In April 2025, 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 we were thrilled that it finally came to life. For this journey, we chose to fly with one of the world’s best airlines – EVA Air.
A few years ago, I launched the flight reports section of this website with a review of EVA Air flight BR 277 from Taipei to Manila. Six years later, I found myself flying with EVA again, this time, all the way to the United States.
Join me as I take you through the first leg of our trip onboard flight BR 262 from Manila to Taipei. Keep reading to find out how my friends and I scored complimentary premium economy class seats on this short-haul hop to Taiwan.
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.
Airfare & Inclusions
In August 2024, EVA Air launched a promotional fare across most of its routes, offering discounted tickets for customers who used a local bank’s credit card (RCBC) as their mode of payment. My friends and I took advantage of this deal and booked our tickets exactly nine months ahead of our intended departure. We paid just $709.76 for a round-trip ticket, which was charged by RCBC at ₱42,276.32, including foreign transaction service fees.
This fare covered all four legs of our journey: Manila to Taipei (this flight), Taipei to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Taipei, and finally, Taipei to Manila. The ticket also included a generous baggage allowance of two 23-kilogram checked bags per passenger (46 kilograms total), 7 kilograms of carry-on luggage, inflight meals on all sectors, a personal inflight entertainment system on every aircraft, and the consistently world-class service delivered by 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
Regular Philippine passport holders can enter Taiwan visa-free for up to 14 days, provided they have proof of accommodation and sufficient travel funds. As of July 2025, this visa-free entry policy has been extended until July 31, 2026.
In my case, since my onward destination was Los Angeles, California, I also needed to comply with the United States entry requirements. Philippine passport holders are required to secure a B1/B2 or B2 visitor visa to enter the United States for tourism or leisure purposes. I obtained my B1/B2 non-immigrant visitor visa in December 2023 and shared my do-it-yourself application experience in one of my Tuesday Tips blog posts. You can check it out here.
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
A week before our flight, EVA Air sent an email offering an upgrade to premium economy class through its EVABidDeal program. This feature allowed me to place a bid for a premium economy seat starting at a set minimum amount. Four days before departure, the airline followed up with another bidding invitation.
Then, 48 hours before the flight, EVA Air sent a reminder that online check-in was open. The message included key details such as flight schedule, cabin and seat assignment, baggage allowance, and aircraft type. I filled out the required information, selected my seat, and checked in for our flight to Taipei right away.
While checking in online, I noticed that EVA Air had opened their premium economy class seats free of charge. I quickly selected seat 20K—a premium economy bulkhead window seat—and immediately informed my friends. They were able to secure seats 20A and 20C, also in the premium economy cabin. Thank you, EVA Air, for making this section available during online check-in at no extra cost.
Aircraft & Flight Information
Our Manila to Taipei flight with EVA Air was operated by a 10.9-year-old Boeing 777-300ER aircraft (at the time of the flight). Delivered to the airline in May 2014, the aircraft is registered as B-16719. It features 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 class seats arranged in a 3-3-3 setup.
Flight BR 262 departed from Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 6:19 a.m., cruised at an altitude of 39,000 feet, and landed at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport at 8:00 a.m. local time. There is no time difference between Manila and Taipei. The total flight time was 1 hour and 41 minutes.
Airport & Ground Experience
At the time of our flight, EVA Air operated three daily flights between Manila and Taipei, all departing from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.
CHECK-IN & BAG DROP
I arrived at the airport shortly after 2:00 a.m. and went straight to pay the mandatory travel tax. I met up with my friends, and we joined the online check-in queue at 2:15 a.m. EVA Air operates three separate check-in lines: one dedicated to business class passengers and status holders, with two counters open; a second line for bag drop, essentially for passengers who have already checked in online, with three counters open; and finally, the regular economy class line with two counters open.
Interestingly, the regular economy check-in line moved faster than the bag drop queue, which took a frustratingly long time. We were only able to drop our bags an hour later at 3:18 a.m. and completed the entire process by 3:27 a.m. The ground staff took extra time to check in my friend, who holds dual citizenship and traveled with a US passport.
PRE-DEPARTURE
After completing check-in, we quickly cleared immigration and security and headed straight to the lounge. The PAGGS Terminal 1 Lounge was full, so we opted for the Marhaba Lounge instead. We enjoyed breakfast there while waiting for our boarding time.
I accessed the lounge using my Security Bank Platinum credit card. However, effective May 26, 2026, Security Bank removed this perk for this card type. Now, only World and Corporate credit card holders have complimentary access to these lounges. The Platinum card still includes two annual lounge credits through Mastercard Travel Pass, which can also be used to access these NAIA lounges.
BOARDING
At 5:00 a.m., my friends and I left the Marhaba Lounge and headed straight to Gate 5. Shortly after, at 5:07 a.m., the ground staff announced priority boarding. Passengers traveling in business class and status holders boarded first, followed by those with infants, small children, and senior citizens. The remaining passengers were then called to board according to their assigned zones.
The cabin crew closed the aircraft doors at 5:49 a.m., completing the entire boarding process in 42 minutes. Although the plane’s pushback was delayed by a few minutes, the crew promptly communicated the delay in both English and Chinese. The aircraft finally pushed back at 6:00 a.m. and began taxiing to the runway for takeoff.
Inflight Hard & Soft Product
SEAT FEATURES
This Manila to Taipei EVA Air flight was operated by a 10.9-year-old Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. It features 39 lie-flat business class seats arranged in a reverse-herringbone 1-2-1 configuration, 56 recliner premium economy seats in a 2-4-2 layout, and 238 regular economy seats in a 3-3-3 arrangement.
