eva air trip report

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Trip Report: EVA Air Business Class from Los Angeles to Taipei

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I recently had to take a quick trip to Bangladesh. While searching the United site, I found some good space on Thai, EVA, United and Asiana. All the airlines have flat bed seats, but I leaned toward EVA Air because they joined the Star Alliance two months ago , so I hadn’t yet had a chance to fly them.

EVA flies the same flat bed business class seats as Cathay Pacific and the new American Air 777-300ER, which are widely considered the best business class seats in the world. The chance to fly a new airline and the best product made EVA my top choice.

I was booking with US Airways miles, so I followed the standard procedure to book an award with US Airways miles.

• Search for award space on united.com because it displays all of the Star Alliance, and usairways.com only shows US Airways space. (All alliance partners should have access to the same award availability, so anything found on united.com is bookable with US Airways miles.)
• Call US Airways at 800-622-1015 to book the award.

My Itinerary with all flights in Business Class:

LAX-TPE 8/13 1:35AM Arrive 5:10AM +1 EVA Air TPE-SIN 8/14 7:10AM Arrive 12:00PM Singapore Air SIN-DAC 8/14 8:40PM Arrive 10:30PM Singapore Air — Return DAC-SIN 8/18 11:55PM Arrive 6:00AM +1 Singapore Air SIN-HKG 8/19 7:00AM Arrive 12:00PM Singapore Air HKG-TPE 8/19 1:00 PM Arrive 4:25 PM Singapore Air TPE-LAX 8/19 6:40PM Arrive 4:20 PM EVA Air

What was my take on the food, service, and bed?

I was very tempted to book a trip through Europe in First Class on Lufthansa but I needed the most time possible in Bangladesh, so I opted for the fastest route available. I eventually ticketed the itinerary for 120,000 US Airways miles and went on my way!

There’s something about the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX that gives me butterflies. I think it’s the fact that all these airlines are in this huge hall with massive ceilings and a huge board displaying all the flights. I hope they never get rid of those boards because they add a bit of nostalgia to the otherwise horrible terminal. Although they recently underwent a renovation of epic proportions, the check in area didn’t seem to change much except for some visible A/C vents and LCD TV’s behind the counters. The concession choices have changed a little bit, but I wasn’t too interested.

The only thing of interest of checking was that the agent instructed me to go to the international lounge instead of the Star Alliance lounge as it would be closing at 11:45 PM, and my flight wasn’t until 1:35 AM.

The lounge was on par with a typical United Club, so I won’t bore you with the details.

EVA Airways BR 1 Boeing 777-300ER Flight Time: 12 Hours 35 Minutes 1:35AM – 5:10AM +1 Seat 11K (business)

My flight was leaving through the newly renovated area of the terminal at Gate 130. I was surprised at how minor the renovation  and was even more surprised to see a Sees Candies stall being the only thing open in the new hall (Peanut Brittle!)

Boarding began around 12:20 AM, and it was a free-for-all. All boarding was done through one door, and EVA didn’t do a good job of maintaining order.

When I got on board, I headed the second min-cabin of business class. EVA has seven rows of business class, then a galley, then four more rows of business class on its 777-300ER. I chose the mini-cabin behind the galley because I was hoping it would be quieter and more private. EVA has three classes of service on the 777-300ER: Business, Premium Economy and Economy.

I was extremely delighted to arrive at my seat.

This picture also gives a sense of the reverse herringbone pattern. The window seats face out a bit, and the middle seats face each other.

The seat itself is very comfortable, and there is ample storage space for your shoes and other personal items. Each person gets his own overhead bin, so that was a plus.

The Seat All the seat controls were to my left. The TV remote and seat adjustments are in the same place, and the TV is placed diagonally onto the seat in front of you. While Cathay pacific has a mini door to hide the headphones, EVA opted to keep everything open and put the headphones in their own bag.

I was worried that by sitting in the middle, I wouldn’t have privacy from the person next to me. Luckily you feel very far apart and separated by your control centers. So the good news is that a solo traveler can have privacy in a middle seat. The bad news is that companions would have trouble conversing easily.

The seat turns into a fully flat bed. It’s very comfortable and the supplied duvet also helps!

  The Flight

We left the gate right on time but somewhere between the taxi to takeoff and actually taking off, I fell asleep. I didn’t wake up until about 25 minutes after takeoff and I only woke up to make my seat into a bed. Food service had begun but since it was a late night flight, I wasn’t ready to sit around and eat. I slept for a solid 8 hours and when I woke up, we were about 4 hours out of Taipei and under the stars.

It was the second longest airplane sleep time for me behind only the 11 hours I got from Hong Kong to Frankfurt once! I took the time to look at the Rimowa Amenity Kit that some people have been going crazy for ;). It was pretty basic with a toothbrush, lotion and some other items. There were even slippers placed in the magazine rack below me.

I rang the call button and asked for my meal to be delivered, but the cabin crew had notified me that they couldn’t serve it to me anymore. ”

Instead I ordered the Lay’s Seaweed Chips, which is a snack I don’t plan to repeat. I ordered some cookies which were delicious and while eating, another passenger told me that I didn’t miss much on the dinner service. I took pictures of the menu just in case anyone wanted to see. I think EVA is the only airline that will serve Dom in their business cabin. I don’t drink but it was pretty cool to see as those bottles go for more than $100 each!

I settled in with my cookies and began to watch some movies. The entertainment selection is actually very good. It seemed like EVA shares the same collection as Singapore Air’s KrisFlyer. There were plenty of American, Asian, Indian, and even European movies onboard. To make things even better, it was touch screen!

When it comes to service, EVA Air is definitely up there with other airlines! They take on a Cathay Pacific approach when it comes to service and sort of anticipate your needs rather than come by every 10 seconds. Every hour, a crew member came around the cabin with water and juice. It was a nice gesture as they continued to serve people individually with whatever drinks/snacks they wanted. I really do think that EVA has the service aspect down because all of their crew is wonderful!

Breakfast service started and I was surprised to see Dim Sum from Din Tai Fung, a delicious Chinese Dim Sum restaurant in Los Angeles, available. Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed when I found out the dumplings were pork. I opted for the Red Velvet pancakes instead. An important thing to recognize is that EVA has three set menus. One is Western, one is Asian and one is a quick meal so you can sleep more. They will not let you mix and match from different menus so you have to take only one. However, you can order your meal online up to 24 hours before the flight.

I ordered the pancakes which were bland, but the whipped cream gave is some sort of flavor. Coupled with the strawberries on the plate, it was just an OK dish. I’ve heard a lot of people complain about the food, and I have to agree that EVA needs to improve with their catering/culinary aspect.

We landed around 10 minutes ahead of schedule and taxied to the gate. This time, two doors were attached and we were out of the plane in no time.

Overall, I think that EVA is a wonderful addition to the Star Alliance network. It has expanded availability and has given the alliance another solid way to get to Asia. Everything from the seat to the service were great and I would fly them again in a heartbeat! The only issue I could find with them was the food, but it wasn’t too bad, so overall I ‘d give the flight very good marks for business class.

Beware, however that the flat beds are only available on the 777-300ER and not the 747’s flying into Seattle. I do see the Seattle flight going on and off with the 777-300ER, so you may want to check ahead of time when flying that route.

Current 777-300ER Routes include: LAX/SFO/JFK-TPE TPE-HKG/SIN/BKK BKK-LHR/VIE/CDG

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25 Comments

Looks like a great premium service with a nice hybrid of first class quality. Thanks for the report!

Thanks for the report. I’ve flown EVA a number of times in paid premium economy. The hard product is a huge improvement over economy on any carrier. But, you’re right about EVA’s food. After several flights I learned to order Kosher meals, which are served first (nice to get the meal out of the way on night flights) and are much much better than the standard food on EVA. Pork porridge for breakfast? Spare me!

Thanks for the report! So what’s your recommendation for best seats for 2 travelers?

Of course we want to be able to converse but have the overall cabin quiet as possible for sleeping. Thanks!

