TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Starlux Airlines will more than double its fleet from 22 aircraft to 48 by the end of 2026, executives told a shareholders meeting on Friday (June 14).

The expansion program would help the company eliminate NT$11.5 billion (US$355.36 million) in losses over the same period of time, per CNA. Starlux launched its first services in early 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic took off.

Four new destinations will be added during 2024, Starlux Chair Chang Kuo-wei (張國煒) said. Flights to Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam will begin from July 1, with Hong Kong following on July 16, Seattle on Aug. 16, and Jakarta on Sept. 1.

Once the new aircraft have arrived, the airline see record growth, Chang promised shareholders. The company currently has 13 Airbus A321neo aircraft, four A330neos, and five A350-900s.

The new planes scheduled for delivery are also from Airbus. Four more A350-900s and one A330neo aircraft are expected to join the fleet before the end of 2024.

Next year, one A350-900, three A350-1000s, and three A330neo planes will arrive. Six A321neos, three A330neos, and five A350-1000 aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2026.

Turning to the freight market, Starlux saw the success of AI fueling demand for cargo services. In 2027, the company will be Taiwan’s first airline to take delivery of five Airbus A350F planes, according to Chang.