Catching AIRSORAYAMA Tokyo to Prague in STARLUX Premium Economy

Few airlines have made as much noise in as little time as STARLUX (JX). So when the chance came to fly the Taiwanese carrier from Tokyo to Prague, its first European destination, I didn't think twice.

Narita to Taipei

The journey starts at Tokyo Narita (NRT), where B-58551, STARLUX's very first A350-1000, delivered in January 2026, is waiting at the gate.

Taxiing just behind is B-58553, the silver AIRSORAYAMA, getting ready to leave for Taipei as well. Not my aircraft today, or so I thought.

Premium Economy on the A350-1000 is a cozy cabin of just 36 seats in a 2-4-2 layout, spread across five rows behind Business Class. The seats offer 40 inches (102cm) of pitch, a leg rest and footrest, and a 15.6-inch (40cm) screen. It feels calm and private, far from the busy economy cabin behind.

The catering is where Premium Economy stands apart. The menu is different from Economy, and the presentation is very nice: porcelain dishes, metal cutlery and real glassware. STARLUX's signature cocktails are on offer too, including the Sci-Fi Cosmos, a fun touch that fits the airline's space theme. I went for the beef and soft scrambled egg hayashi rice.

The sun sets as we head south, and after about three and a half hours, we touch down at Taipei-Taoyuan (TPE).

The Galactic Lounge

In Taipei, there are a few hours to spend before the overnight flight to Prague, and that means one place: the STARLUX Galactic Lounge in Terminal 2.

The design is incredible. Stepping in feels like boarding a spaceship, with brushed-metal walls, curved corridors, glowing light panels and bright yellow accents running through both floors. It might be the most stylish lounge I've ever been to.

The one drawback is size. The lounge isn't that big, with a few dining areas and just one lounge area, so at busier times it can feel a bit cramped. There are proper shower suites though, which are exactly what you want before a long overnight flight.

The food is a real highlight. Alongside a small buffet, there's an extensive à la carte menu, ordered with a QR code, with lots of interesting local options. I went for a Wagyu burger and deep-fried shrimp dumplings, both really good, and there's a good variety of noodle dishes too.

The drinks menu is just as creative. There are nonalcoholic options, coffees, spirits and a whole selection of boba teas. And as the country that invented bubble tea, Taiwan clearly knows what it's doing: my green milk tea was one of the best I've had.

Meet AIRSORAYAMA

The real highlight of the trip is waiting at the gate: B-58553, the silver AIRSORAYAMA, the very same aircraft I watched at Narita earlier that day.

AIRSORAYAMA is a collaboration between STARLUX and Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama, best known for his futuristic chrome robots. Two A350-1000s carry the design, one silver (B-58553) and one gold (B-58554). Instead of traditional solid paint, the finish uses specially developed mica shades and a multilayer process to create a liquid-metal look, and in person it is stunning.

The silver jet made its first passenger flight to Tokyo in July 2026, with STARLUX Chairman Chang Kuo-wei himself at the controls, and Sorayama even signed a plaque by the boarding door, next to the aircraft's name and registration. The gold aircraft entered passenger service in August. From October 1, 2026, STARLUX schedules dedicated AIRSORAYAMA services from Taipei to Tokyo Narita, Prague and Phoenix (PHX), although aircraft and onboard items can change. The Phoenix program is listed through November 30.

Having flown the gold one on my way out to Tokyo, catching the silver one to Prague felt like completing the set.

On Board to Prague

The Premium Economy cabin is the same 2-4-2 layout as on the first flight, but this time the AIRSORAYAMA theme carries on inside. Waiting at the seat are a plush pillow, a blanket and a pair of noise-canceling headphones. These are proper ones, the kind you'd expect in many Business Class cabins, although with Bluetooth connectivity, you can just as easily pair your own.

I also get the AIRSORAYAMA Premium Economy amenity kit, a chrome-finished pouch. Inside are three small skincare products, earplugs, a dental kit, a silver satin eye mask and a collectible AIRSORAYAMA art card.

Shortly after takeoff comes dinner. My choice, a garlic butter chicken thigh donburi, comes from HUTONG, a Taiwanese yakiniku restaurant. The chicken comes on multigrain rice with tamagoyaki, wood ear mushrooms and broccoli, alongside a smoked duck salad, a slice of cheesecake, fresh fruit and a cheese-topped bread roll. It tastes great, and once again it all comes with real glassware and metal cutlery.

It's the small details that stand out. The refreshing towels, cups, napkin bands, coasters, snacks, even the cocktail stirrers carry AIRSORAYAMA branding, so the whole cabin feels part of the design.

Sleep, Entertainment and Wi-Fi

With the lights dimmed, the seat proves its worth. Between the generous recline and the leg rest, I managed around nine hours of sleep, something I didn't expect to say about Premium Economy.

The inflight entertainment system is a pleasure to use. The 15.6-inch screen is very crisp, and the interface is one of the best I've seen. The film selection is good, with its own HBO Max section, though there is still room to improve: the Western choice is solid but not amazing.

Wi-Fi is free and unlimited for Premium Economy passengers, which is a big plus. My speed checks averaged around 40 Mbps, enough to stream video at times, although the connection was a bit spotty along the way. Still very usable for a 14-hour flight.

Breakfast and Arrival

Breakfast before landing offers a choice of Chinese congee or a Western option. I went for the Western one, and once again it was spot on.

Somewhere over Turkey the sun starts to rise, and a few hours later we touch down in Prague (PRG), STARLUX's first European destination. The choice isn't random: CEO Glenn Chai linked the route to growing semiconductor manufacturing in Central Europe and demand for business travel, alongside more convenient journeys for leisure travelers.

Final Thoughts

STARLUX only started flying in January 2020, and it already feels like an airline with its own personality. There are a few small things to polish, like the lounge's size and the Western film selection, but I slept nine hours in Premium Economy, the food was consistently good, and the AIRSORAYAMA details made the whole trip feel a bit special.

More than anything, it was refreshing to actually be excited to fly. In recent years, so many airlines have felt almost identical to me that one flight blends into the next. STARLUX does things its own way, and as someone who flies a lot, I really noticed that. It offers a genuinely memorable experience.

For this trip, STARLUX upgraded my Economy ticket to Premium Economy and provided access to the Galactic Lounge. All opinions are my own.