A few months ago, my friends and I flew to Los Angeles, California for a quick Holy Week trip to the United States. We had been planning this getaway since mid-2024 and secured our tickets early. We flew with EVA Air, one of Taiwan’s leading airlines, from Manila to Los Angeles via Taipei and back.
In my previous flight report, I shared our experience on the EVA Air BR 262 Manila–Taipei leg, where we were lucky to score complimentary premium economy seats on the short hop to Taiwan’s capital. You can check out that report here. Back in 2019, I also started the flight report section on this blog with a review of EVA Air’s Taipei–Manila BR 277 service, which you can find here.
This time, let me share how our onward connection from Taipei to Los Angeles went. I will walk you through our Taipei Airport transit experience and our first transpacific long-haul flight on EVA Air’s BR 6 service.
EVA Air
EVA Air is a privately owned international airline based at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport. It was founded in March 1989 by Chang Yung-fa, the Chairman of the Evergreen Group, and began commercial operations in July 1991, initially serving selected destinations in Southeast Asia and South Korea. Fast forward to 2025, the airline now flies to nearly 60 destinations across Asia, Europe, Oceania, and North America, operating a fleet of more than 80 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with around 50 additional aircraft on order.
Over the years, EVA Air has expanded beyond its core passenger airline business. It launched its dedicated cargo division, EVA Air Cargo, and has since ventured into airline catering, ground handling, and aviation engineering services. The airline also owns UNI Air, a Kaohsiung-based subsidiary that operates domestic flights within Taiwan and regional routes to destinations like Macau and China.
EVA Air is a world-renowned five-star full-service airline. It offers complimentary checked baggage allowance, meals and snacks, inflight entertainment systems, and premium onboard amenities. As a proud member of the Star Alliance network, EVA partners with leading global carriers such as Singapore Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, and many more. It also operates a frequent flyer program called Infinity MileageLands.
In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.
Airfare & Inclusions
EVA Air, in partnership with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), launched a special promotion for its credit cardholders, offering discounted fares across the airline’s network. My friends and I took advantage of this offer and booked our flights to the United States. We paid USD 709.76 each, which RCBC charged at ₱42,276.32 per person, inclusive of the foreign transaction fee.
The fare covered all four legs of our trip: Manila to Taipei, Taipei to Los Angeles (this trip), Los Angeles to Taipei, and Taipei to Manila. It also included generous benefits such as two checked bags of 23 kilograms each (46 kilograms total), 7 kilograms of carry-on luggage, inflight meals on all sectors, personal inflight entertainment on every aircraft, and the consistently excellent service of EVA Air’s cabin crew.
Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.
Travel Requirements
Filipino passport holders are required to secure a visa to enter the United States for tourism or leisure purposes. I obtained my B1/B2 non-immigrant visitor visa in December 2023. This visa allows travel to the United States and its territories for both business and tourism.
Additionally, the Philippine government requires all departing passengers to complete an online departure form and obtain a departure QR code from the eTravel website.
Before The Flight
As I mentioned in my BR 262 flight report, about a week before the flight EVA Air offered a premium economy upgrade through its EVABidDeal program. This system lets passengers bid for an upgrade starting from a set minimum amount. A similar offer was sent again by email four days before departure.
Forty-eight hours before the flight, EVA Air also sent a reminder that online check-in was open. The message included key details such as the flight schedule, seat and cabin assignment, baggage allowance, and aircraft type. I filled out the required information, selected my seat, and checked in for both the Taipei and Los Angeles flights. Complimentary seat selection for the Taipei–Los Angeles sector only became available exactly 48 hours before departure.
Aircraft & Flight Information
Our Taipei to Los Angeles flight with EVA Air was operated by a Boeing 777-300ER that was 8.7 years old at the time of the flight. Delivered to the airline in July 2016, the aircraft is registered as B-16728. Its cabin layout includes 39 lie-flat business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 56 recliner-style premium economy seats in a 2-4-2 layout, and 238 standard economy seats in a 3-3-3 arrangement.
Flight BR 6 departed Taipei Taoyuan International Airport at 11:28 a.m. local time, cruising at an altitude of 35,000 feet, and arrived at Los Angeles International Airport at 8:09 a.m. local time. With Taipei 15 hours ahead of Los Angeles, this long-haul transpacific flight lasted 11 hours and 41 minutes.
Airport & Ground Experience
EVA Air operates flights out of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport.
TAIPEI AIRPORT TRANSIT EXPERIENCE
Our EVA Air flight BR 262 was assigned a bus gate upon arrival in Taipei. We were transferred by bus from the aircraft to the international terminal. Once inside, we followed the signs to the transit area, cleared security, and proceeded to our assigned departure gate for Los Angeles, Gate C7.
The entire transit process took less than ten minutes from the time we entered the terminal. Quick and easy.
PRE-DEPARTURE
My friends and I took a short walk around the spacious pre-departure area of Taipei Taoyuan International Airport before settling near our assigned boarding gate.