Jon, I would highly recommend the Lufthansa 747-8 Business Class. Although they are reverse herringbone, they are a little less private in the middle section. In addition, you may want to try the Thai A380 as every other middle row seat has 2 flat bed business seats without a partition! It’s great if you’re traveling with someone!

Thanks BMG. How About Best Seats For Companions On This Plane?

Does The Mini Cabin Share Lavs With Econ?

On this plane, if you really want to talk to a companion..I would say get one window and one aisle lol. The divider is just too much. You have to take your seatbelt off completely to even see the other person. However, if you sit aisle and window, it’s easy to talk to each other!

You don’t share bathrooms with Economy, there are bathrooms in the middle galley of business class for all Business class passengers!

Seems like 1:35am flight does not really let you experience the flight. I would at least want to try the lobster and champagne 🙂

That is true! Although I got to experience the EVA 777-300ER 4 times on this trip haha. I would recommend the earlier flight in the day! Hopefully, you have a better experience with the food than I did.

Any PJ’s? Or is that just for airlines with F?

No PJ’s on this flight. Only in First Class i’m afraid!

Was your seat 11K or 11G (aisle)? I think 11K is a Window seat (since I sat in 11K from TPE-YYZ, last row of RL, right-window) and SeatGuru confirms it

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Eva_Airways/Eva_Airways_Boeing_777-300ER.php

Jerry, I had 11K. My mom had the aisle seat and it was easier to take pictures of her seat than mine without going past the curtains ahah!

They gave you a Rimowa kit even in biz class?!?!?!

Ryan, Yeah they only have Economy and Business so they treat it like first class!

What no review of the SIN flight to DAC? As a Bengali I’m always curious to see how bad service to Bangladesh is. No matter the quality of the airline, flights to Dhaka are always a fresh way to experience hell.

Cool, a BD report. I dont know about u guys (Raka or Tahsir), but I swear on arrival, DAC airport looks like a sewer. But then on departure, it actually looks kinda nice. It could be that I get used to the dust, the poor, those damn open sewers, the jackass drivers (which is just about every single driver behind the wheel) then u get to the airport to leave BD and it looks somewhat organised (inside I mean, NOT outside).

Love the Village, though.

Din Tai Fung is a Taiwanese dumpling chain… not Chinese!

How did you get so much us airway miles? There isn’t much to offer from the cc.

My fav flight to tpe would be china airlines. Nice review buddy. Would you say having baby traveling family. Mom dad and baby would be better in Econ premium or business class?

“HKG-TPE 8/19 1:00 PM Arrive 4:25 PM Singapore Air” Interesting, I didn’t know SQ flew this route and usually this is an only 1.5hr flight.

I have been searching for EVA Business availability from Taipei to SFO on December but it seems there are quite a lot Sep/Oct availability but not much Dec. Is that because they havent released them or there are just not much space at that time?? Thanks.

[…] Air has an awesome flatbed business class product (check out this trip report for a full write up). Their flights do not have any fuel surcharges when redeeming Aeroplan […]

[…] EVA Airlines is a Taiwanese airline that flies to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Seattle with incredible award space on a top-notch flat bed business class product. (Click here for a trip report.) […]

It’s a night flight so you have to expect people (like you ) will sleep right away….yet they WON’T give you your dinner if you wake up later?? That doesn’t seem very service oriented for a premium cabin. Rather ridgid not to accommodate you. I’m taking the same late night flight out of SFO in Sept. Good to know this limitation.

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EVA Air B787-9 Business Class Review

This is a pictorial trip report of my recent flight on EVA Air new B787-9 from Taipei to Tokyo Narita on BR198 depart at 8:50am and arrive at 12:55pm in Narita.

Video Review

EVA Air B787-9 can accommodate a total of 304 passengers and divide into 26 Royal Laurel (Business) Class and 278 economy class. EVA Air intend to use the B787-9 on long haul service. Interesting that it doesn't feature Premium economy class like other EVA Air B777 does.

My seat 6A is a both aisle and window seat on the left of the plane. Each seat have direct aisle access and capable of 180 degrees lie flat with a large footwell. There are plenty of storage and work space on the side and inside the storage compartment. Although my seat is next to the aisle, I don't feel particularly exposed.

Flight time to Tokyo was 2 hour 15 minutes with strong tail wind eastbound. Check out the video for the takeoff scene out of Taipei.

A choice of Chinese cuisine, Japanese cuisine and Western cuisine is on offer on this short regional flight. The Chinese cuisine has the famous Taiwanese Ding Tai Fung catering out of Taipei.

Flight attendant came with a round of drinks before the meal service. I tried a glass of Japanese Sake and a local Taiwan brew "Jasmine Tea" aroma beer.

This was followed by the Ding Tai Fund Chinese cuisine. The starter is pork jelly with chicken soup.

Followed by the famous Ding Tai Fung XiaoLongBao (Pork soup dumpling). I must say EVA Air catering did really well to keep the soup moist inside the skin of the XiaoLongBao. I didn't feel too dry.

The flight was very enjoyable with large touch screen enabled entertainment and noise cancelling headset. However it was too short to go fully flat for a nap. I was very impressed about the service standard on EVA Air regional flight. Compared to most carriers only offering 2 choices in terms of food on intra Asia regional flight, EVA Air definitely offer more choices.

EVA Air B787-9 has a great and pleasant business class product. With friendly service and exceptional cuisine, I would highly recommend flying EVA Air business class. Don't miss the detail video review!

Hi Sam My wife & I are traveling (Business Class for the first time) to London from Australia, I have been looking at your videos & as we are concerned about the Price & Service we think the EVA Air might be the best option for us, can give me options we are traveling July/August 2020.

All the best Les

I think EVA Air is a great choice!

You are so fun to watch, your report is humorous and informational and you’re adorable. I think those beautiful flight attendants were very flirtatious with you. The meal looks amazing which is not something they’re known for. I have flown many transpacific long haul flights with them in J class but they have never served me a 5-star meal. I must say that their catering is their weakest suit but if they could master that, they could rule the world.

Thanks for your comment. I actually think the meals are a strong point for EVA, but that just my preference.

Also I forgot to mention, that many passengers prefer to pre-book their meals, so they can have lobster and other gourmet options, not seen outside of First Class, on most airlines.

Thank you Sam, will do, keep blogging, you the best !

Sam, I always watched your blog and enjoyed your many adventures and flights on different airlines. I got hook on Eva Airline business class for 5 years and recently last years on my 35th Wedding Anniversary I was able to fly Asiana Airlines with my family celebrating in Korean and Japan. Asiana is fast competing with Eva on the market based on their business class and Premium Economy. What can you suggest when to book cheaper price on business class from San Francisco to Manila, on what months should I start looking comparing airlines rate. I travel every year back to manila to visit the beautiful country. Please continue on in your good work and blogger about airlines. Can’t never cease to watch your blog every night on You Tube. Thank you Bill (ret) US Army

Thanks for your comment Bill. I suggest you subscribe to all the airline newsletters to be notified a sale. Also keep an eye on Secretflying.com and this blog for any ongoing quick deals.

Would you that, AVA’s Royal Laurel, is the best Business Class in the world? Secondly, I have heard, that Royal Laurel is better than many airlines International First Class product, is this true?

EVA’s Royal Laurel is certainly an awesome product on many aspect rise above peer’s Business Class. The champagne they used is First Class grade, so as the table set up, food and sleep amenities. The downside is you share with 20-30 other passengers in the same cabin which is less exclusive than a true first class.

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Customer Reviews

"so attentive and friendly"

52 reviews kah kay au (singapore) 13th august 2024, "very good value", s peale (sri lanka) 11th august 2024, "scores high on inflight catering and dining", 52 reviews kah kay au (singapore) 27th july 2024, "a very good experience", 1 reviews aaron im (united states) 13th may 2024, "a wonderful experience", e galedo (canada) 10th may 2024, "eva air is very good", 1 reviews hajoon chung (south korea) 22nd april 2024, “a wonderful experience”, darshan komalsingsakul (thailand) 10th december 2023, “an exceptional high level of service”, az zhang (canada) 21st november 2023, “fantastic to travel with them”, leonor mendoza (canada) 21st november 2023, “a negative atmosphere”, danny burgerhout (netherlands) 17th november 2023, world’s best airlines in 2024, world’s best airports in 2024, the best airline cabin crew, eva air photos.

