A Taiwan-based airline has just launched a 7,800-mile, nonstop route to Taipei from Dulles International Airport — the longest flight offered to any destination from D.C.-area airports.
Representatives from Eva Air, the Taiwanese government, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), and the Virginia Department of Aviation held a ceremonial water cannon salute, traditional dragon and lion dance performance, and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday (June 26) to mark the inaugural flight.
“Expanding Washington, D.C.’s connectivity with Asia has been a strategic priority for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority,” Paul Bobson, MWAA’s vice president for airline business development, said in a press release. “This new nonstop service between Taipei and the Washington D.C. region will strengthen trade, tourism, and cultural exchange.”
Dulles Airport, which served a record 29 million passengers in 2025, is in the midst of significant changes of late.
A crew of about 600 workers is working around the clock to complete Concourse E, a $700 million, 14-gate facility that will be used by United Airlines starting this fall, FFXnow reported earlier this month. In the spring, Air Premia launched a non-stop flight to South Korea — the airport’s first new service to the country in more than 30 years.
Eva Air’s approximately 15-hour route to Taoyuan International Airport will operate four days per week year-round on a Boeing 787-9. Three classes of seats are offered: Royal Laurel, Economy, and Premium Economy. A review of available seats within the next few months showed economy seats starting at around $1,000.
The route, which is the first nonstop option between the two cities, will reduce travel time by seven to eight hours compared to options with layovers. Taiwanese government officials, who traveled on the maiden flight back to Taipei, touted it as a way to foster bilateral ties with the U.S.
“This new route not only reflects the growing travel demand between Taiwan and the U.S., but also marks a new milestone in our partnership,” said legislative speaker Han Kuo-Yu, who led a cross-party government delegation in a nearly week-long visit to the United States.
Officials first visited a Taiwanese semiconductor company in Phoenix, then spent several days in Washington, where they met with the State Department, Department of Defense, the White House, and House of Representatives, in a bid to move a $14 billion arms package forward, according to the Associated Press.
While American law requires the U.S. to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself from China — which views the island as a part of its territory — the package has been under review for months despite receiving preliminary congressional approval.
