Flying to Taiwan
Which carrier should I fly?
Several airlines fly to Taiwan, besides the usual carriers, you can also fly Eva Airlines, Continental, Northwest Airlines and China Airlines.
Fly - Eva Airlines (BR)
Eva Airlines flies flights to Taiwan from LA and SF. I usually took flight BR 16 (Eva’s designation is BR, I’m not sure why) leaving Taipei in the evening and arriving in LA in the early morning. Perfect timing to get on my connecting flight back to Houston. Unlike other airlines, Eva Airlines has 4 classes. I recommend the class just above economy – their deluxe economy class. This offers more leg room to stretch for the 13-hour trans-Pacific flight.
Eva Airlines is a relatively new airline that is a branch of Evergreen shipping. They started flight service in the early 1990’s and have zero accidents (maybe due to the relative age, or new age of the planes)! The service is also great. I like Eva also since they codeshare with Continental’s OnePass program.
Fly - Northwest Airlines (NWA)
Northwest Airlines usually flies out from their hub in Detroit to Kansai, then to Taipei. However, I have also flown Northwest from LA to Tokyo (Narita) and then to Taipei. I liked the flight from Taipei->Kansai since you can land at Japan's Kansai airport. Kansai is the airport in Japan built on reclaimed waters, right in the middle of the Pacific. I remember watching a Discovery program about problems associated with Kansai. Being built on reclaimed land, the airport gradually sinks an inch or two every year. Both terminals at Narita and Kansai allow payment in US dollars and take all major credit cards. Be sure to stock up on cute Japanese things!
Avoid Going Through LAX
I would avoid going through LAX if possible. Several reasons - 1. you
have to claim baggage and screen it again, 2. you have to either walk
or wait for the inter-terminal bus to go from the domestic terminal to
the international terminal, 3. after that you go through secuirty
again, 4. LAX is under construction and the airport is getting old, 5.
Stuff is always stolen from my checked bags.What Route Should I Take to Fly to Taiwan?
There is a lot to do in the NRT terminal also with food courts and shops to browse around.
How much is a plane ticket?
Roundtrip flights vary based on carrier, class of service and time of travel. Flying anytime during the summer months (May-August) are expensive. Expect flights in the $1,000+ range. Flights in the off season are considerably cheaper.
Where can I search for plane tickets?
On the top right, I have placed links
for each of the carriers mentioned. They links will open in a new
window.
In my past trips to Taiwan I just went
directly to the Continental website directly, no need to go through a
travel agency.