UponArriving

EVA 777 Business Class (Royal Laurel Class) Review [2022]

EVA business class (Royal Laurel Class) is considered by many avgeeks to be one of the best business class experiences available. The product has got a little bit of everything that a good business class should have: comfort, privacy, good dining and drinks, quality service and more. But is the experience a little bit overrated or does it live up to the hype? 

In this detailed review, I’ll cover a trip on the EVA 777-300 in business class from IAH to TPE.

Table of Contents

The trip routing

This particular segment to Taipei was part of a mini round the world trip which included the following routes: IAH->TPE->BKK (layover)->FRA->IAH.

• IAH->TPE: EVA 777-300 J
• TPE->BKK: Thai 777-200 J
• BKK->FRA: Thai A350-900 J
• FRA->IAH: Lufthansa A380-800 F
• ORD->IAH: United 737-900 F  (changed)

I booked this entire round the world trip about 48 hours before I departed , which was the polar opposite of what I’m used to doing since we usually book big trips eight to 12 months out. The last-minute nature of the booking added a level of excitement to the trip. One moment I was psyched about taking off around the globe on such short notice and the next, I was wondering if I had lost my mind.

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Flight details 

Here are the details for the flight: 

• Route: Houston (IAH) -> Taipei (TPE)
• Flight No: BR 51 
• Aircraft: 777-300ER
• Date: June 10, 2019
• Departure Time: 12:58am
• Arrival Time: 5:46 am
• Flight Time: 15 hours,  48 minutes 

Booking EVA business class with points 

EVA is known for having great availability a week or two before departure. And for this flight, I’d been monitoring the award inventory for quite some time. I found consistent awards open up about seven days prior to departure and decided that I’d jump on one of these when it suddenly occurred to me ready I was ready for this trip. 

I booked EVA business class with Air Canada Aeroplan miles that I transferred from my American Express Memberships Rewards account.

From IAH to TPE, the booking required 75,000 miles which was 5,000 fewer miles than United required. Not only that but I only paid $7.50 CAD or about $5.60 in fees since I was able to avoid the United close-in fees. I found these flights for $3,292 in cash, so that’s about 4.4 cents per point for my Aeroplan miles/Membership Rewards which is nice. 

As I’m able to travel full time more now for essentially unlimited durations (working remotely), the idea of paying cash for reasonably priced business class tickets to take me somewhere makes more sense and so this 4.4 cent valuation isn’t so “aspirational” as it used to be. 

Heading to the airport 

On our way to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), a stunning pink sunset stretched along the horizon. It lasted the entire drive and I took it as a sign that this was going to be a great trip. It definitely gave me some good vibes. 

Check-in for EVA opened up at 9pm (four hours prior to departure) and I was already in line at about 8:40pm, so I was the very first one to check-in.

At the time of booking online, the seat map showed no open window seats, but at check-in I promptly asked if they had any available bulkheads on the window and the agent told me “yes, we do!” I was pumped about getting a window bulkhead since those are pretty much my favorite business class seats and was stoked I could avoid a middle seat. Once again, I felt even better about the trip. 

The lounge experience 

Since this was a late flight departing at 1am, I didn’t have the best selection for lounges. I would’ve loved to have gotten to the airport early enough to spend meaningful time at the United Polaris lounge but that wasn’t practical. This flight is the only EVA flight out of IAH and check-in didn’t open until four hours on the dot before departure.

So I checked my one bag at 9pm, got through TSA Pre-Check (lite), and then promptly made my way to Terminal E to check out the Polaris Lounge with about 40 minutes to check it out. 

I knew the United Polaris Lounge would be nice but I was even more impressed by it than I thought I would be. It’s just a beautiful place and seems to be on par with some of the high quality business class international lounges I’ve visited. It’s lightyears above a United Club, and I’d prefer it over the Centurion Lounge at IAH. 

I didn’t have time to indulge in the dining room, so I was limited to trying out the buffet. Many items were missing or not fresh (understandably given it was so late) but there were some decent items I got to try like the sandwiches and wraps.

There was also a pretty solid line-up of desserts that utterly derailed my plan to eat completely healthy on this trip (I eventually recovered somewhat).

Even though I was disappointed I didn’t get the full dining experience, just checking out the lounge and seeing what it was all about was great. I also took a peak at some of the other amenities like the quiet rooms which looked very comfortable and would be heaven on a long layover. 

But before I knew it, I was kicked out since they were closing and so I went next door to the United Club, which pretty much felt like a hospital waiting room compared to the Polaris Lounge. 

I sat there until about 11:30pm when they closed and then made my way to the Executive Club, which was the lounge I was given a pass for by EVA. This lounge was located near my gate (D4) and I would’ve gone over there sooner but a United rep told me that lounge had already closed….

Anyway, this little lounge was pretty packed with EVA and Air China passengers. It did offer some okay hot food items (chicken, beef, dips), potato chips, and a bar area, though. It definitely had more to offer than the United Club lounge in terms of food and snacks. 

Finally, about 20 minutes prior to boarding, I made my way over to the boarding area where I was the first one awaiting the jet bridge to open. Boarding first is helpful for doing reviews but it also just feels good to be among the first to get on the aircraft. However, just after I showed up, a gentleman came and stood right next to my side as if to challenge my boarding position —  he did not prevail . 

Boarding was slightly delayed but we ended up departing around the expected departure time (a little early in fact). 

I made my way into the business class cabin and then turned left, heading all the way to the front to seat 1K. The cabin filled up very quickly so I wasn’t able to get clean cabin shots but I did get a couple of them. 

The business class (Royal Laurel Class) cabin on the EVA 777 is made up of two cabins in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration. SeatGuru generated the seat map below when I input my flight info but there was actually a fourth lavatory on the other side of the bulkhead in front of 1K on my flight. 

I loved the hunter green accents in the cabin and the nice photograph of Taipei 101 in the front. 

The EVA business class seat 

I had heard good things about the EVA business class seat but I still had reservations. I’ve still flown mostly first class versus business class on long-hauls and the biggest thing I love about first class seats is that they usually have much more legroom versus the tight footwells often found in business class (check out: first vs business class ).

But in this case, I noticed how deep and wide the footwell was and was pretty impressed. I had plenty of room.

In my opinion, the EVA business class seat is just well designed all the way around.

You’ve got plenty of counter space to put items, including large electronics. At one point, I had my laptop and large DSLR camera on the counter along with a book and my phone and there wasn’t an issue. 

I also like how you have two armrests. 

There’s also pretty good-sized storage areas you can put things like bottled water in or other items. Below on the side of the seat there’s more storage as well, perhaps best suited for things like shoes and clothes. 

The crew was very strict about not having items in the storage areas or loose items on the counter during take-off. I don’t think I ever saw a crew do such a tight sweep for those things before (but it’s not necessarily a bad thing). 

If you need to hang any garments they have hooks on the side in front of you that you can use. 

I really loved how accessible the ports were, too. You can easily plug into the two USB ports, power outlet (10V power sockets), or headphone jack unlike some of those abominations out there that have you reaching behind your back or under your legs. There’s also a reading light you can turn on as well. 

If you’d like you can control your IFE with the handheld controller and even watch media on it. It’s a touch screen but I only used it to turn on the overhead lights or to call a flight attendant over.

The seat controls look a little crazy at first glance. They have quick controls for getting into the main positions like take-off/landing and sleeping but you can also control parts of your seat individually. I go for the simple approach with these type of controls and just stick to the main three types of positions. 

Seat comfort

All in all, I was instantly pretty comfortable in the seat when reclining. I could tell that this was going to be a comfy flight. As I mentioned, I liked the arm rests on both sides of the seat and it’s nice you can push one side down to open things up a bit.  

