China Airlines visited Phoenix, Arizona on September 18 (Thursday) in US Pacific Time, led by General Manager Chen Hanming to meet with Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and announced the official launch of a new non-stop Taipei-Phoenix flight route starting from December 3, with three weekly round-trip flights. The two sides will continue to deepen cooperation to promote business and travel exchanges between Taiwan and the United States.
Chen Hanming expressed gratitude for the support from the government of Arizona and the city of Phoenix, which facilitated the launch of the new flight route. China Airlines became the first national airline to offer direct flights to Phoenix, having operated chartered flights as early as 2022, accumulating rich experience in passenger and cargo transport. Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is the largest international airport in Arizona, with rapid growth in passenger and cargo volumes in recent years. It will become an important foothold and inland hub for China Airlines to further develop in North America. Through interline tickets with Southwest Airlines, passengers can easily connect to over 50 cities in the United States, including Denver, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Kansas City, and Chicago.
Currently, China Airlines’ North American destinations include New York, Los Angeles, Ontario, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver, in addition to the upcoming Phoenix route, totaling 40 round-trip flights per week. China Airlines continues to expand its fleet capacity and actively optimize its regional and long-haul network. Starting from October 26, there will be four daily flights between Taipei and Tokyo Narita; from November 18, there will be five weekly flights between Taipei and London; the New York route will also be increased in frequency, with plans to move to the new Terminal 1 at Kennedy Airport next year.
The Taipei-Phoenix flight route will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with CI036 departing from Taoyuan at 16:30 and arriving in Phoenix at 13:35 local time. The return flight CI035 will depart from Phoenix at 16:00 and arrive in Taoyuan at 22:20 the next day.
To celebrate the launch of the Phoenix route, China Airlines will host an immersive event in the Xinyi District of Taipei at ATT 4 FUN on September 20. The event will feature a desert-themed atmosphere, singer performances, and balloon artists. Participants completing tasks in the five exhibition areas will have the chance to win round-trip business class tickets between Taipei and Phoenix, getting a first taste of the vibrant “Valley of the Sun.”