New Direct Flights Connect Taipei and Phoenix, Expanding Access to Southwest U.S. Destinations
China Airlines plans to start nonstop flights between Taipei and Phoenix from December 3, 2025. Using Airbus A350-900 aircraft, this route will provide the first direct air link between Taiwan and Arizona. The addition increases China Airlines’ North American destinations to seven and aims to improve connectivity between East Asia and the central United States.
The flights will run three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays with outbound service from Taipei designated as flight CI036. The schedule includes:
- Departure from Taoyuan International Airport at 10:55 a.m.
- Arrival in Phoenix at 8:00 a.m. local time, allowing for same-day onward connections
- Return flight CI035 leaves Phoenix at 11:55 a.m.
- A brief stop in Los Angeles at 12:20 p.m. before continuing to Taipei
- Arrival in Taipei at 9:30 p.m. the following day
This new route allows easier access to several geographic and natural sites in the American Southwest. Antelope Canyon in northern Arizona is notable for its narrow, winding sandstone corridors shaped by erosion. Horseshoe Bend offers wide views of a significant bend in the Colorado River. Near Tucson, Saguaro National Park contains desert terrain characterized by the large saguaro cactus.
Travelers arriving in Phoenix can also reach distinct elevated landscapes within reasonable travel time. Sedona’s Red Rock State Park features red sandstone cliffs and hiking trails. Monument Valley, on the Arizona-Utah border, is recognized for its prominent sandstone buttes. Fossilized trees and vivid desert landscapes combine at Petrified Forest National Park, highlighting the geological history of the region.
This route is expected to improve travel options to the interior United States. With a cooperation agreement with Southwest Airlines, passengers can transfer at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to more than 30 domestic destinations without changing terminals. This setup makes transferring easier and opens up travel to parts of the U.S. that haven’t had many direct flights from Asia before.