The only drawback with the design is how difficult it is to get out of the seat, especially if you are reclined a little bit. Unless you are a pygmy, you’ll need to squeeze through which can get a bit annoying. 

One of my favorite features of EVA business class on the 777 is the privacy. You can tell from the photo below that I had a lot of privacy in seat 1K. It felt extra private because nobody was in the middle seat next to me (remember, sometimes you have to specifically request bulkhead seats and if the cabin is not full, those can be the most likely seats to be empty).

There was also minimal foot traffic through my aisle which kind of surprised me, so overall I felt like I had a ton of privacy in seat 1K. It definitely felt like I made a good decision on where to sit. 

Waiting for me on the seat was a thick pillow, amenity kit, (small) slippers, and headphones.

The staff also came around asking about pajamas and I promptly told them that I would happily be taking pajamas for the flight. They handed me over a sack with “Large” PJs and then dropped me a stick of chocolate, which was promptly devoured. Dark chocolate is a health food, am I right?   

The pajamas are made by Jason Wu, the designer of Michelle Obama’s inauguration dresses or something like that.  

The amenity kit isn’t the design I really like (which is reserved for flights departing Taipei) but it’s still very nice and comes with a bag within a bag. 

The amenity kit came with hand lotion, body lotion, and lip balm from Salvatore Ferragamo. In addition, it had a comb, dental kit, ear plugs, eye mask, sleeping socks, and a glass screen cloth. For a business class flight, this was a high quality amenity kit, as were the pajamas that don’t always get offered on a flight in J.  

The headphones were “Thunder” and I thought they were at least decent quality.

The TVs were a perfect size for the distance and came with very responsive touch screens. They are hard to watch (comfortably) when stowed so that can make things tricky when trying to finish up your movies close to landing. the benefit is that the space really opens up when the monitors are stowed.  

I found the movie selection to be solid and overall the in-flight entertainment package was very good.   

Take off (cabin mood lighting) 

For take-off they dimmed the cabin and turned on the ceiling star lighting.

I know a lot of airlines have these star lights now but they never get old to me.

EVA business class wifi

I purchased the most expensive wifi plan at around $30 expecting to get some work done and to stay connected with the hubby. But the connection was weak and I was barely able to get anything done. I tried to test the wifi speed but it didn’t even register. I was pretty bummed about the wifi and that was the one major negative to the flight. 

EVA business class drink menu

EVA is known for serving up premier champagne like Krug in its business class. I don’t currently drink and it’s been over one year since my last sip of alcohol, so I can’t comment on the quality. (I stopped drinking due to health reasons and just sort of adopted the lifestyle over time.) I was never a huge drinker, and I might make exceptions for champagne in the future but to be honest, it’s been a welcomed change. 

Anyway, in case you were wondering the Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2006 goes for about $150 per bottle .   

EVA business class dining 

I pre-ordered a special meal when I booked these tickets and went with the lobster, as I’m sure many people often do but I’ll start with the appetizers. These consisted of smoked salmon with potato and almond and cheese with tomato on a skewer. The almond cheese ball thing was a small ball of heavenly goodness. 

After the prelude they came out and set the tray table, which was pretty large. 

Next were the hor d’oeuvres. These were marinated herb scallops and shrimp with some sort of sauce on the side. I didn’t care for the bland shrimp but the scallops were a very nice touch. 

They then came around offering bread and I obliged to only one of the smaller pieces of bread trying to act in good faith with respect to the diet, which I was mostly successful-ish in doing. 

Next, it was time for the main dish. The lobster was a little smaller than I had imagined but what it lacked in size it, well you know the saying… This thing was so soft and buttery, I didn’t even need a utensil. I did my best to savor the bites but it was gone all.too.soon. I chose to forgo the potatoes though I did chomp down the deliciously seasoned asparagus. In terms of business class meals (or even first class meals), this was just a fantastic dish.   

I decided to pass on dessert because once again I decided that on this trip I was going to be semi-disciplined when it comes to the diet. Basically, I’m no longer using the “it’s for the blog/readers” to justify my 4,000 calorie meals.  (It probably helped dessert was some sort of pistachio mousse cake. I had zero interest in.)

After dinner, it was time to relax and catch up on movies I hadn’t seen. I started with Aquaman and though I’m not a huge super hero type of guy, I loved it. 

Eventually, I went to sleep for what had to have been around four to six hours, which is very rare for me and probably only happened because the flight was at 1am. But still, it was great. (More on the sleeping experience below.) 

After a few hours of sleep, I requested a snack, which was the stir-fried udon noodles with pork and assorted vegetables. This really hit the spot and I loved how fresh the peppers tasted and how soft the noodles were. 

Breakfast was pretty impressive, too. They first brought out a fruit platter and also offered cereal and breads along with orange juice. 

It felt like they’d offered me so much to eat already that I honestly thought they had forgotten about the meal I had chosen.

But then a minute later they brought out the caramelized onion and brie cheese omelet. The brie cheese was delicious as were the caramelized onions. The omelet was a bit too spongy for me but I guess they don’t have that much to work with in the sky. The sausage was flavorful but after a couple of bites, I wasn’t into the rubbery texture and left them alone.  

Overall, the entire dining experience was impressive. It’s one of the best business class dining experiences I’ve had and I’d say it even competes with some first class flights. Getting lobster in business class is just special and I think EVA really knows what it’s doing when it comes to dining.

EVA business class service 

The service from EVA was top-notch. I’d still peg Singapore above EVA but I’d put EVA pretty high. Most of the staff seemed to speak decent English unlike some past flights like Korean Air but not quite as good as Singapore. They were attentive, extremely efficient, and also very warm and nice. I felt at ease with them and they definitely added value to the experience.

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EVA business class lavatory 

I only used one lavatory the entire flight, located in the very front of the plane (even though there was one right next door to my seat). The lavatory I used was never occupied when I went, which was nice. It was also in an open area where I could stretch out easily and I enjoyed having all that space on this nearly 16 hour journey. 

It’s nothing too special in the EVA lavatory but they did have some amenities I used like the facial mist (I highly recommend to freshen up) and I also used the mouthwash that came in a package. 

There was also a nice floral touch to the walls in there. 

As you can see, nothing too special in there. 

EVA business class pajamas & bedding 

The EVA pajamas were nice and comfy. My favorite pajamas are still the old Givenchy PJs issued with the old Singapore Suites but these were still quality enough that they were worth keeping (which I did). They’ve got a weird neck button design which you can see in my fantastic bedhead photo below. 

The fact that I actually slept should tell you a lot about the EVA bed. At first, I was very suspect because they simply supplied a very thin mattress cover on the seat that provided virtually no padding.

But then I unpacked the comforter which was pretty fluffy and that’s how I really got comfortable.

The flattened armrest area helps to open things up a bit and give you a little bit more room to work with when trying to get comfortable which is really nice. 

After wrapping myself up like a taquito, I was able to get comfy on my side easily (the EVA pillow helped a lot, too). I even slept on my stomach for a little while but that got tricky since I’m 6’1″. Overall, I don’t think you should have trouble getting comfortable.  

I loved that the cabin temperature was so cool. I can’t stand when cabins are kept warm since it makes sleeping so uncomfortable (lookin’ at you Singapore) but they kept this cabin at the perfect temperature. 

Landing in Taipei 

After finishing breakfast, I got cleaned up, freshened up, and then prepared myself to land in Taipei. Here are a couple of shots I got coming in to Taipei on a rainy morning. 

Our flight touched down around 5:30am and we deplaned from the front of the plane, so I was among the first to exit. Customs and immigration was a little long but I probably got through in about 20 to 30 minutes, so it wasn’t the worst wait. 

After making my way through the airport, I was greeted by a W Taipei member who showed me the way to their BMW and just like that, I was on my way to the hotel and ready to explore some of Taipei. 

The EVA business class experience on the 777 definitely lived up to the hype. I had high standards for it and it delivered. I’d say the strengths were dining, comfort, and service. I love both the hard and soft product and I think EVA blurs the line between first class and business class with its soft product. I’d have to rank EVA as one of the top business class experiences I’ve ever had, especially considering the amazing value I got for my points that came with only about $5.60 in fees.   

