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China Airlines: Expert advice and recommendations

Expert travel writer Gabriel Leigh shares all you need to know before booking a flight with China Airlines.
Gabriel Leigh
29 août 2024

When it comes to Taiwanese airlines you’re spoiled for choice. Its three largest international carriers are all excellent, with some of the best service in the world. Flag carrier China Airlines is perhaps the least exciting of the three (EVA and Starlux are the others) and that makes it easy to overlook. That and its somewhat confusing name (the flag carrier of the People’s Republic of China is Air China). But ignoring this airline would be a mistake.

Why should you consider China Airlines?

China Airlines offers a consistently good service across all classes, delivered in an understated way. It doesn’t have the space-themes and ultra-luxurious approach of Starlux or the Hello Kitty-themed aircraft of EVA Air. But it’s an all-around great way to fly – with friendly flight attendants, good food and lots of fun Taiwanese snacks and drinks too. It’s also a SkyTeam member, meaning reciprocal benefits and points across partner programmes like Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club, Delta Skymiles and Air France-KLM Flying Blue.

Destinations

For an airline many in the West have barely heard of, China Airlines has an impressive route map with extensive service to Europe, North America, Oceania and of course all over Asia. It’s particular handy for reaching Japan (including connecting there from further afield) as it serves about a dozen destinations in the country including some smaller cities and Okinawan islands.

China Airlines flies direct from London Heathrow (LHR) to Taiwan several times a week, also allowing you to connect to airports across East Asia and beyond.

Onboard experience

China Airlines aircraft are new and comfortable (especially the A350s), the cabins are nicely appointed and look unlike anything else in the sky (in a good way) and the seats are spacious and well-padded in all classes. Notably, the airline does lighting really well (think warmly glowing claw-footed lamps at each Business Class seat and you get the picture.)

Service is usually friendly if not effusive. It’s unfussy. And it all feels distinctly Taiwanese from the snacks to the design choices. That’s something I value in an airline – that it offers a taste of its home country, and not just with its cuisine.

Classes of service

China Airlines offers three classes of service on long-haul flights: Economy, Premium Economy and Premium Business. All are among the best in their category in terms of the hard product.

The best aircraft types

There are variations between aircraft types, but they’re mostly minor. On long-haul flights from the UK, you’ll likely fly on the A350 – as one of China Airlines’ newer aircraft, it feels more modern, while everything is just a bit fresher and the cabin altitude can be kept lower, meaning you arrive feeling better. But the 777 model is a perfectly nice ride as well.

On regional flights you’ll either fly on an A330, 737 or A321neo. Here, the A321neo is the clear winner if you can get it, especially in Business Class, which features beautiful lie-flat seats whereas the other two have a more old-school recliner.

Long-haul Economy Class

On A350 and 777 flights, Economy Class gets many of the nice touches seen in the more premium cabins too, including the distinctive carpeting and bulkhead designs, quality fabric seats, personal entertainment and more.

You can expect around 32 inches of legroom, which puts it in the upper ranks of Economy Class. The food also tends to be tasty compared to what you might be used to at the back of the plane.

Long-haul Premium Economy Class

Premium Economy is available onboard 777 and A350 long-haul flights and it’s among the better examples of this class of service. Arranged in a 2-3-2 (A350) or 2-4-2 (777) layout, it’s especially ideal for travelling as a pair with added comfort and space. The A350 has a little bit more legroom (39 vs 38 inches) and a little bit more width too (20 vs 19 inches) so as always, that’s the better choice of aircraft if possible.

Fixed shell seats mean there’s no seat reclining into your lap which can often be a downside in Premium Economy. Note that if you’re taller, you might find that in the reclined position your knees can end up touching the seat in front of you – but overall, for most people, the added width and breathing room in general should prove worth it.

Meals are an upgrade over Economy, with bigger portions and more to choose from on the drinks side as well. China Airlines collaborates with local restaurants to devise the menus on a rotating basis, so there’s usually something interesting to try out.

