TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — EVA Air on Friday launched Taiwan's first nonstop passenger service to Washington, D.C., with four weekly flights.
AIT Director Raymond Greene called the route an "unprecedented milestone" in expanding US-Taiwan trade and cultural ties, per CNA. The service operates between Taoyuan and Washington Dulles International Airport using a three-class Boeing 787-9 with EVA Air's fourth-generation Premium Economy cabin.
EVA Air Chair Steve Lin (林寶水) said Washington is the airline's 10th North American destination, according to Liberty Times. It now operates 98 weekly flights to the region and, through Star Alliance and codeshare partners, serves more than 200 destinations across the Americas.
Lin said the first three Washington flights are fully booked, with July load factors reaching about 90%. He said the airline plans to increase frequencies while strengthening its passenger and cargo networks.
Greene said Washington Dulles is the 11th US gateway with a nonstop service to Taiwan, UDN reported. He said EVA Air operates nearly half of the 171 weekly nonstop flights between Taiwan and the US, while Taiwan ranked as the 16th-largest overseas source of US visitors in the first quarter of the year.
Civil Aviation Administration Director-General Ho Shu-ping (何淑萍) said travel between Taiwan and the US totaled 1.78 million passenger trips in the first four months of the year, per CNA. She said the new route would deepen bilateral exchanges and support continued growth in trans-Pacific travel.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Executive Vice President Chryssa Westerlund said the route is expected to generate US$50 million (NT$1.62 billion) in annual revenue for the National Capital Region, according to CNA. She thanked EVA Air and Taoyuan International Airport for expanding international connectivity.