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

I’m surprised you said that the ife was solid. To me, it was sadly lacking in variety and content. Nowhere compared to Singapore Airlines or Emirates. Also, there was no mirror at my seat. Aside from these, it was good value for the price I paid.

That’s fair. I think IFE quality can be subjective. My rule of thumb is asking myself: Do I have enough flight time to watch all the movies I’m REALLY interested in seeing? If the answer is no then I’m usually a fan of the IFE.

Yes, you will look much better to cut more calories. It is also snobbish to judge service by how well English spoken. In that was true, all airlines based in US would have been ranked higher.

I don’t think it’s snobbish to evaluate english-speaking abilities with respect to service. It’s also a relative comparison between Asian airlines that I limit to US routes. I think a lot of people find it helpful/valuable when the cabin crew can speak English, especially if they are headed to/from the US.

Very true and fair point. Thanks for reading!

Thanks for this review. I am thinking of flying business with them from LHR to BKK next year and this has made the decision a little easier. The EVA website says their business class seats aren’t fully flat and are 2-2-2 configuration though which is a bit confusing.

Hi Mat, I have just flown back from LHR to TPE via BKK for Chinese New Year. I can confirm that the seat are fully flat if you take Royal Laurel Class and are 1-2-1 configuration and BR 68 flight 777. I hope this information helps.

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Review: Eva Air Boeing 777 Business Class from Bangkok to London

Wednesday  newsletters  always feature a  hotel  or  flight  review.

I recently enjoyed a phenomenal holiday in Singapore & Thailand. You can read my trip reports here:

• Review: Swiss Boeing 777 Business Class from Zürich to Singapore
• Review:  Fullerton Bay Hotel (Singapore)
• Review:  Six Senses Duxton & Maxwell (Singapore)
• Review:  Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 Business Class from Singapore to Phuket
• Review:  Keemala Resort Phuket (Thailand)
• Review:  Rosewood Resort Phuket (Thailand)
• Review:  Thai Airways Boeing 747 First Class from Phuket to Bangkok
• Review: The Siam Hotel Bangkok (Thailand)
• Review:  Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, Thailand
• Review:  AMAZING Soneva Kiri, Thailand
• Review: Asia’s largest holiday villa at Soneva Kiri, Thailand
• Review: Eva Air Boeing 777 Business Class from Bangkok to London (today)

Today (April 8, 2020): Eva Air Boeing 777 Business Class from Bangkok to London.

I recently flew onboard an Eva Air Boeing 777-300ER from Bangkok (Thailand) to London (UK) in Business Class (or Royal Laurel Class, as Eva Air calls its premium product). The experience was brilliant and that shouldn’t come as surprise since Taiwan-based Eva Air offers one of the world’s best (and most) underrated Business Class products . While the excellent Business Class layout & seat is similar to what you find on other airlines such as Air France , Air Canada  or  Cathay Pacific , the carrier’s service, amenities and catering really stand out as extraordinary, and are on-par with most international First Class products (albeit at a Business Class price). I’m already looking forward to fly EVA again!

Have you ever flown with Eva Air? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment  below.

• Trip : Bangkok (BKK) to London (LHR)
• Airline : Eva Air
• Aircraft type : Boeing 777-300ER
• Aircraft registration number : B-16739 (delivered to Eva Air in 2017)
• Flight number : BR67
• Date : November 18, 2019
• On time departure : Yes (1 pm)
• On time arrival : Yes (7 pm)
• Miles : 5930
• Flight time : 12 hours
• Class : Business Class

In this review (more information & photos below my YouTube clip):

• Cost of my ticket
• Fact & figures about Eva Air
• Eva Air Business Class lounge at Bangkok Airport
• Business Class cabin
• Business Class seat (+ best & worst seats)
• Entertainment
• Onboard internet
• Other inflight experiences (crew, lavatory & views)
• My verdict (score)

1. COST OF MY TICKET

I paid this one-way Business Class ticket from Bangkok to London with miles & cash: 15 0 euros + 67500 miles. The ticket was booked via Lufthansa’s frequent flyer program Miles & More (Eva Air is a Star Alliance partner of Lufthansa). Read my review of Miles & More (with pros, cons, & tips) here .

2. FACTS & FIGURES ABOUT EVA AIR

• Eva Air is Tawain’s second largest airline, behind China Airlines.
• Eva Air operates a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with Airbus A330, Airbus A321, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787 aircraft. The average age of Eva Air’s fleet is around 5 years.
• Eva Air was founded in 1989 by Evergreen Group Founder and Chairman Dr. Chang Yung-Fa, taking the respected transportation heritage and tradition of quality service of older sister and container-shipping leader Evergreen Line into the skies.
• Eva Air is rated as a 5-Star Airline by international quality rating organization SKYTRAX. This prestigious rating elevates EVA into the ranks of the world’s best airlines.
• Eva Air is one of the safest airlines in the world , with no hull losses, accidents, or fatalities since its establishment.

3. EVA AIR BUSINESS CLASS LOUNGE AT BANGKOK AIRPORT

Although Eva Air is a Taiwanese airline with its hub based in Taipei, it has an important secondary hub in Bangkok with direct flights from the Thai capital to London, Vienna, Paris and Amsterdam. It’s also the reason why Eva Air has its own lounge at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, the only lounge it operates outside Taiwan.

The lounge is located on the 3rd floor at the F concourse, close to gate F1. While not very large, the lounge comprises three distinct rooms, which all feature a wide variety of seats, ranging from low armchairs and high-back chairs to bar stools and leather recliners (most of them are equipped with power ports). The room next to the reception area is the center of the lounge: it has a large communal table, an excellent self-serve bar (with a decent selection of beers, wines, and spirits), and a large buffet area. The latter features an excellent spread of sandwiches, fresh fruits, pastas, dim sums, salads, pumpkin soup, and of some hot dishes, including local favorites such as pad thai and green curry.

The lounge’s decor is remarkable an unusual though, with an abundance of neon lights, reflective mirrors, and colorful carpets. Overall, the space feels more like a kitsch Las Vegas casino from the 1990s than an upscale airport lounge. The lounge is bright though, with lots of natural day light pouring in via the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, which offer great views of the airport’s ramp and runway.

Lounge facilities include two silent rooms with massage chairs, two shower suites, and a small business center. WiFi is complimentary.

4. BUSINESS CLASS CABIN

Eva Air’s Boeing 777-300ER seats 251 passengers: 38 in Business Class (flat bed seats), 64 in Premium Economy Class (recliner seats), and 211 in Economy Class (standard seats). The 38 lie-flat Business Class seats are located in two cabins: 22 seats in a front cabin (spread over 7 rows) and 16 seats in a smaller rear cabin (spread over 4 rows). The stylish design of the Business Class cabin exudes a calming ambiance, with a neutral color palette of light grey (seat upholstering), khaki green (seat panels), and some woodgrain (seat tables). A picture on the bulkhead panel adds a splash of color to the cabin. In the hours of darkness, EVA Air’s Boeing 777 Business Class cabin features a lovely starry-night ceiling.

The Business Class seats are arranged in an excellent 1-2-1 reverse herringbone layout, offering direct aisle access to all passengers. The seats on the side angle out toward the windows while those in the plane’s center are angled toward one another, which maximizes privacy. IMHO, this is currently the best Business Class layout in the skies, and you also find it onboard the planes of Air France , American Airlines ,  Cathay Pacific ,  Qatar Airways ,  Finnair ,  Avianca ,  Air Canada , and  SriLankan  to name a few (click the links to read my reviews of these airlines’ Business Class products).

For a seat map of Eva Air’s Boeing 777, click here .

5. BUSINESS CLASS SEAT (+ BEST & WORST SEATS)

Eva Air has installed the excellent Zodiac Aerospace-made Cirrus Business Class seat onboard its Boeing 777 planes. With a pitch of 106 cm (198 inches) and a width of 66 cm (26 inch), the seat feels very comfortable and relaxing. Each seat is also located in its own shell, offering maximum privacy.

