Traveler Names Starlux Airlines Favorite Premium Cabin Over Singapore Airlines and Emirates
A frequent business-class flyer ranked Starlux Airlines as their favorite premium cabin, surpassing Singapore Airlines and Emirates after experiencing the Taiwanese carrier's A350 service from Taipei to San Francisco.
Newsnibs Staff
- 2026-10-16
- Updated 1:18 PM UTC
A frequent business-class flyer reviewing cabins for Business Insider has named Starlux Airlines their favorite, ranking the Taiwanese carrier above Singapore Airlines and Emirates. The verdict came after a flight on the airline's Airbus A350-900 from Taipei to San Francisco, a nearly 12-hour overnight leg that was the second half of a trip that began in Kuala Lumpur.
The full itinerary cost 85,000 Alaska Airlines miles, against a cash fare that the reviewer said ranged from $2,600 to more than $5,000 depending on the season.
Starlux began flying in January 2020 and has since built nonstop routes from Taipei to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. The carrier markets itself as a "boutique" airline, and the reviewer pointed to the business-class suites as the centerpiece of that pitch: private compartments with sliding doors, faux marble finishes, and a gap built under the storage cabinet specifically for charging cables.
The reviewer said pre-flight service felt rushed, but inflight crew service was impeccable enough to lift the whole experience. One crew member greeted the reviewer by name, and an attendant apologized repeatedly over a minor delay. Crew handed out pajamas before pushback.
Food service ran from warm garlic bread and a creamy miso mushroom soup to beef with fried rice, finished with soft Italian gelato; breakfast was waffles with figs.
Starlux leans into a space-themed brand identity the reviewer called "fun," and has partnered with Peanuts since 2024, putting Snoopy on themed flights and related merchandise. Starlux did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
Photo by Andy Wang on Unsplash
