On December 4, Starlux Airlines announced its plans to launch regular charter flights from Taipei Taoyuan and Taichung to Kobe.
Starting from April 2025, the airline plans to operate the former route three times a week and the latter daily for a total of 10 weekly flights between Taiwan and the Japanese airport. The detailed schedule has not been announced yet. Both routes are expected to be operated by Airbus A321neo aircraft with 188 seats including eight in business and 180 in economy class.
Starlux is the third international airline following Korean Air and VietJet to announce plans to serve Kobe Airport from next April. The exclusively domestic airport will start handling international charter flights on April 18, 2025, when its new Terminal 2 will open. Scheduled international flights are expected to be permitted at the airport from around 2030.
While the flights will be technically charters, Starlux’s Taiwan – Kobe flights are expected to be released for sale to the general public.
Kansai area is already served from Taipei by multiple airlines offering flights to Osaka Kansai Airport. However, there is currently no non-stop service to the area from Taichung.
Kobe will be Starlux’s 11th destination in Japan following Sapporo New Chitose, Hakodate, Sendai, Tokyo Narita, Nagoya Chubu, Osaka Kansai, Takamatsu, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Naha.
