China Airlines, Tigerair Taiwan smash sales records in 2025

Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) China Airlines (CAL) and low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan saw sales hit a new high in 2025 on the back of the booming global tourism market during the post COVID-19 era.

CAL said on Monday in a statement that it generated NT$209.09 billion (US$594 million) in consolidated sales in 2025, up 2.56 percent from a year earlier after its consolidated sales in December grew 1.82 percent year-on-year to NT$18.79 billion.

In December, revenue generated by its passenger flight operations rose 0.82 percent from a year earlier to NT$10.81 billion as the load factor -- an industry metric that measures percentage of passenger capacity used -- for destinations such as Seoul, Tokyo, Hokkaido, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur hit almost 90 percent.

CAL also benefited from strong demand for cargo services which helped the carrier generate NT$6.398 billion in December, up 2.42 percent from a year earlier, due to the year-end shopping spree in the United States and Europe as well as strong demand for AI-related devices.

For its part, Tigerair Taiwan posted NT$16.899 billion in consolidated sales in 2025, up 2.90 percent from 2024, marking the second consecutive year the carrier has broken its annual sales record.

Tigerair Taiwan said as the tourism market continued growing, the company raised the number of flights by 13.9 percent in December. In the fourth quarter, the average load factor hit almost 90 percent.

Starlux Airlines, the newest international carrier in Taiwan, said its consolidated sales for 2025 rose 24 percent from a year earlier to US$44.05 billion.

In December alone, revenue from the airline's passenger flight division rose 9 percent from a year earlier to NT$3.29 billion as the number of passengers hit a new high, while cargo services revenue rose 37 percent from a year earlier to NT$499 million as it shipped more electronic components and AI-related goods.

Last week, EVA Airways reported its second highest consolidated annual sales of NT$220.33 billion in 2025, down 0.31 percent from 2024. In December, the load factor to destinations in North America, Europe, Southeast and Northeast Asia and China topped 90 percent, while air cargo services received a boost from strong demand during the Christmas season, the carrier said.