Wednesday newsletters characteristic a lodge or flight evaluate.
Just a few weeks in the past, I loved a vacation in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Palau. You possibly can learn my journey reviews right here:
- Assessment: Regent Hong Kong Lodge
- Assessment: Eva Air Enterprise Class Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Hong Kong to Taipei (at the moment)
- Assessment: Capella Taipei Lodge
- Assessment: China Airways Enterprise Class Airbus A321Neo from Taipai to Palau
- Assessment: Cruise in Palau with 4 Seasons Explorer
- Assessment: United Airways Enterprise Class Boeing 737 from Palau to Tokyo
Assessment: Eva Air Enterprise Class Boeing 787 (HKG-TPE)
I not too long ago flew Eva Air Enterprise Class from Hong Kong to Taipei aboard the airline’s Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. Primarily based in Taiwan and working from its primary hub at Taipei Taoyuan Worldwide Airport, Eva Air is a member of Star Alliance and has constructed a robust repute for its premium onboard service, notably on long-haul routes. The airline manufacturers its worldwide Enterprise Class product as “Royal Laurel Class,” which is obtainable on plane together with its Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
With a flight time of just one hour and quarter-hour, Hong Kong to Taipei is the type of journey for which I’d usually by no means pay further to fly Enterprise Class. Nevertheless, for the sake of this weblog evaluate, I particularly booked Royal Laurel Class so I might expertise and evaluate Eva Air’s Boeing 787 Enterprise Class product. On your data, I paid HKD 4,227 for the one-way ticket, together with all taxes and surcharges, which is roughly US$540. Total, the flight provided a wonderful introduction to Eva Air’s Royal Laurel Class and left me wishing the journey had been significantly longer.
The expertise was high notch, notably contemplating the quick length of the flight: the cabin crew have been exceptionally pleasant, a full meal was served, the inflight leisure providing was intensive, and Enterprise Class passengers loved complimentary limitless net searching. Eva Air’s Boeing 787-10 options the Thompson Aero Vantage XL seat in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, with direct aisle entry for each passenger. Whereas the seat is now not among the many latest Enterprise Class designs and lacks the closing door more and more discovered on newer merchandise, it stays spacious, personal and really snug, changing into a completely flat mattress.
Eva Air doesn’t function its personal lounge at Hong Kong Worldwide Airport, however eligible Royal Laurel Class passengers have entry to a number of companion lounges earlier than departure. To make this evaluate as complete as doable, I visited all three lounges out there to me — the Singapore Airways SilverKris Lounge, Kyra Lounge and United Membership — to match their services, meals and total environment. The three lounges provide fairly completely different experiences, and I positively had a transparent favourite, as you’ll learn beneath.
Have you ever ever flown with Eva Air? In that case, what was your expertise? Depart a remark.
Flight particulars:
- Airline: Eva Air
- Route: Hong Kong (HKG) to Taipei (TPE)
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-10
- Plane license plate B-17802 (inbuilt 2019)
- Class: Enterprise Class
- Seat: 9K
- Flight time: 1 hour and quarter-hour
- Distance: 500 miles (805 km)
- Departure time: 10:30 am
- Arrival time: 11:45
On this evaluate (extra data & images beneath my YouTube video):
- About Eva Air: details and figures
- Singapore Airways SilverKris Lounge at Hong Kong Airport
- Kyra Lounge at Hong Kong Airport
- Membership United at Hong Kong Airport
- Eva Air Enterprise Class cabin
- Eva Air Enterprise Class seat (+ finest & worst seats)
- Facilities & bedding
- Meals
- Leisure
- Onboard web
- Different inflight experiences
- Remaining ideas & my verdict (rating)
1. About Eva Air: Information & Figures
Eva Air is one in every of Taiwan’s three main full-service worldwide airways, alongside China Airways and the a lot youthful Starlux Airways. The privately owned provider was based in 1989 as a part of the Evergreen Group, finest identified internationally for Evergreen Marine, and operated its first flight in 1991. Not like a few of its Taiwanese opponents, Eva Air’s personal community is solely worldwide, with no home passenger routes, and at the moment connects Taiwan with locations throughout Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. As of September 2026, Eva Air serves 66 locations with a fleet of 89 plane, together with its devoted cargo operation. The airline has additionally been a member of Star Alliance since 2013 and has held Skytrax’s highest 5-Star Airline score for 11 consecutive years.
