads of time to do some exploring forward of resuming your journey in direction of Cebu.
Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, Vietnam
An eclectic metropolis, Ho Chi Minh Metropolis (previously Saigon) combines French colonial, stemming from the interval of imposed European rule, Western, generally related to America’s capitalist affect on South Vietnam, and post-communist structure.
On the similar time, it’s unequivocally Vietnamese, with late-night markets bustling with retailers, loopy colours, and chaotic visitors to accompany them.
It’s the place a number of of Southeast Asia’s most iconic landmarks are concentrated, together with Notre Dame of Saigon, a Neo-Gothic church constructed by the French, the ill-famed Cu Chi Tunnels, utilized by communist combatants through the Vietnam Struggle, and the Flamboyant Opera Home.
From Seattle to Ho Chi Minh Metropolis with STARLUX Airways, your journey will embody a short layover in Taipei (2h40 minutes), with the arrival time anticipated at 10:15 a.m. native time of the next day (whole journey size of simply over 18 hours).
One-way tickets common $526 flying Economic system.
Da Nang, Vietnam
Shifting up the Vietnamese coast, Da Nang is an up-and-coming resort vacation spot with reasonably priced oceanfront accommodations that straddle turquoise waters, the place in a single day charges common a negligible $17, and mid-range eateries the place you are unlikely to be billed over $10 (even should you eat lavishly).
It is a fashionable start line for exploring Central Vietnamese nature, particularly Ba Na Hills, the place the viral large hand-supported bridge is situated.
Reserving a one-way ticket to Da Nang by STARLUX, Economic system tickets value an appropriate $552.90 on launch dates this August, and the Taipei layover is without doubt one of the shortest at 1h45, for a complete flight length of 16h35.
Macau, SARS China
Vegas of Asia, anybody?
Macau is a Particular Administrative Area of China, that means it’s a part of China, but it surely’s accountable for a number of of its personal inside insurance policies and never sure to comply with Beijing’s social market economic system: it is much more open, with extra Westernized values.
Equally to Hong Kong, it is a ‘mini China’ for learners, besides it is distinct for its Portuguese heritage: the Luso-Europeans had held Macau as a colony for a number of centuries, so do not be shocked to nonetheless discover Iberian-style church buildings, ruined convents, or Portuguese azulejos mendacity round.
Thankfully for Individuals, in contrast to mainland China, they do not want a visa to enter Macau, making a visit there a lot simpler to prepare.
On choose August dates, there are two flight routes departing from Seattle at 2:10 a.m. after which connecting onward in direction of Macau, one with a 3-hour cease and one other with an extended 11h25 layover (durations 16h50 and someday, 1 hour, and 10 minutes, respectively).
As for tickets, they begin promoting for $587.90 on August 17.
Hakodate, Japan
Sitting on the foot of a 334-meter-high mountain, Hakodate is without doubt one of the predominant cities in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island.
It is well-known for its steep streets winding round slopes, aerial gondolas, and the enduring Previous Public Corridor, a uncommon instance of Twentieth-century Western structure.
Coming from Seattle, your layover in Taipei is an estimated 6h50.
Your arrival in Hakodate is scheduled for 4:45 p.m., for a complete journey size of 22h35. The second leg of the journey is Taipei to Hakodate. One-way Economic system tickets begin from $630.90.
It is value noting there are numerous flight combos and attainable pan-Asian routes accessible now that STARLUX has landed in Seattle: these seven are solely an instance of that.
In the event you’re utilizing STARLUX to succeed in one of many secondary locations on its community, we advise you to examine its official web site for up-to-date pricing and data, because the schedule for connecting flights can change till then.
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Opinions expressed listed here are the writer’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, authorised or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included inside the put up.