Long-haul Business Class

China Airlines Business cabins are really something special. Whereas most airlines opt for exceedingly simple colour schemes, China Airlines has gone all out and thrown together a lot of different design elements into one space and somehow it all just works beautifully. The colour choices and low lighting create a cosy feeling in the cabin.

China Airlines is not especially known for its food but it certainly gets the job done, especially if you like Taiwanese and Chinese food. But they always have Western options as well. To give you an idea, on a recent flight I particularly enjoyed the mid-flight snack of steamed dumplings and a fizzy peach tea drink.

Most importantly, you can expect nicely padded seats, each with direct aisle access, that are very comfortable for sleeping as well as lounging.

There’s also a “Sky Lounge” for long-haul passengers, which is really just a section of the galley with snacks and drinks (including some very choice whiskey and digestifs, etc) displayed in a nifty red bar. It’s not like some onboard lounges out there but it’s a nice touch all the same.

Regional Business Class

Regional Business Class is a quality offering even if much of the fleet operating these flights has an older recliner-style seat. You can still expect the typical China Airlines quality service with good food and drink, albeit with less extensive menus than on long-haul flights. With many regional flights under 3 hours, it’s a perfectly adequate service.

Pre-order your meals

Both long-haul Business and Premium Economy Class passengers have the opportunity to pre-order meals in advance of the flight on the China Airlines website. This can be a nice option to get a sense of what to expect and lock in your order, so it’s good to be aware of. However, I’ve never had a problem with getting my first choice of meal ordering onboard.

Baggage allowance

On China Airlines you’ll always have at least one checked bag included (23kg/50lbs) regardless of how cheap your ticket is. Many long-haul Economy fares even come with two free checked bags. In Premium Economy you’ll get two free bags always, with a weight of up to 28kg or 61 pounds. And in Business Class it’s also two free bags, but with a 32kg/70 pound limit.

Wi-Fi

A350, 777 and A321neo flights all have Wi-Fi. On long-haul flights, it is reasonably fast and functional, and it’s free with unlimited data for business passengers. For everyone else, a data package can be purchased onboard.

Loyalty programme

I wouldn’t recommend joining up with the China Airlines Dynasty Flyer programme unless you’re planning to be based in Taiwan and/or fly China Airlines regularly and exclusively to and from.

But the good news is that as it’s a SkyTeam member, you can earn towards award tickets and elite status in a wide range of loyalty programmes, and if you have status benefits they will carry over here.

In-town check in

One of my favourite things if I have bags to deal with is an in-town check in service. That’s still a rarity in the world, but China Airlines offers it at Taipei’s main station. That means passengers departing from Taoyuan Airport (TPE) who plan to take the train to the airport (a very easy ride) can get boarding passes and drop off their bags in town, and be unencumbered the rest of the way. It’s a really helpful time and energy saver, so be sure to take advantage of it next time.

Heathrow Express discount

Passengers travelling on China Airlines can get a 15% discount on the Heathrow Express train, which takes just 15 minutes from London Paddington. You can enter your flight number on the China Airlines website to receive the discount.

Taoyuan versus Songshan Airport

It’s worth being aware of the fact that while all long-haul flights will depart from and arrive at the bigger airport outside Taipei (Taiwan’s capital city) – Taoyuan – China Airlines operates a number of flights from the smaller Songshan Airport (TSA), which is located closer to the city centre. Mostly, that includes Japan and China flights, so if you’re headed onward to those countries, be sure to check on Songshan flights too!

This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up to date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.

Good to know

Low season

August

High season

December

Cheapest flight

£560
Best time to beat the crowds (2% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (24% more expensive on average)
Flight from Manila to Los Angeles

FAQs about flying with China Airlines

  • Where does China Airlines fly to?

    China Airlines offers direct flights to 56 cities in 25 different countries. Hong Kong, Taipei City, and Tokyo are the most popular cities covered by China Airlines.

