Starlux Airlines is an up-and-coming Taiwanese carrier that is quickly changing the luxury travel industry. With their focus on quality and premium travel experience, they offer high-end services to cater to the elite clientele. I had the pleasure of flying with them a couple of months ago, and it’s safe to say that I have a lot to say.
This authentic review will shed light on Starlux Airlines’ economy class travel experience. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of flying with Starlux as an economy class passenger!
Pros of Flying with Starlux Airlines
Note that these are the positive aspects of flying in their economy class; the business class Starlux flights are bound to be different.
Luxury experience
Starlux’s slogan reads “Born to be luxury, Shining like stars”. I can confidently say that they are not taking this lightly, and their mission really is to provide a luxury time for fliers. Even in economy class, they offered a ton of amenities that made me forget that I was on a tedious long-haul flight. If you are looking for a comfortable travel experience, then Starlux is certainly one of the best options.
Their airplane cabins have spacious seating where you can sit comfortably, stretch, and enjoy your personal space. The premium economy seats are designed in a way that passengers can sleep and rest during the long haul flights. In fact, Starlux’s business class cabin even has lie-flat beds.
They offer a delicious meal service and a complimentary travel kit to economy class fliers. Mine included earplugs, cozy slippers, a dental kit, and eye shades. I can also tell you that each of these amenities was high quality and comfortable!
On top of this, their attention to detail is applaudable, considering that they have put a lot of work into small things such as cabin lighting. Apparently, it adjusts to different situations such as dining, sleeping, and boarding throughout your flight. I didn’t exactly notice this during my flight, but it certainly elevated the overall travel experience.
Here are some features of their economy class:
- High-end RECARO Seating
- Ultra-thin Backrest design
- 6-way Bendable Headrest
- 6-inch headrest height adjustment
- Both sides are bendable
- Best fit around your neck
- Backrest with Tablet Holder and Cup Holder to keep your Pad, phone, and beverage.
Meanwhile, business class passengers will enjoy reverse herringbone seats on their Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
Did you know? Starlux Airlines was founded by the former chairman of EVA Air. Chang Kuo-wei has brought his knowledge from EVA to Starlux and made it a distinguishable airline, setting it apart from all the other budget carriers.
In-flight entertainment
Starlux is a luxury airline whose service also extends to a diverse inflight entertainment system. They have a wide movie collection; you will find Hollywood premiere movie options just one touch away. All of their aircraft have high-quality 4 K screens where you can attach your personal audio devices (AirPods, headphones, etc) via Bluetooth and sit back. The Bluetooth connectivity feature certainly came as a pleasant surprise for me! Other than movies, they also offer magazines that feature a variety of editorial content. Passengers can engage with fun travel content and remain entertained throughout the flight.
You can buy their in-flight wifi on business class flights, first class cabins, and economy premium. Since they have collaborated with Viasat, you can stay connected with the outside world throughout your journey. This is especially good for digital nomads such as myself, who would much rather use the time to do something productive! Business professionals who can’t afford to lose connection for hours on a long flight will also appreciate this.
Eco-conscious
Another pro of flying with Starlux is that they are extremely eco-conscious. In case you don’t know what that means, Starlux is a business model that focuses on sustainability and environmentally friendly practices. Personally, I think it’s an attractive feature in an airline since they are usually regarded as being bad for the environment.
Starlux has fuel-efficient aircraft that are environmentally safer, especially when compared to other international airlines. In a world where airlines are focusing on cutting costs by compromising the environment, Starlux’s approach is refreshing, to say the least.
In addition to this, their in-flight amenities are also sustainable. For instance, the pillows and blankets we were given in economy class were not only soft, but it turns out, the “eco-blankets” are made of upcycled PET bottles and seashells. Judging by the quality and silkiness of those blankets, you would never guess this! Hence, Starlux is a great choice for eco-conscious travelers who appreciate these little things in the businesses they support and use.
Booking experience
I always say that I am prima facie bound with airlines, meaning that the first impression plays a huge role in developing my opinion. My initial impression of Starlux was via its website, and it was a good one!
