Starlux Airlines to launch direct flights to Phoenix on Jan. 15

Taipei, July 29 (CNA) Taiwan-based carrier Starlux Airlines announced Tuesday that it will begin nonstop flights between Taipei and Phoenix, Arizona, starting Jan. 15, 2026.

The new route will be operated using next-generation Airbus A350 aircraft, with three weekly flights at launch and a planned increase to four weekly flights beginning March 2026, the airline said in a press release.

Phoenix, the fifth-largest city in the United States, has seen robust growth in tourism and business, particularly in the tech sector following Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s (TSMC) investment in the area, according to Starlux CEO Glenn Chai (翟健華).

Starlux aims to leverage this momentum to expand its North American network and strengthen transpacific connectivity between Asia and the U.S., Chai said.

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego welcomed the announcement, calling the new route "a testament" to the region's international growth.

"Phoenix's place as a premier American city is further cemented today with Starlux Airlines' new nonstop service to Taipei," she said.

Last week, China Airlines (CAL) announced it will begin flights between Taipei and Phoenix on Dec. 3, 2025, becoming the first Asian airline to serve the southwestern U.S. city. Flights from Taipei will be non-stop, but return flights will make a stop in Los Angeles.