One side of the seat – located towards the cabin wall for the window seats or towards the plane’s center line for middle seats – features a large console. This console holds a reading light (on eye level), the wired handheld controller for the inflight entertainment, the power ports, and a storage compartment with elastic stripes to keep items in place. Below this cabinet is a control panel for the seat position. This side of the seat also features a trapezoid shaped woodgrain working surface, with a bi-folding tray table hidden underneath; it’s very easy to slide the table out and swing it back and forth according to your liking.

Each Business Class seat has its own 17-inch HD touch entertainment screen. The screen is locked in the sidewall, but it is released and swings out towards the seat at the push of a button. The suite’s apex features a spacious footwell, which becomes part of the flatbed once the seat is reclined. The flat-bed has a length of 2 meters (6.5 feet) and the soft seat cushions feel very comfortable. When sleeping, the aisle armrest can be left up for more privacy, or lowered for providing some welcome extra bed width.

What are the  best Business Class seats on Eva Air’s B777s? For a seat map, click here .

• Solo travelers should choose one of the window seats.
• Travel companions should go for the middle seats. However, due to how private they are, they really don’t lend themselves all that well for traveling with a partner, as you have to lean forward when you want to have a chat (the consoles of both seats are located in the middle).

What are the  worst Business Class seats on Eva Air’s B777s? For a seat map, click  here .

• I suggest to avoid the last row of the front cabin (row 6) and the first row of the rear cabin ‘row 8) due to its proximity to the galley and lavatories.
• I also suggest to avoid the last row of Business Class (row 11) which is in front of the Premium Economy Class bassinet seats.
• The only downside to the rear Business Class cabin is that all Economy Class passengers walk through this cabin during boarding (which can create a busy ambiance as you settle down).

6. AMENITIES

Business Class passengers on one of EVA Air’s longhaul flights receive top-notch First Class amenities:

• EVA Air partnered with Italian luxury brand Salvatore Ferragamo to design a hard-case amenity kit in classically elegant black. The kit’s content includes a color-coordinated eye mask, cozy socks, a hairbrush, a microfiber cloth for cleaning glasses and screens on personal devices, earplugs, a toothbrush, toothpaste and top-selling skincare items from Salvatore Ferragamo.
• Available in different sizes and colors, EVA Air’s two-piece pajamas are made from a warm, soft fabric. Loose and comfortable, the garments are perfect for slumbering on long-haul flights. The sleepwear, including slippers, is created by Wu, who is recognized for designing Michelle Obama’s dresses for both of her husband’s U.S. presidential inaugurations.
• Thunder branded noise-cancelling headphones feature active noise reduction technology for better sound quality, effectively suppressing cabin noise and engine drone. A convenient mute function allows you to talk to other people without needing to remove your headphones.
• Sleeping amenities comprise a stylish blanket, quilted mattress, and a decently sized pillow. Turn down service is provided upon request.

During this flight, two meals were served: a 7 course lunch right after takeoff and a light dinner prior to landing. A midflight snack could also be ordered from the beautifully presented menu. Overall, the meal service was ophisticated and the food was delicious, on-par with what you would normally get in First Class on most other airlines. Also, Eva Air allows its Business Class passengers to pre-order additional meal choices over the internet before 21 days and up to 24 hours prior to departure.

I selected the following (exquisite) courses for lunch:

• Prelude: shrimp salsa in toasted French bread & beef bresaola roll with asparagus in French roll
• Hors d’oeuvre: terrine of foie gras and Champagne with apricot and balsamic pearl
• Soup: zucchine potato soup
• Salad: garden vegetable salad with Royal Orchid dressing
• Main course: braised mustard & pesto beef cheek, served with braising sauce, vegetables, and potato parmentier
• Cheese selection: Emmental, Taleggio, Camembert, and Blue cheese
• Dessert (rolled out on a trolley): fresh fruits and ivory truffle cake

As a midflight snack, I had steamed taro cake with soy paste dressing.

Ninety minutes prior to landing, a three meal dinner was served, and I choose the following selection from the menu:

• Starter: beef bresaola with Camembert and Edam cheese
• Main course: roasted chicken thigh and ratatouille, served with penne pasta and Parmesan cheese
• Dessert: fresh fruits

8. ENTERTAINMENT

Eva Air offers excellent inflight entertainment, which the carrier calls ‘Star Gallery’. There’s a decent selection of movies, TV shows, games and music to choose from (albeit not as extensive as compared to some of its competitors, such as Singapore Airlines or Emirates). The IFE features an easy-to-use interface, that is controlled by touchscreen or handheld device.

9. ONBOARD INTERNET

All of Eva Air’s Boeing 777s are equipped with WiFi, and a variety of plans are on offer, catering to both light browsing and more intense work:

• Business plan (300 MB): $ 29.95 USD
• Standard plan (100 MB): $14.95 USD
• Lite messaging plan (30 MB): $4.95 USD

10. OTHER INFLIGHT EXPERIENCES

#CREW : Eva Air is rightfully known for its fantastic cabin crew, and it was not different on this flight. I was personally welcomed by the purser; all cabin crew addressed me by my name at every turn; and the flight attendants always kneeled at my seat when talking to me. Every time I needed something, a flight attendant was at my seat in a split second. It simply doesn’t get better than that in the skies.

# TOILET : There are four bathrooms available for Business Class passengers onboard Eva Air’s Boeing 777: two in the galley between the Business Class cabins and two more at the front by the cockpit. All bathrooms are stocked with extra Acqua Colonia toiletries.

# BAR : Eva Air doesn’t feature an onboard walk-up bar, but Business Class passengers can order mid-flight drinks and snacks from the menu.

# VIEWS : Remarkably, we enjoyed crispy clear skies for most of the journey from Bangkok to London, affording some spectacular views, especially above Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan.

11. MY VERDICT

• Eva Air Business Class lounge at Bangkok: 9/10
• Cabin design: 9/10
• Seat comfort (upright position): 9/10
• Seat comfort (bed position): 9/10
• Food (quality):  10/10
• Food (quantity): 10/10
• Inflight entertainment : 10/10
• WiFi:  8/10
• Service: 10/10
• Overall experience: exceptional: 9/10

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10 Comments

I was introduced to Eva Air traveling from Phnom Penh, Cambodia to Pearson Airport, Canada in 2012 and it has been my favorite airline ever since. I have traveled to SE Asia many times since then and I have always gone with Eva Air. I find the service alround to be exceptional. I cannot afford Business Class but even relegated financially to Economy class, and as a tall person with long legs, seating is very comfortable.

Travel with Eva Air October 2019 brilliant service an flight

Very exciting trip !

Eva Air is an interesting company. Nobody knows it in Europe, not very famous in Asia (much less than other Star Alliance airlines) but actually the quality of service is really good. Whatever it is on the ground or in the air, they have a stunning business class product !

What were the adjustments done because of the pandemic? Did the type of service, amenities and accommodation changed because of COVID?

@Renee: this trip took place prior to the pandemic

Love your thorough flight reviews! Do you know if any airlines offer turn down service for business class??

Excellent report on EVA Airlines. Thank you very much. I will indeed fly with them as a result.

Thank you so much for all your effort. Such a great review and all those lovely pictures! Because you left such an awesome review we will travel with EVA in 2023, cant wait, cheers

Excellent airline we traveled to Brisbane from LHR and although this necessitated a stop over in tiapai the price difference was significantly lower .food service all excellent.This will be our airline of choictin the fut

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Top-Notch Premium Economy: Flying EVA Air From Taipei to New York

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

After getting to fly Delta's first retrofitted 777 in a Delta One Suite from Detroit (DTW) to Beijing (PEK) I spent two very jet-lagged days in the Chinese capital before heading home to New York City. There were plenty of options to choose from to get home, including Air China's nonstop flight from PEK to Kennedy Airport (JFK) and China Eastern's nonstop flight from Shanghai (PVG) to JFK. However, one option stood out — a premium-economy ticket on Taiwan's Star Alliance carrier, EVA Air. TPG Managing Editor Alberto Riva had a fantastic flight in EVA's business class from Seattle (SEA) to Taipei (TPE) , and the carrier has a stellar reputation, so I jumped at the chance to give it a try for myself.

