Taipei is definitely one of the most diverse markets you get out there. You have all airlines based from either spot flying the route, and all of them offer competitive prices (if that’s not enough, you get one airline from each alliance plus a standalone airline, too).
Obviously one trying to find a best product with no regard to price would fly Cathay Pacific, as they are the only airline that has both a fully flat reverse herringbone beds across the route and a mileage program that leads to easily redeemable flights.
Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER Business Class
There is existent competition across the other four airlines, so I decided to give them all a dummy booking, and see which one came out on top. I used the dates for an average short Christmas trip from 25 December to 27 December.
1. Cathay Pacific 494 / Cathay Pacific 473
Cathay Pacific’s best product lies on their 10:30 A330 departure to Taipei, and with the herringbone A340 business class seat back (it’s necessarily the flight with the best timing), it comes to a total of ~HK$10,100.
Both legs are on fully flat products, so it would be a great way to fly across the short flight.
Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300 Business Class
Cathay Pacific Airbus A340-300 Business Class
2. Hong Kong Airlines 252 / Hong Kong Airlines 283
Hong Kong Airlines runs their staggered flat business class product on their Airbus A330-300s, which are featured on these two flights to Taipei. They come to a total of ~HK$5000.
Their products are probably second best across the pond after Cathay Pacific’s reverse herringbone business class product.
Hong Kong Airlines Airbus A330-300 Business Class
3. China Airlines 602 / China Airlines 927
China Airlines runs a decent business class product from Hong Kong to Taipei, and at their cheapest rate you can get angled lie flat seats (the latter on the upper deck of a 747) for ~HK$2750.
Their Airbus A330 product is rather old and ageing though still functional, and their 747 product is straight out of THAI’s improved angled flat business product which I flew last February.
China Airlines Airbus A330-300 Business Class
China Airlines Boeing 747-400 Business Class
4. EVA Air 892 / EVA Air 857
EVA runs their Hello Kitty flight to Hong Kong. With a normal flight the other way on the A321, it costs ~HK$4150.
EVA Air’s A330-200 runs on an angled lie flat bed, while their A321 runs on a recliner.
EVA Air Airbus A321 Business Class
EVA Air Airbus A330-200 Hello Kitty Business Class
5. Dragonair 486 / Dragonair 483
Dragonair runs an A330 and an A320 to Taipei daily.
In my understanding the new A320s have the same business class seat as the new regional business class, which isn’t all that exciting.
Dragonair Airbus A330-300 Business Class
What would I pick?
I’d pick between Hong Kong Airlines and China Airlines.