With Starlux, you can book a flight via their interactive website or user-friendly app. Both platforms are well developed; you can check different flights, engage in seat selection, compare prices, and manage your reservations easily. I preselected my meals and bought pre-paid wifi while booking my flight, which is a feature I haven’t seen in many other airlines.
Loyalty program
Starlux also has a well-established loyalty program. With COSMILE, you can earn miles and redeem them for benefits such as award tickets. Other than that, loyalty program members can also enjoy tiered benefits.
One of the best things about this is the availability of family accounts. This option allows family members to accumulate/ earn miles together. In fact, they are partnered with Alaska Airlines, meaning the mileage can be earned across the two programs. In simple words, the Alaska Mileage Plan is linked with Starlux, and you can redeem either’s miles with the other.
Growing Range of Destinations
Starlux is quickly expanding and adding more destinations to its network, hence catering to a wider customer pool. As of now, it’s best for passengers who are looking to travel from and to Asia as they have included over 20 asian destinations, including Southeast Asia, Bangkok, Thailand, and Singapore. As for U.S.-based travelers, Starlux flies to Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, and now Ontario, CA. You can also access their U.S routes to travel between Asia and North America.
However, with the way it’s expanding (and the growth of business), I’m sure potential fliers can expect more and more destinations in the upcoming years.
Cons of Flying with Starlux Airlines
No airline is without its flaws. Now that we have discussed the vast number of pros, let’s talk about the cons (or less satisfactory features) of Starlux.
High costs
Not as much of a con as a fact, Starlux does incur higher costs than many other major airlines. Their business is targeted towards luxury travelers, so naturally, the prices are higher for business class seats. However, even their economy class ticket fares are arguably higher than their competitors. One can argue that it’s because of their “high-end quality” provision, but the prices are extreme regardless, making it less accessible for a lot of people.
I am a budget-traveler myself, so it took a lot of personal convincing to actually fly with them. I don’t regret it because of the amazing service, but for fellow budget-travelers, I don’t suppose Starlux can become a regular option, perhaps once in a while luxury experience when you feel like treating yourself.
Limited destinations
As we discussed earlier, Starlux is currently best for Asia-based passengers. Though they fly to the United States as well, that’s about the full extent of their current network. Passengers who are traveling to other continents, such as South Africa, Europe, or even South America, can not fly with Starlux.
This limitation serves as a deterrent for frequent fliers who are looking for long-term relationships with their airline of choice. Since they know that Starlux can only offer a limited range of destinations, they won’t be as inclined to buy into their memberships/loyalty programs.
In-flight service
While Starlux provided a top-tier experience overall, I felt as if the customer service could have been better. The flight attendants, as nice as they were, failed to be efficient. Passengers, including myself, had to wait frequently for them to reach us, which is not an ideal thing in case of emergencies. We boarded quite efficiently, but once on the plane, the cabin crew was rather slow. EVA Airlines has a great reputation because of its exceptional service and impeccable in-flight support, so I was expecting the same here, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
I would give the benefit of the doubt and say that they were probably tired this one time, but a lot of friends have reported the same thing. It seems that Starlux can fix this part.
Final Thoughts
It seems that I can not think of any more cons of flying with Starlux. The only main factor is the cost of their tickets, but I wouldn’t call it a con, considering it’s quite literally their model business. Overall, I would say that Starlux offers great value for money, and it’s not one of those situations where you regret flying expensive. It’s one of the fancier airlines, so you can already expect them to be costly.
From the lounge experience to the check-in counter and boarding, my journey with this Taiwanese airline was uplifting and refreshing. Usually, I tend to have jet lag after long-haul flights, but in this instance, I was more active and elevated than ever. Passengers can take naps, watch movies, enjoy nonstop flights, and stay connected en route with Starflux. While most of us won’t be able to make it a regular occurrence, the “once in a while” journey will leave you feeling amazing! As for luxury travelers, their weekly flights will be the perfect addition to their professional life.
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