Travellers flying between the US and Taiwan just got a simpler booking experience. American Airlines and Starlux Airlines have agreed to a codeshare starting September 30, building on the interline deal the two carriers already had. In practical terms, you can now put both airlines' flights on a single reservation and check your bags all the way through to Taipei — no separate tickets, no reclaiming luggage mid-journey.
The way it works: a traveller might book an American ticket from Miami to Taipei, flying American to Los Angeles, then connecting onto a Starlux-operated A350 for the long haul across the Pacific. On paper, the whole trip appears as American flight numbers. Starlux codes will appear on 26 American domestic flights feeding into Los Angeles and Phoenix, and American flight numbers will be placed on Starlux flights between Taipei Taoyuan and Los Angeles, San Francisco, Ontario (California) and Seattle. Both sides suggest the list could grow.
Why Starlux is worth knowing about: the Taiwanese carrier only launched during the pandemic, but it has made a name for itself fast, flying brand-new Airbus A350s to the US with both business and first class cabins. It has also been quietly building its own network of partnerships — including a deeper codeshare with Alaska Airlines, whose Atmos Rewards points you can already earn and redeem on Starlux flights.
There's a bigger story hinted at here too. Starlux is reportedly chasing full membership of the Oneworld alliance, which would put it alongside American, Alaska, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. This codeshare isn't that yet — at least for now you won't earn or burn American AAdvantage miles on Starlux flights, and American elites get no priority boarding or upgrade perks on the Taiwanese carrier. But it's the kind of first step that often precedes a much closer tie-up.
For holidaymakers, the upshot is real: getting to Taipei from smaller US cities is now a one-transaction affair, and if you've been curious about Starlux's much-praised business class, it's easier than ever to build a trip around it. Watch this space — if Oneworld membership follows, mileage redemptions and elite perks would make this pairing considerably more attractive.
