Delta’s entry into the crowded Seattle-Taipei market elicited a lot of chatter online—I won’t rehash most of it. Other than to say that by competing with Taiwan’s three fantastic full-service airlines, Delta set itself up for failure.
As I’ll explain throughout this review, it’s not that either Delta’s product or service are bad, certainly not by US standards. However, when compared to what they’re up against, they just don’t quite meet the mark, whether for veteran airlines China Airlines and EVA Air, or newcomer Starlux.
Whether you’re actively considering Delta One to Taiwan or are simply curious as to how it stacks up, I do hope you’ll continue reading.
Why I Finally Flew Delta One to (Well, from) Taiwan
I’m not sure what possessed me to search fares for Delta One to Taipei in June of 2024, but I’m glad I did. I initially looked for a round-trip fare between Seattle and Taipei, and was shocked to find that it cost under $4,000 (and, via Amex Travel, $500 less than that, thanks to my Platinum Card). Wanting to tick one of the last remaining major business class products off my bucket list, I booked the flight (even though I felt it was still too expensive).
I later ended up amending the reservation, when prices of flights not only originating in my home city (St. Louis) fell, but when ones to the destinations for which I was actually bound on the first leg of my trip (Tokyo) came down as well. So the routing I flew was STL-DTW-HND (which I reviewed in another post) to Asia, and then TPE-SEA-STL (which I’m reviewing here) on the way.
What to Know About Flying Delta One to Taiwan
It’s solid
Delta One isn’t a bad product, even if the A330-900 (which flies to Taipei) is a slightly more spartan version of the A350-900 that flies to Tokyo and Seoul. I appreciated certain things not only about the plane (such as the snazzy full-length mirror in the business class lavatory), but aspects of the service, such as crew proactively taking trash, which is rare on US carriers. I also managed to get a solid six hours of sleep, which is almost never the case.
(But not spectacular)
On the other hand, I am very visual person; I didn’t find the…spartan finishes within the A330 cabin (compared to the A350) to be attractive. There was too much white everywhere; the middle overhead bins caused the cabin to feel more claustrophobic and less premium. There was also no working WiFi on the flight; the suite door didn’t close until after the meal, which was Chinese dumplings, but served with Western accompaniments.
It’s expensive
Business class is never cheap. But the reality is that on any other airline, a $4,000 round-trip from the US west coast to East Asia would be standard, not a steal. Even if you make the mistake of trying to book Delta One with SkyMiles (I’ll explain why you shouldn’t do this in just a bit), there’s no way around it: Flying business class on Delta is expensive—and the ROI isn’t necessarily commensurate with that.
(And hard to book with miles)
Actually, this heading is misleading. At least in 2024, when the service launched, there was regularly availability flying Delta to Taiwan with SkyMiles—in some months, every day. The issues is that prices were ridiculous, with the cheapest I ever saw a cool 270,000 miles one-way. Given that Delta has purposely devalued its SkyMiles to be worth about 1¢ each, this is actually more expensive than what I paid in cash.
Taiwan’s airlines are all better
It might sound minor, but one of my least favorite things about my Delta experience was hearing the flight attendants’ loud and inappropriate conversations blaring from the galley. This is sadly common on US airlines, but unheard of on Asia ones. For this and other reasons, all three Taiwanese airlines—China Airlines, EVA Air and Starlux—are vastly preferable to Delta.
How Many Miles Do You Need to Fly Delta to Taiwan?
I’m glad I eventually ended up finding a quasi-reasonable cash fare for Delta One. Otherwise, I might never have been able to review the product, which I think would’ve been a shame. Rates for booking flights using Delta SkyMiles (known often as “SkyPesos” due to how much Delta has devalued them over the years) range from around 200,000 miles one-way on the low-end, to 500,000 miles or even higher. Which is just ludicrous.
To put it another way, unless you are sitting on literally a million that you have no other use for, I don’t recommend using SkyMiles to book Delta One to Taipei. Rather, you have two choices. If money is no object for you, then by all means, pay whatever ridiculous fare Delta is asking for. If it is, do like me and scour the internet relentlessly until you find an acceptable fare for a flight you need to take anyway.
Other FAQ About Flying Delta One to Taiwan
Does Delta fly to Taipei, Taiwan?
Delta has been flying to Taipei, Taiwan from Seattle since 2024. It remains to be seen, however, how long this service lasts. Delta competes on the tour with all three of Taiwan’s major islands, all of which offer an objectively superior product and service compared to Delta.
Is Delta or China Airlines better?
Although Delta and China Airlines are SkyTeam partners, they’re decidedly different airlines. I personally China Airlines for its stylish cabin interiors, its decidedly Taiwanese catering and the professionalism and poise of its flight attendants. However, the Delta One seat might be slightly better than China Airlines’ reverse-herringbone, and Delta has better lounges.
Is Delta or EVA Air better?
EVA Air has better service and food than Delta. Its flight attendants tend to be younger, better groomed and less angry; Delta doesn’t have anything that compares to EVA’s rack of lamb. On the other hand, I would say that Delta’s Delta One suite is superior to the reverse-herringbone seat on EVA’s 777, although the staggered product it offers on the 787-10 is more competitive.
The Bottom Line
Thinking about Delta One to Taiwan? The short answer is that while it’s a good enough product, it pales in comparison to those offered by EVA Air and China Airlines, never mind new-kid-on-the-block Starlux. The long answer is that even if Delta One were perfect, it tends to be expensive, whether you pay outright or use miles—Delta charges half-a-million (sometimes more) of its SkyMiles for a round-trip in business class between the two cities. The good news is that no matter how you decide to get to Taiwan, hiring me to plan your trip will guarantee it’s one for the record book.