  • What is China Airlines’ primary hub?

    China Airlines concentrates most of its flight operations in Taipei City.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on China Airlines flights?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine, meaning that we continuously look across the web to find the best deals for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from all airlines, including China Airlines.

  • When are China Airlines plane tickets cheapest?

    Flight prices with China Airlines will depend on the season and route you are flying. Our data shows that overall, the cheapest month to fly with China Airlines is August, while the most expensive is December.

  • What’s the cheapest route that China Airlines flies?

    In the last 72 hours, the cheapest route flown by China Airlines found on KAYAK was from Taipei City to Hong Kong, with a price of £126 for a round-trip.

  • What are the most popular airports for China Airlines flights to depart from?

  • Is China Airlines part of an airline alliance?

    Yes, China Airlines is part of the SkyTeam airline alliance.

  • How many destinations does China Airlines fly to?

    In total, China Airlines flies to 59 destinations.

See more FAQs

Top tips for flying with China Airlines

  • If you’re looking for the cheapest China Airlines tickets, then try to fly from Manila, where flights have been cheapest lately. The cheapest route from here available recently is to Los Angeles, and costs £560.
  • The cheapest month for flights with China Airlines is August, while the most expensive is generally December.

China Airlines customer reviews

8.2
Very GoodBased on 792 verified guest reviews
8.6Crew
8.0Comfort
8.0Entertainment
8.3Boarding
7.8Food

Pros +
Cons -

Show reviews that mention
Traveller rating:
Sort by:
T
4.3 Mediocre
KIX-TPE
Cons:The temperature inside the cabin was too hot! It was warm and hot enough that chocolate I bought at duty free before the flight was melted!!
J
8.0 Very Good
TPE-YVR
Liked that I could pick my seat and have a special meal without an extra charge. Luggage is reasonable for overseas trip. What could have been better is boarding and leaving on time.
L
10.0 Wonderful
TPE-SFO
Great!
B
6.0 Okay
MNL-TPE
The crew was always polite and pleasant, but our flight was delated by almost an hour.
V
10.0 Wonderful
TPE-LAX
Excellent
V
8.0 Very Good
ONT-TPE
No fuss. Pretty straightforward.
V
8.0 Very Good
LAS-LAX
Good and fly delta in future
V
6.0 Okay
JFK-TPE
My main compaint was that my flight was delayed.
K
10.0 Wonderful
TPE-LAX
Excellent staff made the boarding process fast and easy. Friendly crews on both flights from Saigon to Taipei and Taipei to Los Angeles. Will fly China Airlines again.
V
8.0 Very Good
ONT-TPE
Not many selections for entertainment. Bulk head seats are no longer available with out fee at the counter. That’s pretty lame.

China Airlines flight status

sam. 11/2

China Airlines route map – Which destinations does China Airlines fly to?

Find out which destinations you can fly to direct with China Airlines by entering your departure airport. If you want to know whether China Airlines flies a certain route, enter both the departure and destination airport before hitting search.
sam. 11/2