A few minutes before the scheduled boarding time, the ground staff announced a slight delay, moving boarding to 10:00 a.m. We waited at the Gate C7 pre-departure area until boarding began.
BOARDING
EVA Air boards passengers by zones. At exactly 10:00 a.m., the ground crew began priority boarding with business class passengers and elite status holders. They were followed by those in premium economy and then economy passengers seated toward the rear of the cabin.
Our group, Group 5, was among the last to board. During the process, the staff did not check passports; they only scanned boarding passes. The aircraft doors were closed at 10:19 a.m., completing boarding in just 19 minutes.
Departure was delayed as the control tower assigned us a later takeoff slot. While waiting, the cabin crew went around offering water to passengers. The aircraft finally pushed back at 11:12 a.m., nearly an hour after the doors had closed, and began taxiing to the runway.
Inflight Hard & Soft Product
SEAT FEATURES
This Taipei to Los Angeles flight was operated by a Boeing 777-300ER that was 8.7 years old at the time of the flight. The aircraft had 39 lie-flat business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 56 recliner-style premium economy seats in a 2-4-2 layout, and 238 standard economy seats arranged in a 3-3-3 setup.
According to our friends at SeatGuru, each lie-flat business class (Royal Laurel Class) seat offers a seat pitch of 81 inches and a seat width of 26 inches. All seats come equipped with a 15.4-inch touchscreen display with remote control, multiple storage compartments, a footrest, a universal power outlet, USB-A ports, a side console, noise-cancelling headphones, an individual reading light, and, most importantly, aisle access.
Each premium economy class seat provides a seat pitch of 38 inches, a seat width of 19.3 inches, and a recline of 5 inches. Amenities include an 11-inch touchscreen system with remote control, an adjustable headrest, thick seatback padding, a bi-fold tray table, a universal power outlet, an individual USB-A port, an individual reading light, earphones, and inflight literature.
Economy class seats offer a seat pitch of 31 to 32 inches, a seat width of 17 inches, and a recline of 3 inches. Each seat features a 10-inch touchscreen system, a bi-fold tray table, an adjustable headrest, a leg rest, an individual USB-A port, shared universal power outlets, an individual reading light, earphones, and inflight safety cards and magazines. Notably, this aircraft does not have individual air vents.
For this flight, I chose middle aisle seat 46G in the forward economy cabin. The seat was comfortable enough for the nearly 12-hour transpacific journey. It came with a small pillow, a blanket, and headphones, and offered decent legroom and recline. I managed to sleep for about four hours. The only feature I wished it had was an individual air nozzle, although the cabin remained cool throughout the flight.
INFLIGHT MEAL SERVICE
EVA Air serves complimentary meals on all its flights. For this long-haul sector to Los Angeles, two main meals were provided: lunch and breakfast, with unlimited snacks in between.
Lunch service began shortly after we reached cruising altitude. The crew first distributed mixed nuts, rice crackers, and a drink of choice as starters. Once the initial service was complete, they returned with the main meal trays.
For the main course, passengers could choose between Creamy Mushroom Seafood Spaghetti or Kanpai BBQ Karubi with Steamed Rice. Each tray also included Black Pepper Duck with Ricotta Cheese as an appetizer, seasonal fruits, Pistachio Panna Cotta for dessert, a bread roll with butter, and a drink of choice. Meals were served on trays with metal cutlery, a napkin, and a sanitizing wipe. During the meal service, the crew came around offering coffee or tea, followed by bottled water for each passenger.
About two hours before landing, breakfast was served. The options were Savory Porridge with Minced Chicken, Wolfberry, and Barley or Omelette with Chive Cream Sauce and Pork Sausage. Breakfast came with yogurt, seasonal fruits, fish floss with jam, a bread roll, and a drink of choice. Like the earlier meal, it was served with metal cutlery, a napkin, and a wipe. A second round of coffee and tea was also offered.
Between meals, the crew frequently went around the cabin with snacks such as mixed nuts, chips, and crackers, along with water and juice. Midway through the flight, they also served a hot Fried Pork Chop and Cheese Sandwich with drinks to passengers who were awake. Additional snacks and drinks were available in the galley throughout the journey.
I chose the BBQ with rice for lunch and the omelette with sausage for breakfast, pairing both with apple juice. Each meal was filling, and I never felt hungry at any point during the almost 12-hour flight. I also noticed that EVA Air had ample cabin crew onboard, which made the service smooth and efficient. The team went around several times with drinks and snacks, keeping passengers well taken care of for the entire flight.
INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
All seats on this Boeing 777-300ER were equipped with touchscreen personal entertainment screens featuring EVA Air’s Starhill Gallery. The system offers hundreds of movies, TV shows, music albums, games, and other content to keep passengers entertained throughout the flight. It also includes an inflight map with the aircraft’s current location and detailed flight information. On this particular aircraft, the map was available but not interactive.
