STARLUX vs Delta Airlines from Taipai to North America and beyond

Flying between Taipei and Seattle has never been easier. Four airlines now work the route, China Airlines, EVA Air, STARLUX and Delta, so you're spoilt for choice. This review zeroes in on the economy experience with Delta and STARLUX who both use the A350 on this route. Sometimes these head to head reviews leave us splitting hairs to separate two good airlines but not this time. As you'll read, there’s a clear winner.

The seats

STARLUX gives you 31 inches of seat pitch and an 18 inch wide seat. Delta counters with 31 to 32 inches of pitch but a slightly narrower 17.4 inch width. Both come with a seat back screen for on demand in flight entertainment, in-seat power, a blanket and a pillow. So in raw numbers there's very little between them. STARLUX is a touch wider, Delta a touch longer in the legroom.

Schedule and flight times

This is where the two genuinely diverge, and it matters more than the seat map.

Outbound, STARLUX leaves Taipei at 20:30 and lands in Seattle at 15:05, an 11 hour flight. The evening departure lets you sleep across the Pacific and arrive mid afternoon. Delta leaves Taipei at 10:55 and touches down at 06:00. That's a daytime flight with a dawn arrival, harder on the body clock.

The return flips the advantage. STARLUX departs Seattle at 23:45 and reaches Taipei at 04:55, a 13 hour haul. That's a late red-eye, landing you before 5am. Delta leaves Seattle at 15:05 and arrives at 20:30, an afternoon out and a civilised evening in.

So STARLUX wins the outbound and Delta wins the way home. Pick your poison.

In flight entertainment and Wifi

Both carriers offer seat back screens in economy though naturally for the Chinese audience there is a wider range of choice on STARLUX and vice versa for the western audience more choice on Delta. Overall Delta wins this category though with a far greater choice. Both aircraft are Wifi equipped.

Amenities

STARLUX hands economy passengers a proper amenity kit, with socks, earplugs, a toothbrush and lip balm. Delta has some amenities available however provision depends on flight time and length.

Catering

Both serve meals, snacks and beverages including alcohol. But STARLUX is the clear winner here. The meal is larger and far more appetising, and it's the kind of catering that makes economy feel a cut above which is especially important on long haul flights.

Price

Using a like for like return between the 9th and 20th of November 2026, Taipei to Seattle, the gap is significant.

STARLUX = 32,987 TWD ($1040 USD)

Delta = 38,535 TWD ($1215 USD)

STARLUX comes in around $175 USD cheaper for the same trip.

STARLUX and Delta Safety

On safety, there's not a lot to split them. Both airlines feature in the World's Safest Airlines list for 2026.Where STARLUX does stand apart is its Seven Star PLUS designation. This doesn't mean the airline is safer than a standard Seven Star carrier; rather, it reflects STARLUX's decision to undertake an additional voluntary assessment of its onboard cabin safety practices.

The audit looks beyond traditional safety metrics, evaluating how safety procedures are communicated and applied by cabin crew during normal operations. STARLUX's strong performance provides an extra layer of validation for its onboard safety culture.

Summary

This one has a clear winner. STARLUX is cheaper and delivers an elevated economy experience, with the amenity kit and large hearty meals. Where one airline will win over another though is the flight schedule, as each carrier has a segment thats got the potential to really ruin your body clock.