Starlux Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000, becoming the first Taiwanese operator of the type.
Registered as B-58551, the twinjet arrived in Taipei on 6 January after a delivery flight from Airbus’s Toulouse facility. It is the first of 18 A350-1000s the carrier has on order.
The widebody is painted in a special livery, featuring a carbonfibre design on the tail.
Starlux intends to deploy the A350-1000 on flights to North America, as well as on its inaugural flight to Europe some time this year. Airline executives previously stated that the -1000 will enable it to reach the east coast of the USA.
Starlux currently flies to four points in the USA: Los Angeles, Ontario and San Francisco in California, Seattle in Washington. It will begin operating to Phoenix, Arizona on 15 January.
At the Paris air show in 2025, the airline placed fresh orders for 10 Airbus A350-1000s – topping up an earlier commitment for eight jets.
Starlux is the first Taiwanese operator of the A350-1000. Compatriot EVA Air has orders for 24 of the stretched variant, which it first announced in 2023 and topped up in 2025. China Airlines, meanwhile, has orders for 15 -1000s.
Starlux is also the A350-1000’s latest Asia-Pacific operator. In December 2025, Airbus delivered the first -1000 to Philippine Airlines. Other operators of the variant include Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines.
