5 Other Taiwanese Carriers You Might Not Have Heard Of

For years, the Taiwanese aviation industry has been dominated by two main carriers – EVA Air and China Airlines. Last year, the two airlines carried more than 18 million passengers collectively to and from Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport (TPE).

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

Other than branding, there is little to differentiate EVA Air and China Airlines, with both carriers operating similar-sized fleets on similar route networks. That said, EVA Air does have a stronger presence on transpacific routes between Taiwan and North America, while China Airlines has a stronger presence in North America, while China Airlines operates to more destinations across Australia and New Zealand.

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However, EVA Air and China Airlines are not the only carriers operating in Taiwan, with several others also jostling for their place in what is a crowded but growing market. Using data from ch-aviation, here are five other Taiwanese airlines listed by current fleet size, from smallest to largest:

5

Daily Air

Fleet size – 4

The smallest of the Taiwanese carriers in this list, Daily Air operates a fleet of just four de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters. Its fleet has an average age of 9.2 years old, and each aircraft can accommodate up to 19 passengers in an all-economy configuration.

Daily Air was founded in 1993, and operates to destinations throughout Taiwan from its hubs at Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH) in the southwest of the island and Taitung Airport (TTT) in the southeast.

4

Mandarin Airlines

Fleet size – 10

Mandarin Airlines, now owned by China Airlines, commenced operations in October 1991. The carrier originally began operating long-haul flights to the likes of Sydney (SYD) and Vancouver (YVR) with a fleet of widebody aircraft, including Boeing 747s and McDonnell Douglas MD-11s. However, it was later realigned as a regional and domestic airline, leaving the long-haul flying to its parent company, China Airlines.

Today, Mandarin Airlines has a significant presence in China, flying to up to 13 destinations across the country from its three operating bases in Taiwan:

• Songshan Airport (TSA)
• Taichung International Airport (RMQ)
• Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH).

Mandarin Airlines currently operates a fleet of 10 ATR 72-600s, each of which can carry up to 70 passengers in an all-economy configuration. The aircraft have an average of 4.9 years old, and will be joined by five further ATR 72-600s awaiting delivery over the next couple of years.

3

Uni Air

Fleet size – 14

Uni Air first took to the skies in 1988, and today has the largest domestic market share of any Taiwanese airline. The carrier is a subsidiary of EVA Air and has codeshare agreements with Air China, Hainan Airlines, Shandong Airlines, and Shenzhen Airlines.

Uni Air flies to many airports across China, including Fuzhou (FOC), Ningbo (NGB), and Shenyang (SHE), as well as Seoul (ICN) and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN). The airline currently operates a fleet of 14 ATR 72-600s, which have an average age of 10.1 years old. Each aircraft comes in the standard all-economy configuration of 70 passengers.

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2

Tigerair Taiwan

Fleet size – 15

Tigerair Taiwan commenced operations in September 2014 with a flight from Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN). It was the first low-cost carrier to be established in Taiwan, and was founded as a joint venture between China Airlines Group, Mandarin Airlines, and Tiger Airways Holdings, which spotted a niche in the market.

Tigerair Taiwan’s fleet currently consists of nine Airbus A320s and six A320neos, each of which seats 180 passengers in an all-economy configuration. The airline has a further seven A320neos on order from Airbus. In 2023, the airline carried a total of 1.8 million passengers, on a route network that reaches out across East and South East Asia. Tigerair Taiwan flies to destinations as varied as:

• Tokyo (NRT and HND)
• Osaka (KIX)
• Busan (PUS)
• Phuket (HKT)
• Da Nang (DAD)
• Macau (MFM)
• Puerto Princesa (PPS)

1

Starlux Airlines

Fleet size – 22

The youngest airline to feature in this list, Starlux Airlines took to the skies for the first time in January 2020, a mere two months before the onset of the pandemic. However, the carrier survived the challenges of strict lockdowns and drastically reduced travel demand, and last year carried more than 2.6 million passengers.

Today, its all-Airbus fleet has an average age of just two years old and is made up of the following aircraft:

• 13 x Airbus A321neo
• 4 x Airbus A330neo
• 5 x Airbus A350-900

The airline is set to grow further with outstanding orders still in place for three Airbus A330neos, eight A350-1000s, and five A350-900s, in addition to five A350F cargo aircraft. Starlux Airlines is the only carrier in this list to operate long-haul flights, with services to both Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) onboard its fleet of Airbus A350-900s. Later this year, the airline will also add Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to its transpacific route network.

Closer to home, Starlux Airlines connects Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) to most major destinations throughout East and Southeast Asia, including Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Singapore (SIN), Bangkok (BKK), Hanoi (HAN), Tokyo (NRT), and Cebu (CEB).

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Have you flown on any of the Taiwanese airlines in this list? How did your flight compare to those you have taken with EVA Air or China Airlines? Share your experiences by commenting below.