All China Airlines flight routes

Flight no.Departure airportArrival AirportDurationMonTueWedThuFriSatSun
935Kaohsiung City (KHH)Hong Kong (HKG)1h 35m
202Shanghai (SHA)Taipei City (TSA)2h 0m
201Taipei City (TSA)Shanghai (SHA)1h 45m
705Taipei City (TPE)Cebu City (CEB)2h 55m
840Bangkok (BKK)Kaohsiung City (KHH)3h 20m
762Jakarta (CGK)Taipei City (TPE)5h 30m
131Sapporo (CTS)Taipei City (TPE)4h 40m
936Hong Kong (HKG)Kaohsiung City (KHH)1h 30m
221Tokyo (HND)Taipei City (TSA)4h 0m
165Incheon (ICN)Kaohsiung City (KHH)3h 10m
839Kaohsiung City (KHH)Bangkok (BKK)3h 50m
164Kaohsiung City (KHH)Incheon (ICN)2h 45m
176Kaohsiung City (KHH)Osaka (KIX)2h 45m
102Kaohsiung City (KHH)Tokyo (NRT)3h 15m
177Osaka (KIX)Kaohsiung City (KHH)3h 35m
103Tokyo (NRT)Kaohsiung City (KHH)4h 30m
732Penang (PEN)Taipei City (TPE)4h 30m
837Taipei City (TPE)Bangkok (BKK)4h 5m
761Taipei City (TPE)Jakarta (CGK)5h 30m
130Taipei City (TPE)Sapporo (CTS)3h 35m
731Taipei City (TPE)Penang (PEN)4h 50m
222Taipei City (TSA)Tokyo (HND)2h 50m
706Cebu City (CEB)Taipei City (TPE)2h 45m
179Takamatsu (TAK)Taipei City (TPE)3h 10m
178Taipei City (TPE)Takamatsu (TAK)2h 25m
113Hiroshima (HIJ)Taipei City (TPE)2h 55m
123Okinawa (OKA)Taipei City (TPE)1h 40m
122Taipei City (TPE)Okinawa (OKA)1h 30m
189Busan (PUS)Taipei City (TPE)2h 45m
518Beijing (PEK)Taipei City (TPE)3h 25m
63Taipei City (TPE)Vienna (VIE)14h 40m
195Kumamoto (KMJ)Taipei City (TPE)2h 35m
194Taipei City (TPE)Kumamoto (KMJ)2h 10m
753Taipei City (TPE)Singapore (SIN)4h 45m
757Kaohsiung City (KHH)Singapore (SIN)4h 20m
758Singapore (SIN)Kaohsiung City (KHH)4h 20m
754Singapore (SIN)Taipei City (TPE)4h 40m
607Taipei City (TPE)Hong Kong (HKG)2h 5m
709Taipei City (TPE)Manila (MNL)2h 20m
261Seoul (GMP)Taipei City (TSA)2h 45m
583Kaohsiung City (KHH)Shanghai (PVG)2h 25m
584Shanghai (PVG)Kaohsiung City (KHH)2h 20m
260Taipei City (TSA)Seoul (GMP)2h 25m
62Frankfurt am Main (FRA)Taipei City (TPE)12h 30m
61Taipei City (TPE)Frankfurt am Main (FRA)15h 25m
920Hong Kong (HKG)Taipei City (TPE)1h 45m
161Incheon (ICN)Taipei City (TPE)2h 50m
585Kaohsiung City (KHH)Shenzhen (SZX)1h 40m
29Koror (ROR)Taipei City (TPE)4h 0m
586Shenzhen (SZX)Kaohsiung City (KHH)1h 30m
517Taipei City (TPE)Beijing (PEK)3h 20m
30Taipei City (TPE)Koror (ROR)3h 50m
112Taipei City (TPE)Hiroshima (HIJ)2h 15m
151Nagoya (NGO)Taipei City (TPE)3h 35m
117Fukuoka (FUK)Taipei City (TPE)2h 45m
116Taipei City (TPE)Fukuoka (FUK)2h 10m
792Hanoi (HAN)Taipei City (TPE)2h 40m
791Taipei City (TPE)Hanoi (HAN)3h 25m
772Denpasar (DPS)Taipei City (TPE)5h 20m
864Phnom Penh (PNH)Taipei City (TPE)3h 20m
771Taipei City (TPE)Denpasar (DPS)5h 30m
863Taipei City (TPE)Phnom Penh (PNH)3h 45m
522Guangzhou (CAN)Taipei City (TPE)2h 5m
521Taipei City (TPE)Guangzhou (CAN)2h 10m
704Manila (MNL)Taipei City (TPE)2h 10m
836Bangkok (BKK)Taipei City (TPE)3h 35m
153Osaka (KIX)Taipei City (TPE)3h 15m
152Taipei City (TPE)Osaka (KIX)2h 35m
150Taipei City (TPE)Nagoya (NGO)2h 35m
101Tokyo (NRT)Taipei City (TPE)4h 10m
100Taipei City (TPE)Tokyo (NRT)3h 0m
782Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)Taipei City (TPE)3h 20m
781Taipei City (TPE)Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)3h 40m
502Shanghai (PVG)Taipei City (TPE)2h 5m
501Taipei City (TPE)Shanghai (PVG)2h 5m
186Taipei City (TPE)Busan (PUS)2h 5m
162Taipei City (TPE)Incheon (ICN)2h 30m
51Taipei City (TPE)Sydney (SYD)9h 20m
58Melbourne (MEL)Taipei City (TPE)9h 10m
75Taipei City (TPE)Rome (FCO)15h 10m
53Taipei City (TPE)Brisbane (BNE)8h 50m
722Kuala Lumpur (KUL)Taipei City (TPE)4h 40m
721Taipei City (TPE)Kuala Lumpur (KUL)4h 45m
54Auckland (AKL)Brisbane (BNE)3h 35m
54Brisbane (BNE)Taipei City (TPE)8h 40m
73Taipei City (TPE)Amsterdam (AMS)15h 40m
528Shenzhen (SZX)Taipei City (TPE)1h 45m
527Taipei City (TPE)Shenzhen (SZX)1h 55m
31Vancouver (YVR)Taipei City (TPE)13h 5m
11New York (JFK)Taipei City (TPE)17h 20m
7Los Angeles (LAX)Taipei City (TPE)14h 35m
3San Francisco (SFO)Taipei City (TPE)14h 5m
23Ontario (ONT)Taipei City (TPE)14h 45m
8Taipei City (TPE)Los Angeles (LAX)11h 45m
24Taipei City (TPE)Ontario (ONT)11h 25m
4Taipei City (TPE)San Francisco (SFO)11h 5m
32Taipei City (TPE)Vancouver (YVR)10h 25m
788Da Nang (DAD)Taipei City (TPE)2h 40m
787Taipei City (TPE)Da Nang (DAD)2h 55m
12Taipei City (TPE)New York (JFK)14h 45m
22Taipei City (TPE)Seattle (SEA)10h 40m
More flight routes

