By RK Shih/KHT Staff. Wiki Commons image shows the Airbus A321neo.
TAIPEI — Starlux Airlines (星宇航空) announced on Aug. 21 that it will expand operations to southern Taiwan by launching direct flights from Kaohsiung to Kobe and Okinawa, Japan.
The Kaohsiung-Kobe and Kaohsiung-Okinawa routes will commence on Jan. 1, 2027. The airline will operate both routes daily using Airbus A321neo narrow-body airliners. The aircraft model used by Starlux is typically configured to accommodate 188 passengers, comprising eight seats in business class and 180 seats in economy class.
These services will be the first scheduled international routes originating from Kaohsiung for Starlux since the carrier began commercial operations in January 2020. The airline previously expanded its flight network beyond northern Taiwan by adding routes from Taichung in 2024.
Starlux Chief Executive Officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) stated the route additions target corporate and leisure travel markets in the south.
“Kaohsiung was an important gateway serving southern Taiwan’s tourism and business markets,” Chai said.
Chai noted the airline selected Kobe and Okinawa as its initial destinations from Kaohsiung because corporate projections indicate both locations will generate steady, long-term passenger demand.
Once the new routes begin operations in 2027, Kobe will become the first Japanese destination that Starlux serves directly from all three of its Taiwanese operational hubs: Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Company representatives stated the expansion will provide travelers in southern Taiwan with additional international aviation options while fully integrating the airline’s regional footprint.
Starlux Airlines was founded in 2018 by Chang Kuo-wei (張國煒), former chairman of EVA Airways (長榮航空). The carrier currently operates a mixed fleet of Airbus aircraft across intra-Asian routes and transpacific services to North America.