I originated in Beijing, and flew on the exact same aircraft from there to TPE, and then onward to JFK (some of the daylight photos in this review are from the PEK-TPE flight, which was much less full), but this review will focus on the TPE-JFK leg, which happens to be one of the longest flights that EVA offers. While I wouldn't have a lie-flat seat for the almost-14-hour flight, I figured I'd still be much more comfortable than in a regular coach seat. And, I was right — as I found out, EVA's premium-economy product is a significant step up from economy and is plenty comfortable even for very long flights.

EVA is a member of the Star Alliance, meaning my first instinct was to check United.com for award availability — but I soon remembered that United doesn't allow partner premium-economy bookings with miles. Next, I checked Aeroplan, but had no luck there. Thus, I resorted to finding a cash ticket, which unfortunately wasn't cheap. The one-way ticket cost $1,802, which we charged to The Platinum Card® from American Express, in order to earn 5x Membership Rewards points for the purchase. In total, we earned 9,010 MR points, which are worth approximately $171, according to TPG's latest valuations .

Also, since this was a paid ticket, I was able to earn miles for my trip. EVA is a Star Alliance carrier, so I decided to credit my trip to United's MileagePlus program. As a MileagePlus member without elite status, I earned a total of 8,879 redeemable and Premier-Qualifying miles (PQMs), since my K-class ticket was eligible to earn 100% of the distance flown for both categories.

Check-In and Airport

My journey began at Beijing's Capital Airport (PEK), where I checked in via EVA's dedicated Premium Economy line. Check-in was a breeze, and in just a few minutes I was on my way to the security checkpoint. But this is where things really slowed down. After checking in, I had to walk quite a ways to a tram that would take me to the concourse where my gate was located. The tram dropped me off at the concourse, where I joined a very long non-Chinese passport-check line.

The process was incredibly disorganized. Airport employees were barking directions at passengers in very long lines. I finally made it to the front, and sent my bags through the X-ray machine. Unfortunately, however, the screening didn't end there. My bag was flagged for extra checks and I basically had to unpack the entire bag and then re-pack it after it was discovered I wasn't bringing anything dangerous onboard the aircraft.

By the time I was through with all the screening, it was basically time to board my first flight from Beijing to Taipei. I immediately headed to the gate. In a very welcome change from the norm, boarding was orderly and quick, and soon we were airborne, on our way to Taiwan. As I said earlier, I'm focusing on the long-haul segment between Taipei and New York, but this quick flight was an excellent experience and made me excited to be traveling for 14 hours with the airline.

All EVA Air flights operate from Terminal 2 at Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), and connecting there was a breeze. I decided to forgo the three Priority Pass options in T2 and explored the terminal instead. I wanted to walk around and stretch my legs as much as possible before boarding the very long flight in my immediate future. Plus, I'd been served a full meal on the flight from PEK, so I didn't want to eat more in a lounge before eating yet again on board the flight.

The terminal itself didn't make me miss the lounge — it felt more like a high-end mall than an airport terminal. And, I found the actual gate area at TPE to be a pretty decent place to relax before the flight. It wasn't a typical gate area, but rather a space with bright colors and interesting displays to look at and read to kill time.

Then, I went down a level to a more traditional (read: drab) gate area to secure the first spot in the premium economy line.

Just as it was in Beijing, boarding in Taipei was an orderly — even relaxed — process. In no time at all, I was on board our Boeing 777-300ER (photographed at the gate in Beijing), registration B-16720, which began flying for EVA in June 2014.

Cabin and Seat

The premium-economy cabin on this version of EVA's 777s is arranged with seven rows of seats in a 2-4-2 configuration, which creates some obvious winners and losers in terms of seat assignments.

Obviously, the middle section isn't ideal, so if you're able, be sure to select a seat on either side of the plane where there are just two seats.

I was able to grab a window, which was both good and bad. Good, because I love the window seat, as I like to control the window shade and rest my head against the wall of the aircraft. Bad, because I'd have to crawl over my neighbor if I wanted to stretch or use the bathroom. Which I did. A lot. Luckily, my neighbor was a little kid, so I could easily get out without him also having to get out.

Each of the 56 seats measures 19.5 inches wide and offers 38 inches of pitch. As is normal for a premium-economy seat, there wasn't much storage to speak of besides the seatback pocket. It was stocked with all the usual literature as well as a pair of headphones and a pair of slippers. It was stretchy enough for me to store my wallet, phone, passport and AirPods while I was sleeping.

There was plenty of power at each seat, too, which I greatly appreciated. There's nothing quite like the dread you feel going into a 14-hour flight with less than 20% battery. No dread here though!

Another nice feature of the seats was the footrest — for some reason having that little rest for your feet makes sleeping that much easier and more comfortable.

The recline was generous enough, and allowed me to get several hours of solid sleep. I also liked the fact that the seats were covered in fabric rather than leather — I definitely don't enjoy sticking to a leather seat for 14 hours.

Amenities and In-Flight Entertainment

At each seat was a better-than-average pillow, a blanket, bottle of water, headphones and a pair of slippers.

I probably get more excited than I should when I see that I'm getting a pair of slippers on a flight — I love not having to put my shoes on every time I get up.

The IFE screen seemed on the small side, though it was very responsive to touch.

It could also be controlled by a remote control located in the armrest of each seat.

The IFE system itself was a breeze to use — the design was fresh and modern, and it was very intuitive. I finished one movie and started another before I succumbed to my drowsiness.

EVA offered Wi-Fi on this flight, and I somewhat foolishly purchased a 24-hour pass for $22. It worked very well for the short amount of time I used it.

Food and Beverage

Just a few minutes after takeoff, flight attendants passed through the cabin to distribute menus. On the menu, the meal was divided into five "courses," but all of it was served at once. There was just one option for the appetizer: a seafood tomato jelly with fruit and vegetable salad. The whole dish looked unappetizing, so I skipped that part.

Besides the gelatinous appetizer, the rest of the meal was fantastic. The salad was fresh and actually a decent size.

For the main course, there were two options:

• Wok-fried fish in a black pepper sauce served with steamed rice
• Roasted chicken with herb brown sauce and mashed potatoes

They had me at mashed potatoes. I went with the chicken dish and it was delicious — without a doubt the best chicken I've had on an airplane. It was tender and the sauce gave it a lot of flavor. And those mashed potatoes! Even the healthy vegetables tasted great.

The meal was rounded out with a selection of fruit and ice cream — I was pretty full after the meal so I skipped the ice cream.

I was very intrigued by the "leisure delight" option that was listed on the menu — a pepper beef and cheese croissant(?!) — but I fell asleep almost immediately after the first meal service and didn't wake up until it was about time for the next meal service.

This meal, referred to as the "refresher," was served about 90 minutes before landing at JFK, and also all at once. The Chinese option included the following items:

• Marinated water bamboo shoots with soya beans
• Egg pancake with dried turnip
• Savory porridge with shredded chicken and pumpkin
• Seasonal fruit

There was also a Western option for this meal, which included:

• Roasted turkey with ricotta cheese
• Penne pasta with pork and a mushroom cream sauce
• Peach Jell-o

I chose the Western meal, and was again very impressed. The meal didn't look the best, admittedly, but I thought it tasted great, and seemed just as fresh as the first meal.

Overall Impression

My first flight with EVA Air was a resounding success. I must say, I've been very spoiled and have gotten used to flying in premium cabins with lie-flat seats, so at first I was a little apprehensive about not being able to go all the way flat on a 14-hour flight. However, EVA's premium-economy product bridged the gap between economy and business class exceedingly well. First and foremost, the seat itself was comfortable, and I was able to sleep for several hours with no problem.

As an added bonus, the airline nailed it in terms of food (except for that weird appetizer) and service. Flight attendants were very kind and accommodating, but they didn't hover or disturb unnecessarily. I'd certainly fly this again, though next time I hope I can book farther in advance and score a cheaper ticket.

