Starlux Airlines Review: Flawless Seats, Incredible Food, but Cold Service?

• Airline: Starlux Airlines
• Class: Business & Premium Economy
• Route: Phoenix (PHX) to Prague (PRG) via Taipei (TPE)
• Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000

Starlux Airlines has been generating massive buzz across the aviation world, positioning itself as a luxury “luxury detail” carrier aiming to compete with giants like Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Emirates.

Having flown Starlux since their inaugural flights in 2020, I set out on a multi-leg long-haul test across two cabins on their flagship Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, flying Premium Economy from Phoenix to Taipei and Business Class from Taipei to Prague.

Here is the honest breakdown of whether Starlux lives up to its 5-star claims.

Ground Experience & Boarding

Check-in at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport was smooth, friendly, and efficient. Starlux’s flagship A350-1000 aircraft, featuring the special “Air Soyama” liquid metal livery created with Japanese artist Hajime Soyama, is an absolute head-turner on the tarmac.

Cabin & Seat Comfort

• Layout: The Premium Economy cabin features 36 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration.
• Seat Design: The hard product is outstanding. Generous legroom, deep seat recline, adjustable headrests, and a massive 4K inflight entertainment screen make 14 hours over the Pacific very comfortable.
• Amenities: Every seat comes pre-stocked with a high-quality blanket, pillow, slippers, noise-canceling headphones, and a dedicated amenity kit (including moisturizer, eye shades, and a toothbrush).
• Connectivity: Premium Economy passengers receive complimentary, unlimited Wi-Fi for the duration of the flight.

Food & Dining

• Midnight Dinner: Served shortly after takeoff from Phoenix, featuring a chicken pasta dish with a ciabatta roll, fresh fruit, vanilla puffs, and Starlux’s signature blue cocktail. While good, it was fairly standard.
• Breakfast Highlight: The star of the culinary service was the breakfast served before landing—a savory fish congee that delivered rich, authentic flavors and ranks among the best breakfasts served in any Premium Economy cabin globally.

13-Hour Layover & Taipei Flagship Lounge

During my transit through Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), I visited Starlux’s flagship “Galactic Lounge” in Terminal 2.

The Galactic Lounge Experience

• Ambience & Size: Uncharacteristically disappointing for a self-proclaimed 5-star airline. The space felt constrained, partially under renovation, and lacked the grand scale or atmosphere found in Singapore Airlines’ or Qatar Airways’ flagship lounges.
• Service & Staff: Ground staff at the lounge reception and inside were cold, unwelcoming, and visibly unenthusiastic.
• Dining System: The buffet selection was small, but ordering via table QR codes yielded fresh, made-to-order comfort dishes (such as chicken nuggets, onion rings, and fries).

Business Class (Taipei to Prague | Airbus A350-1000)

The 14.5-hour long-haul journey to Prague took a detour around closed Russian airspace, routing south over South Asia and the Middle East.

Hard Product: 10 out of 10

• Private Suite Design: Configured in a 1-2-1 layout, each Business Class suite features a fully closing sliding privacy door, warm timber-and-copper color palettes, a massive 4K screen, wireless phone charging, universal power sockets, a vanity mirror, and ample personal storage.
• Sleep Quality: Full lie-flat mattress pad, plush duvet, extra pillows, and Starlux pajamas provided an uninterrupted 8 to 9 hours of sleep.

Inflight Dining: 10 out of 10

• Dinner Service: All courses (starter, salad, chicken soup, rice, and main dish) were served together on a single tray to maximize sleep time. The main course—tender pork chops—was exceptional, literally melting on the tongue.
• Pre-Landing Breakfast: A cheese omelette served alongside smoked salmon salad, fresh croissants, yogurt, and marmalade. The omelette was perfectly cooked and rich in flavor.

Soft Product & Crew Service: The Weak Link

• Busy & Disconnected: While polite, the crew appeared in a constant state of stress and rush. Personal interactions were minimal, nobody asked how the meals were or checked in on passenger satisfaction.
• Inattentive Service: Requesting a simple mid-flight coffee was met with visible exasperation (“Really?”) from a crew member in the galley, and the drink was eventually dropped off without care or sugar/milk inquiries. A second coffee requested before landing was forgotten entirely.
• Filming Policies: Crew members explicitly stated prior to takeoff that Starlux does not welcome content creators or flight reviewers, requesting all crew faces be blurred.

Final Ratings & Summary

Hard Product & Seats: 10 out of 10

Whether in Premium Economy or Business Class, Starlux boasts some of the newest, most comfortable, and feature-packed seats in commercial aviation.

Inflight Catering: 9.5 out of 10

Authentic, fresh, and exceptionally flavorful dining from top to bottom.

Check-in & Airport Ground Staff: 8 out of 10

Friendly, quick, and polite counter agents in both Phoenix and Taipei.

Lounge Experience: 5 out of 10

Small, cramped, and lacking the luxury atmosphere expected of a flagship lounge.

Cabin Crew & Service: 5 out of 10

Hardworking but visibly stressed, impersonal, and lacking the warm human-to-human hospitality found on Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, or Lufthansa.

The Verdict

Starlux Airlines has built a world-class physical product with elite seats, top-tier aircraft, and outstanding food. However, until their soft product, lounge atmosphere, and cabin crew hospitality match their hardware, they fall just short of challenging the very best 5-star airlines in the world.

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