Phoenix, or “Silicon Desert” as some within the tech trade have branded it, simply landed its first nonstop flight to Asia on an airline that will come as a shock.
Starlux Airways, Taiwan’s “luxurious airline,” plans to attach Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX) with Taiwan Taoyuan Worldwide Airport (TPE) in Taipei, Taiwan, starting in early 2026, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego introduced Tuesday.
Whereas particulars are restricted till Starlux secures the required regulatory approval, the airline plans to supply three or 4 weekly flights on board considered one of its luxurious Airbus A350-900 planes to Phoenix.
“I knew from the second I set foot in Phoenix that STARLUX ought to make the funding to fly right here,” mentioned Ok.W. Chang, the chairman of Starlux, in a press release. “Not solely is the expansion of enterprise between Taipei and Phoenix staggering, it is an ideal match for our stage of service.”
Starlux will supply Phoenix’s first nonstop flight to Asia, and be part of the handful of overseas intercontinental carriers on the airport. Air France connects town with Paris and British Airways flies to London; American Airways additionally flies between Phoenix and London.
You might be asking: Why Phoenix? Of all of the potential U.S. locations for Starlux, the Arizona capital doesn’t essentially rise to the highest of the record.
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The airline at present serves Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) and Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA), and flights to Southern California’s Ontario Worldwide Airport (ONT) start June 2.
Phoenix, nonetheless, makes a number of sense. First, Starlux faces no competitors on the route. The dearth of competitors may give the airline an edge in carrying each Taiwan- and Asia-bound Phoenicians on its flights over different airways’ connecting choices.
Perhaps extra importantly, Phoenix is an rising tech hub for the semiconductor trade — therefore the Silicon Desert nickname. Producer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which makes chips for Apple, Nvidia and different firms, is investing greater than $65 billion in new Phoenix manufacturing amenities.
TSMC executives and workers members absolutely must fly backwards and forwards from Taipei in some way.
Along with the possible journey demand, Starlux will profit from as much as $4 million in monetary incentives from the Phoenix airport. The funds can be found for advertising assist and charge waivers for the primary two years of a brand new route with no current service from Asia.
These are all good causes for the airline to not less than attempt Taipei-Phoenix flights.
Vacationers can use Alaska Airways Mileage Plan miles or Capital One miles to ebook Starlux’s new Phoenix flights when gross sales start.
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