China Airlines contact information

Overview of China Airlines

Passengers can choose between Economy and Business Class on all China Airlines flights, with upgraded customers receiving access to the Sky Lounge prior to boarding. Premium Economy and Premium Business Class are also offered on intercontinental routes. Premium Economy provides additional leg room and a separated cabin section. Those in Premium Business Class will enjoy an ergonomically designed seat with full 180-degree range, a personal table lamp and modern oriental aesthetics.

Joining the SkyTeam alliance in 2011, it partners with major airlines from across the world, which include Air France, Korean Air and Delta Air Lines. The group combines to offer services to more than 150 countries, with more departure options and quicker travel times a benefit for customers. In joining SkyTeam they became the first Taiwanese airline to join an alliance, signaling a new global vision. Additional codeshare agreements are held with Bangkok Airways, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Shanghai Airlines, which assist to increase the ability of offering connected flights throughout Asia.

China Airlines is part of the China Airlines Group, which has complete ownership of domestic focused Mandarin Airlines and low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan. The primary operating base is in Taipei, with a concentrated emphasis on Songshan, Kaohsiun and Hong Kong.

Both Airbus and Boeing aircraft are used by China Airlines. Models such as the A350 and 777 are chosen for long haul international flights. A distinctive pink plum blossom, which is Taiwan’s national flower, is featured on the tail of the fleet. A small number of the airline’s aircraft have been painted with the dark blue design of SkyTeam.

China Airlines information

IATA codeCI
Routes136
Top routeTaipei City Taiwan Taoyuan Intl Airport to Hong Kong
Airports served59
Top airportTaipei City Taiwan Taoyuan Intl

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