Last week, I had the opportunity to fly on China Airlines Business Class aboard their Boeing 777-300er from San Francisco (SFO) to Taipei (TPE). The flight last3ed roughly 14 hours and overall was a very pleasant experience and definitely better than you would find aboard U.S. Flagship carriers. Here’s my full review.
Booking
Knowing I would be traveling to Hong Kong for Lunar New Year in 2024, I planned ahead and found great availability on Air France’s Flying Blue for China Airlines. Rates to Hong Kong from San Francisco were 88,000 points plus about $85 in taxes and fees. There was a nice transfer bonus from Chase at the time of booking so I paid just above 70,000 points for my ticket.
Pre-Departure
The pre departure experience at SFO is simply disappointing. While the check in process was quick and easy, the China Airlines Lounge is a huge letdown. This poor looking lounge had few choices and was tucked away in a dark corner of the airport. The food and beverage options were also pretty disappointing and the furniture showed significant signs of wear and tear.
The Cabin
China Airline’s flagship business class cabin utilizes the standard reverse herringbone seat configuration that has become the standard in most long haul flights. This 1-2-1 configuration has the the outside seats angled towards the window, while the middle pair of seats are angled towards the center. This configuration is solid but doesn’t offer the same privacy as United’s Polaris cabin which uses a staggered seating arrangement. China Airlines Boeing 777-300 offers 40 lie flat business class seats, 62 premium economy seats, and 256 standard economy seats for a whopping 358 seats. Business Class passengers have access to 3 lavatories and a small galley for snacks.
The Food
Airplane food is a hit or miss, but China Airlines was pretty solid. From a nicely decorated tabled and prompt service, the staff served our first meal in a timely manner allowing passengers to get some much needed sleep on this red eye flight.
For my first had a beef dish with scalloped potatoes along with a small salad and bread. I wasn’t a huge fan of the salad and the bread was service, but the beef was definitely juicy, This was topped off a tart that I really enjoyed.
For the second prior to landing, I had the American Breakfast which was middle of the road. The egg quiche looking thing was okay, and the espresso was good.
Amenities
China Airlines offers premium passengers a North Face amenity bags. While these kits look cute, the feel leaves plenty to be desired as I prefer premium leather pouches offered at some of the top airlines.
Final Thoughts
China Airlines offers a very solid business class experience on their newish Boeing 777-300. The service was excellent as you would expect from most Asian airlines, and the food was far better than what you would expect from an American carrier. For just above 80,000 points, this was an excellent way to get to Hong Kong from San Francisco!
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