During the flight to Los Angeles, I finished the Thai movie How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, which I had started on the Manila to Taipei leg. I also watched Wicked, although I spent most of the time simply following the progress of our journey on the inflight map.
INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY
This aircraft was equipped with inflight wireless internet. At the time of the flight, EVA Air provided all passengers with 30 minutes of complimentary access at the time of the flight. After the free period, paid internet plans were available, ranging from US$4.95 to US$39.95 depending on the package.
I used the complimentary access midway through the flight. The connection speed was decent and good enough to exchange messages with family and friends in both the Philippines and Los Angeles. I chose not to purchase a plan since I did not find it necessary for the rest of the flight.
LAVATORY
I used the forward economy class lavatories several times during the flight and noticed that the cabin crew always kept them clean and fragrant. Despite frequent use, the facilities were well-maintained throughout the journey.
In addition to the basic amenities, EVA Air provided Teaology-branded handwash, hand sanitizer, facial mist, and moisturizer for passengers to use. Toothbrushes were also available upon request from the crew.
Cabin Crew Service
The cabin crew on this Taipei to Los Angeles flight were quick, efficient, and attentive. They greeted passengers warmly during boarding, served water while we waited for pushback, and managed the lunch and breakfast services with ease. They also ensured the lavatories remained clean and fresh throughout the flight. In addition, the lead crew kept everyone updated with clear announcements, making sure passengers were informed at every stage of the journey.
Disembarkation & Luggage Claim
Flight BR 6 landed at Los Angeles International Airport at 8:09 a.m. local time, arriving 1 hour and 19 minutes behind schedule. We taxied to the Tom Bradley International Terminal for disembarkation.
Passengers deplaned by section, starting with business class, followed by the forward economy cabin, and finally those seated in the rear. Immigration, baggage claim, and customs clearance took less than an hour. Our luggage was already on the carousel by the time we reached the arrival hall, making the process quick and seamless.
Flight Experience
It was a memorable first-ever transpacific flight with EVA Air from Taipei, Taiwan to Los Angeles, California, USA. I thoroughly enjoyed this long-haul flight even if I only had a few hours of sleep. Allow me to share what I liked and disliked on this flight.
Let us start with the positives. First, my friends and I got a good deal for the ticket price. We paid only ₱42,276.32 each for a four-sector journey with layovers in Taipei both ways. The flights took place during one of the busiest travel periods in the Philippines, the Holy Week, so the fare was definitely a steal.
Second, I had my fastest transit experience at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, which took less than ten minutes from the time we stepped into the terminal building. Third, the ground crew managed to board all 300 passengers in just 19 minutes. Talk about efficiency!
Fourth, EVA Air kept the aircraft modern and well-maintained despite it being almost nine years old. Fifth, the airline served two hearty and tasty meals during the flight, while also keeping passengers full and hydrated with snacks and drinks offered periodically.
Sixth, EVA Air provided 30 minutes of complimentary internet access to all passengers, a nice gesture on a long-haul journey. Seventh, the economy class lavatories were kept clean and fragrant throughout the flight. Lastly, the cabin crew were outstanding. I was impressed at how quickly they completed the meal services while still being attentive and professional. Bravo!
This flight was not all wins, though. It had its fair share of areas for improvement. First, the flight was delayed by a little over an hour due to runway congestion in Taipei, which led to both a late departure from Taiwan and a delayed arrival in Los Angeles.
Second, while the inflight entertainment system had decent options for a long-haul flight, it was not at par with competitors such as Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Cathay Pacific. Lastly, the inflight map was not interactive, so I could only glance at it during the flight.
Despite these minor drawbacks, the overall experience was excellent. EVA Air delivered a comfortable, efficient, and enjoyable transpacific journey, and I would not hesitate to fly with them again.
Allow me to provide a summary of this EVA Air BR 6 flight from Taipei to Los Angeles:
Airline: EVA Air
Flight Date: 12 April 2025
Flight Number: BR 6
Route: Taipei, Taiwan (TPE) to Los Angeles, California, USA (LAX)
Duration: 11 hours and 41 minutes
Seat Number: Seat 46G (Aisle)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-36N(ER)
Aircraft Registration: B-16728
Engines: 2 x General Electric GE90-115B Engines
Age: 8.7-years-old
Delivered: July 2016
All in all, this flight with EVA Air was a great start to my transpacific travel experience. From efficient service to thoughtful touches in comfort and hospitality, it truly set the bar high for future long-haul flights.
Have you flown with EVA Air before? I would love to hear about your experiences! Feel free to share your stories and thoughts in the comments. You can also send your stories via email at contact@thewkndtravel.com.
I hope you will check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, as well as other airlines like Emirates, Philippine Airlines, Qantas, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Cathay Pacific. I also hope you look forward to more flight reports in the future.
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PS. Photos were taken using my Google Pixel 8 Pro.