Aussies will soon have a new way to fly to Asia with the arrival of Starlux Airlines in Australia.
Starlux launched just six years ago and has come a considerable way since then. Based in Taipei, the carrier already has an extensive network of Asian destinations, flies to multiple US ports and even operates a handful of services to Europe. Now, the Taiwanese airline is preparing, in earnest, to fly Down Under.
Karryon understands that Starlux is currently gearing up for flights between Taipei and Sydney, with tag-on flights to Auckland also on the cards.
While the airline doesn’t yet have representation in Australia, it has appointed a general sales agent (GSA) in New Zealand. More tellingly, it has also begun the recruitment process for a Sydney-based passenger sales specialist, as well as a customer service specialist, advertising the roles on a prominent recruitment website.
“As we prepare for our exciting launch in Sydney, we are looking for passenger sales specialist who is ready to help build our local presence from the ground up,” the airline states in the ad for the sales role.
“If you are passionate about aviation, business development, and being part of an exciting new chapter, we would love to hear from you.”
With a current fleet of around 33 planes, Starlux will fly its A350 or A330 aircraft on the Sydney route.
Karryon has contacted Starlux and Sydney Airport for more details.
Three-way fight
Starlux’s entry in Australia will see it compete with Taiwan’s national carrier, the state-owned China Airlines, which currently flies to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and EVA Air, which operates a Brisbane-Taipei service.
It also brings with it some pedigree. In 2025, Starlux placed among the top 20 carriers at the World Airline Awards in the World’s Best Airline category (check out that story here).
In January, it was also named among the world’s top 12 safest carriers in the annual AirlineRatings safety rankings (read more about that here).
This month, the airline earned a Skytrax 5-star rating for the second consecutive year.
“It reflects the dedication and consistency our team has maintained since day one,” Starlux CEO Glenn Chai said upon receipt of the award.
“As we continue expanding globally, we remain committed to elevating our service standards and ensuring every Starlux journey remains refined, reliable, and memorable.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: Starlux’s Australia launch feels like another sign Asia’s premium aviation battle is intensifying. For Aussie travellers, more competition also usually means sharper fares, better service and more creative routing options.
