To support the growth of their flight services to/from the US, three Taiwan-based airlines have announced new interline partnerships with US-based American Airlines and Southwest.
At the Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, three airlines have established the capital city of Taiwan as a major trans-Pacific air hub – China Airlines, EVA Air, and the latest addition to the “Taiwanese Trio” STARLUX. The Taiwanese Trio have recently expanded their routes crossing the Pacific. These new routes include new connections to cities in the US such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Ontario (California), and Phoenix. To support the growth of their flight services to/from the US, the three Taiwan-based airlines have also announced new interline partnerships with US-based American Airlines and Southwest.
Newly Announced Partnerships
China Airlines was the first of the Taiwanese Trio to announce a new trans-Pacific partnership this past summer – an interline partnership with Southwest Airlines. Adding to its SkyTeam membership and US-based partner Delta, the new China Airlines-Southwest interline partnership covers connections from five US destinations - San Francisco, Los Angeles, Ontario, Seattle, and Phoenix (starting December 3) – to over 100 cities in North America. Cities covered in the interline partnership include San Diego, Las Vegas, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Cancun, and Los Cabos.
A few months later in mid-August, STARLUX followed the China Airlines-Southwest interline partnership announcement with its own partnership with American Airlines. From STARLUX's five destinations in the US – San Francisco, Los Angeles, Ontario, Seattle, and Phoenix (starting January 15, 2026), customers will be able to make connections on American Airlines' North America network to cities including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Charlotte, Miami, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Mexico City
The last of the three airlines – EVA Air – then followed with its own interline partnership with Southwest. From four of EVA Air's destinations in the US – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago O'Hare – customers can connect to around 30 cities in the US including Denver, Las Vegas, Nashville, Tampa, and Baltimore.
An interline partnership allows for travel on single-bookings that includes flights operated by the partner airlines. It falls short of a codeshare partnership which along with single-booking itineraries, each airline can place their airline code on flights operated by the other. Codeshare partnerships also open up reciprocal frequent flier benefits such as lounge access for premium fliers.
The new interline partnerships add to EVA Air and China Airlines' current slate of partnerships. Their airline alliance memberships include codeshare agreements with their North American based partners such as Delta for China Airlines and United/Air Canada for EVA Air. While they are long-standing partnerships, it is not uncommon for alliance members to enter into partnerships with members of another alliance or an airline without one.
STARLUX is the odd man out when it comes to being part of an airline alliance in Taiwan, though the the airline – which operated its first flights in 2020 – is no stranger to partnerships. The new interline partnership with American adds to a previously launched codeshare partnership with Alaska Airlines covering flights from Seattle to cities such as Salt Lake City, San Diego, Phoenix, Portland, Las Vegas, Dallas, Denver, and Austin.
Why Southwest?
Image: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 taking-off (Image Credit: Southwest Airlines)
Founded in 1966 as Air Southwest Company, Southwest got around US aviation regulations at the time of its launch governing fares and routes while operating inter-state flights within Texas. Southwest's network grew and it evolved to become more of a hybrid airline. Despite having no long-haul flights to Asia or Europe, Southwest is a globally recognized brand with a loyal following and is one of the biggest airlines in the world in terms of Available Seat Mile/Kilometers. Its business model has also inspired the founders of today's budget airlines.
Among the budget carrier traits that Southwest shows include a single aircraft fleet. The airline has operated exclusively Boeing 737 family aircraft since its launch. As the largest customer and operator of the 737, the airline has operated the Classics to the MAX. Fares are lower compared to other competing airlines and passengers have the option to purchase add-ons. Until recently, Southwest never had any partnerships with other airlines.
Where Southwest has differed from most other budget airlines includes its baggage allowance and the most unique aircraft boarding process among major airlines. Customers were allowed two free checked bags, and there was no assigned seats. Seats were on a first-come-first-serve basis. Southwest did things differently, and it is what made it stand out.
Despite building a loyal following, Southwest has faced challenges in recent years such as the pandemic and changes in the aviation landscape in North America. It is no longer the only budget airline in North America, and legacy carriers such as United, Delta, and American sell comparable fares for Basic Economy seats. While keeping loyal to its founding principles for decades, Southwest has recently taken big losses . Responding to the new challenges, it has made moves that have drawn criticism from even its very loyal customers. Among the changes Southwest has made include baggage fees, assigned seats, and extra legroom seats for purchase.
While criticized, Southwest's moves are actually in line with practices seen in budget airlines around world. Further aligning with global aviation norms, Southwest has taken the step to enter partnerships with other airlines. The first was a codeshare partnership with Icelandair for trans-Atlantic travel, and now it is adding options for trans-Pacific travel with China Airlines and EVA Air.
EVA Air and China Airlines are adding a new North American partner. It is a way to for them to enhance its offerings compared to the bigger US-based carriers with their long-standing partnerships along with their own flights. Unlike airlines like United or Delta, Southwest can't operate its own flights crossing the Pacific or Atlantic with their large fleet of 737s. Though it can also be argued whether it is the best option for Southwest customers to travel beyond the US versus choosing to fly with United, Delta, or the various non-US airlines.
Courting STARLUX to oneworld?
In response to the new STARLUX-American interline partnership, some have pointed out it could set up for the addition of the upstart Taiwanese airline into the oneworld alliance. Along with American, STARLUX also has its codeshare partnership with Alaska Air Group which joined oneworld in 2021. Taiwan is represented by SkyTeam with China Airlines and Star Alliance with EVA Air, and STARLUX's CEO Glenn Chai has in the past been quoted saying the airline intends to apply for membership in oneworld.
While being home to a major technology hub in Asia, and in a good geographical position in the region, Taiwan is not the main focus of the major trans-Pacific joint venture partnerships. Star Alliance and SkyTeam have focused their trans-Pacific connections via Tokyo and Seoul through the duos of United-All Nippon Airways (ANA), American-Japan Airlines (JAL), and Delta-Korean Air.
The interline partnership could be the start of further relations with American and the Alaska Air Group (Alaska/Hawaiian). For American and Alaska Air Group, STARLUX would open up new connections within Asia such as both Cebu and Clark in the Philippines, along with Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Bangkok.
Any addition of a new airline alliance member will require the approval of all current members. In the case of STARLUX, its addition would require the approval of Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific. The argument could be made that unlike Hong Kong, oneworld is the odd man out in the country. Being represented in Taiwan could also open up oneworld and especially Cathay for further collaboration in the cargo market out of Taipei and flights on the busy Taipei-Hong Kong route.
While the merits of oneworld adding STARLUX as a new member airline can be further debated, the upstart airline can continue to build its international partnerships. China Airlines and EVA Air will also continue to do the same. Back in the US, Southwest will use the partnerships to offer something for its own loyal fliers who do make trips across the Pacific.
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