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 my flight, I chose window seat 20K in the premium economy cabin and was fortunate to have both seats 20H and 20K to myself. The premium economy seat is spacious and very comfortable. The thick seatback padding and leg rest, combined with generous recline, made it incredibly easy to relax and even sleep. I was lucky to experience this comfort free of charge—thank you, EVA Air!
INFLIGHT MEAL SERVICE
EVA Air serves inflight meals on all their flights. On our flight to Taipei, passengers had one breakfast option: Cream Dory with Adobo Butter Egg Fried Rice. The main course was accompanied by Cajun Chicken with Waldorf Salad, a fruit bowl, a cup for the second drink service, and a bottle of water. Additional beverages such as juice, soda, and alcoholic drinks were available upon request. Meals were served on trays and included metal cutlery, a napkin, and wipes. During the meal service, the cabin crew made rounds offering coffee or tea to those who wanted.
The meal portions were decent. While the cream dory was slightly dry, the salad was flavorful and enjoyable. I especially appreciated that EVA Air served everything on trays and provided metal cutlery for a more premium dining experience. I want to commend EVA Air for offering a full meal service even on this short hop to Taipei.
INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
Every seat on this aircraft is equipped with a personal entertainment screen featuring EVA Air’s Star Gallery. The airline’s inflight entertainment system offers hundreds of movies, TV shows, albums, games, and other content for passengers to enjoy throughout the flight. It also includes an interactive inflight map that displays the current flight location and detailed flight information.
During the journey to Taipei, I watched part of the Thai movie How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies. Although I could not finish it due to the short flight time, I was able to continue watching it on the onward flight to Los Angeles.
INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY
The aircraft used for this Manila to Taipei flight was equipped with inflight wireless internet. All passengers were granted 30 minutes of complimentary internet access. Beyond the free period, passengers could purchase internet plans ranging from US$4.95 to US$39.95.
I took advantage of the free 30-minute access and found the internet speed to be acceptable. Given the short duration of the flight, I did not see the need to purchase any additional internet plans.
LAVATORY
I visited the middle section lavatory and found it to be spotlessly clean. In addition to the usual amenities, EVA Air provided Teaology-branded handwash, hand sanitizer, facial mist, and moisturizer for all passengers to use during the flight.
Cabin Crew Service
The cabin crew service on this flight was excellent, warm, friendly, and attentive. They served with genuine smiles and positive energy throughout the journey. One thing I particularly noticed was their attention to detail. They announced every delay, whether it was five minutes or twenty, over the public address system in both English and Chinese. The crew made sure all passengers were fully informed of any delays experienced during the flight.
Disembarkation & TRANSIT
Flight BR 252 touched down at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport five minutes ahead of schedule. However, the landing was initially delayed by around 20 minutes due to runway congestion. After landing, we taxied to our assigned bus gate.
Passengers disembarked by section, with business class passengers exiting first, followed by those in the front economy section, and finally, passengers seated in the rear economy class. All passengers were then transported by bus to the airport terminal for immigration or transfer.
My friends and I did not clear Taiwan immigration. Instead, we proceeded to the transit area, cleared security, and made our way to the departures hall for my connecting flight to Los Angeles.
Flight Experience
It was an incredible flight experience on EVA Air in their premium economy seat on this flight from Manila to Taipei.
The journey stood out in many ways. First, the ticket cost was quite affordable, especially considering it coincided with one of the busiest travel periods in the Philippines during Holy Week. My friends and I paid only ₱42,276.32 each for a four-sector journey with layovers in Taipei, Taiwan both ways.
Second, EVA Air offered complimentary upgrades to premium economy seats during online check-in. My friends and I quickly grabbed the opportunity and enjoyed the generous space and legroom on this flight. Third, while the aircraft was a little over a decade old, the cabins remained modern, clean, and well maintained.
Fourth, the cabin crew were friendly, attentive, and approachable. They made sure passengers were kept informed, even about a slight five-minute delay. Fifth, a full meal was served complete with appetizer and dessert despite the flight being under two hours. The chicken and apple salad was phenomenal, and the use of metal cutlery was a nice touch.
Sixth, EVA Air offered complimentary 30-minute onboard internet access to all passengers. It is rare to see this level of service provided to everyone regardless of class or frequent flyer status. Lastly, the aircraft lavatories were impressively stocked with amenities such as hand wash, hand sanitizer, facial mist, and moisturizer which was quite impressive for a flight of this duration. No wonder EVA Air consistently earns its five-star rating.
Of course, no flight is without room for improvement. First, the bag drop process at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 was frustratingly slow. Despite having only two counters open, the regular economy check-in line moved faster than the bag drop queue. We waited over an hour just to check our bags.
Second, the fish in the main dish was slightly dry, though the overall meal was still enjoyable.
Despite these minor setbacks, this was an exceptional flight experience with EVA Air. I look forward to flying with EVA again in the future.
Allow me to provide a summary of this EVA Air BR 262 flight from Manila to Taipei.
Airline: EVA Air
Flight Date: 12 April 2025
Flight Number: BR 262
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Taipei, Taiwan (TPE)
Duration: 1 hour and 41 minutes
Seat Number: Seat 20K (Window)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-36N(ER)
Aircraft Registration: B-16719
Engines: 2 x General Electric GE90-115B Engines
Age: 10.9-years-old
Delivered: May 2014
Overall, this flight with EVA Air was a smooth and enjoyable start to our trip. From the comfortable seats to the attentive crew and thoughtful amenities, it truly set the tone for a great journey ahead.
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.
