Find cheap China Airlines flights

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 (23 kg/50 lbs) 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 28 kg or 61 pounds. And in Business Class it’s also two free bags, but with a 32 kg/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 back and forth.

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!