I still get questions all the time when it comes to airline preferences when traveling to Taiwan and beyond. Since its release in 2012, I’ve been a nonstop (pun-intended) fan of this product and never got bored of it. For the past 7 years, it’s been the gold standard for what Business Class should feel like.
To vent and reminisce about the good o’days though, you used to be able to book this flight from North America to anywhere in Asia for only 60,000 miles. Now the price is at least 80,000-100,000 miles depending on where your destination is 😦
That’s a 33%-66% increase in miles for redemption
Nevertheless, I still think it’s worth the premium. Every time I board, I love seeing the friendly smiles of the Taiwan crew.
Typically I like to sit on the right side of the plane. For example for this particular flight, I selected 3K window seat.
As you can see, this seat’s configuration, color scheme, and design is very similar to Cathay Pacific’s Business Class.
The biggest difference is what’s offered on board. Starting with the champagne!
And Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) plus Chinese New Year (seasonal) food.
This world renowned Taiwanese restaurant is a delicacy that my family is always obsessed with on the air AND on the ground.
Even if you’re not in the mood for Din Tai Fung, look how amazing their other foods are! They have bento sets that make you feel like you have a slice of ANA and/or Japan Airlines First Class in the sky. For instance, this Unagi bento is crafted by chef Motokazu Nakamura.
A 6th generation owner of a 3-star Michelin restaurant in Kyoto that you don’t have to pay $2500 USD for.
For dessert, you can have your choice of some premium sake, roasted tea, or illy coffee to finish the multi-course meal(s).
In this case, I chose all of the above. Because…. why not 😉
Lastly, this airline is one of the only ones in the world where it offers a set of pajamas for your long-haul flights. Usually, this is only a First Class perk!
As a souvenir, make sure to collect their Rimowa travel kits from Germany – one of the most fanciest amenity kits in the sky. To put into perspective, not even the German airline Lufthansa offers it on its own First Class product.
Overall, EVA Airways is one of the top-tier Business Class experiences in the market and it’s mainly because of the fancy amenities that comes flying it. While the seat & cabin is clearly beginning to show its age, the airline still provides superb service that complements the product well. Thus even with all the devaluation that’s been happening these years, I still find redeeming almost 100k miles to Southeast Asia worth it.
It’s a timeless classic that I don’t mind boarding again.
Chai Bear World 