Plan & Book

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Change Date/Flights

This feature applies to changeable tickets purchased on our website or mobile app.

• Seat selection is open until 12 hours before your scheduled flight departure. You can also check in online between 48 hours to 1 hour before departure. If you are flying Royal Laurel, Premium Laurel, Business Class, or Premium Economy Class, Main-meal Selections can be made no earlier than 21 days and no later than 24 hours prior to departure.
• Before you process “no show charge” function, please confirm you have valid flight information and ticket number in your booking reference, If there’s no more active segment in the booking record, please contact the travel agent you purchased from or the nearest EVA ticketing office for paying no-show fee.
• In addition to EVA Air and UNI Air international flights, the system will also show flights operated by other airlines when you booked through www.evaair.com or our reservation specialist. If your flight segment is not shown in the system, please contact your original booking agency.
• If you travel through France, in accordance with Article L 237 -7 of French Homeland Security Code, please be informed that air carriers may transmit reservation, checking and boarding data collected from their passengers (API/PNR) to the French national public services and competent authorities for the purposes and under conditions as defined in the Decret N° 2014-1095 dated 26/09/2014, modified by decree 2018/714 dated August 3rd 2018 .

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Plan & Book

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Make plans now to travel with EVA and enjoy our courteous and accommodating service.

Ticket Purchase

• Reservations can be made from 3-7 hours (depending on the route) to 360 days before departure. Upon completion of the booking, a reservation reference number and ticket number will be generated automatically by the system.
• Each transaction can only purchase a total of 9 tickets (not including infant tickets) and must contain at least 1 adult (over 16 years old), each adult may only bring 1 infant (An infant does not occupy a seat, and must be under the age of 2 while traveling.) and 1 child, or at most 3 children. Please contact our reservation and ticketing staff if you wish to book a child or infant ticket only.
• For wait-list bookings and itineraries with open dates, please contact our reservation office.
• If no portion of this ticket is used, the ticket validity is one year from the date of issue, unless any special conditions are specified in the "FARE APPLICATION PERIOD" column.
• For identification at the check-in counter, you must use a credit card with the card number and name stamped into it. To ensure the security of your transaction with credit card, 3DS will be mandatory procedure for online purchase via EVA web/EVA Mobile App (VISA SECURE or MasterCard ID Check™ or American Express Safekay® or JCB J/Secure). To avoid transaction failure, please contact your bank for complete information about 3DS payment service before making a purchase.
• If your credit card transaction has been successfully authorized through VISA SECURE or MasterCard ID Check™ or American Express SafeKey® or JCB J/Secure, you will NOT be required to present the credit card upon check-in at the airport. In addition, the cardholder does NOT need to be one of the travel companions.(However, if you have only entered the 3- (or 4-) digit card verification code on the back (or front) of the credit card, then you will still be required to present your credit card at the airport.) For any abnormal credit card transactions that occur when purchasing, an email will be sent to the email address provided as a notification of the transaction error. We have the right to request the passenger/credit card holder to present the credit card used upon purchasing or the passenger/credit card holder may be requested to pay the flight ticket in cash before taking the flight.
• Visit any EVA Air office during business hours and at least 48 hours before the passenger's scheduled departure. You must bring your credit card and sign an Indemnity of Payment form .
• Visit the EVA Air counter at the airport at least one hour before scheduled departure. You must bring your credit card and sign an Indemnity of Payment form
• There are travel taxes and fees that may be required in addition to your ticket fare. Most of these are set by government authorities or airport operators at arrival and departure points. These taxes and additional charges may be included or excluded in ticket fares, and you may also be required to pay additional taxes or travel charges upon arrival or departure at an airport.

Form of payment

Passengers can book online using the following payment methods. Options may be vary in different departure markets. Please see the Payment page for more details.

• Master Card
• American Express

Notes: To be accepted, your credit card must have the card number and card holder’s name stamped onto it. Please type your first and last names exactly as they appear on the credit card. (Due to system limitations, EVA Air will no longer accept anonymous prepaid card payments.)

Other Methods of Payment:

• PayPal (note 1)
• Alipay (note 2)

Note 1: In compliance with laws and regulations, all PayPal accounts registered in Taiwan are temporarily suspended as forms of payment.

• Please register for Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode if your card issuer offers these online security features.
• If you are using a debit card issued in China, please make sure the issuing bank has authorized the card for online use.
• To prevent unauthorized card use, we support Visa / Mastercard with Verified by Visa or MasterCard's Secure Codes only. We cannot accept VISA/Mastercard corporate cards.

Changes and Refund

• Any changes in your travel date or routing are subject to applicable fare rules/conditions, in addition to seat availability, and passengers need to contact one of our ticketing offices in advance to make the necessary changes. Otherwise the booking or ticket may not be accepted upon check-in at the airport and the passenger may have to purchase a new ticket for travel on the desired dates and routing.
• Names cannot be changed. If a ticketed passenger will not be traveling, please apply for a ticket refund. To minimize inconvenience to our passengers, we must confirm the accuracy of all the passenger information we are given. If you are an Infinity MileageLands member, please be sure your name appears on Infinity MileageLands membership materials in the same way it is shown on your passport. Use your name as it appears on these documents to make your online bookings and ensure that all your mileage credits are accumulated.
• Our EVA online system provides booking, buying, ticketing, booking inquiries, refund applications, and refund inquiry services. To make any changes in the flights you have booked, you will need to contact our ticketing offices. (If your ticket was purchased from the EVA AIR website or mobile app, please use the function of Change Date/Flights on the EVA website to change your booking). The refund will be promptly processed once we receive your refund request. Any applicable refund service charge and No-Show fee will be deducted from the amount refunded. We'll process your refund back to the original credit card within 7 working days (it should appear on your statement in 1-2 billing cycles). For cash and check purchases, we’ll process your refund within 20 working days after receiving a complete refund request. For tickets originating from Mainland China, the refunds will be processed and credit back to the original form of payment within 7 days of the request. The actual timing of the refund amount posted to your account depends on the process of your financial institution.
• If your original ticket has been reissued, the refund application will be unable to process. Please contact the EVA local ticketing counter to apply for a refund.

Personal Information Collection Statement for Internet Ticket Purchase

To protect the consumer's personal information, privacy, and rights, EVA Air reserves the right to use the personal information collected during each transaction. Please read and confirm our “Privacy Policy and Cookies” before purchasing.

Please click Privacy Policy and Cookies (Open in new window)

• If you have already purchased the ticket on the EVA website and your flights are on EVA Air, you can make seat assignments online. Online seat selection is available up to 12 hours before your scheduled flight departure. Passengers who have used our advance seat selection service are requested to complete check-in procedures at least one hour before their flight is scheduled to depart. EVA Air may adjust seats other than those that have been pre-selected by passengers for flight changes or airport operating requirements.
• Special meals are available to passengers for age, medical, dietary, or religious reasons, you can book special meal at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure (some special meals must be booked at least 72 hours prior to flight departure) . Special meal orders for other airlines cannot be guaranteed and if the special meal you require is not listed in our meal list online, please contact our reservation office.
• Note: Services and amenities may vary across different cabins and routes.
• You are no longer required to reconfirm onward or return flights if the following conditions are met: (1) the ticketed passenger travels in accordance with his/her confirmed itinerary, and (2) local contact information for each stopover on your itinerary and the turnaround destination are provided in advance. However, if there has been any change in your plans, please reconfirm your reservation; once you ‘no show’ your confirmed itinerary, your onward/return flight will be canceled.

This site uses cookies.

EVA Air's websites use cookies and similar technologies for the best experience on our website, including personalized services, ads and traffic analysis. These cookies include targeted media cookies and advanced analytics cookies. By clicking on "Accept", you agree to the use of cookies. You can change your cookie preference by clicking on the "Change your cookie settings" button.

For more detailed information on the cookies we use, please check our Cookie Policy .

Essential cookies are essential for the operation of our website that will let you move around our website freely and use functions on the websites. These cookies don’t gather your personal identifiable information that could be used for marketing and are not disclosed to any third party.