Eva Air at present operates a various fleet consisting of Boeing 777-300ERs, Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliners, Airbus A330-300s and Airbus A321-200s, complemented by Boeing 777 freighters. The Boeing 777-300ER stays the biggest kind within the passenger fleet, with 32 plane, whereas the Dreamliner fleet at present contains 9 787-9s and 13 787-10s. The fleet is about to endure a significant transformation over the approaching years: Eva Air has one other 12 Dreamliners on order and can introduce two new Airbus varieties, with 24 A350-1000s and 18 A321neos scheduled for supply. One other fascinating piece of Eva Air historical past is that the provider was an early pioneer of Premium Financial system, introducing a cabin between Financial system and Enterprise Class within the early Nineties, a long time earlier than the idea grew to become commonplace throughout the airline trade.
2. Singapore Airways SilverKris Lounge
The Singapore Airways SilverKris Lounge is positioned on Stage 6 of the principle departure corridor, near Gate 5, making it one of the conveniently positioned lounges at Hong Kong Worldwide Airport, only a quick stroll from the safety checkpoint. The lounge follows Singapore Airways’ acquainted understated fashion and is actually organized as one giant room. Friends enter by a bar space, after which the lounge opens up into the principle area, with the buffet positioned alongside one facet and varied seating areas extending all through the size of the lounge. There are completely different seating choices for stress-free, eating or getting some work carried out earlier than a flight, whereas the buffet presents an honest number of scorching dishes, lighter bites and drinks. A draw back of the lounge is the whole lack of exterior home windows, which implies there aren’t any views of the airport apron or pure daylight and the lounge can really feel considerably enclosed. departure.
3. Kyra Lounge
Kyra Lounge is likely one of the newer impartial lounges at Hong Kong Worldwide Airport. Positioned on Stage 6 close to Gate 23, the lounge options up to date interiors with a number of seating areas and a bar at its heart. One among its finest options is the wall of enormous floor-to-ceiling home windows, which gives loads of pure mild in addition to spectacular, ground-level views of the airport apron and plane exercise. The meals providing features a buffet with a number of Chinese language and Hong Kong-inspired dishes alongside Western choices, complemented by a well-stocked bar.
An fascinating characteristic is {that a} separate part of the lounge is reserved for EVA Air Enterprise Class passengers, which is a pleasant contact and makes the expertise really feel considerably extra unique. Friends on this part even have entry to an à la carte menu along with the common buffet. Whereas Kyra Lounge is trendy and nice, it’s comparatively small for the variety of passengers it serves. Throughout peak hours, it might probably change into very busy — actually, throughout my go to, the lounge felt too crowded, which significantly diminished the in any other case nice environment. As an impartial lounge, Kyra can be accessed by applications together with Precedence Go and LoungeKey, whereas entry might be bought individually.
4. United Membership
The United Membership is positioned on Stage 7 close to Gate 60 and is significantly bigger than the opposite two lounges. The lounge reopened in 2025 and serves eligible United Airways passengers in addition to passengers travelling with a variety of Star Alliance carriers. Not like the extra enclosed SilverKris and Kyra lounges, the United Membership is an open lounge positioned one ground above the principle airport concourse. This provides the area a very ethereal really feel, with views each throughout the airport inside and in the direction of the tarmac. The lounge itself is split into a number of sections, providing loads of seating for stress-free, eating or working, whereas the central part is residence to the principle meals and beverage stations.
For me, the United Membership was the clear winner of the three lounges I visited at Hong Kong Worldwide Airport. It was by far essentially the most spacious, provided the best number of meals, and had loads of out there seating throughout my go to. I additionally discovered it essentially the most visually interesting of the three, largely due to its open design and the sense of area created by its elevated place above the concourse. The meals choice was one other spotlight and, in my expertise, was each higher and extra various than what was provided within the different two lounges. The one potential downside is its location close to Gate 60, which might imply a substantial stroll when departing from one of many gates nearer to the principle safety space. However, of the three lounges, this was simply the one the place I most loved spending time earlier than my flight.
5. Eva Air 787 Enterprise Class Cabin
On Eva Air’s Boeing 787-10, the Enterprise Class cabin is positioned on the entrance of the plane and options 34 seats organized in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, making certain direct aisle entry for each passenger. It is a bigger cabin than on Eva Air’s Boeing 787-9, which options 26 Enterprise Class seats in the identical 1-2-1 configuration. The extra capability displays the higher size of the 787-10, whereas the general cabin idea and seating association stay very related throughout each Dreamliner variants.
Due to the staggered configuration, the place of the seats alternates from one row to the subsequent. Alongside the home windows, some seats are positioned straight beside the window, with the facet console between the passenger and the aisle. These are the so-called “true” window seats and provide significantly extra privateness. Within the alternating rows, the seat is positioned nearer to the aisle, with the console between the passenger and the window, making these seats really feel extra uncovered to the aisle. The same alternating association is used for the middle seats.
Visually, the cabin is elegant and understated, with a recent design constructed round heat, impartial tones. Cream, beige and brown shades dominate the inside, complemented by refined touches of EVA Air’s signature inexperienced. Mixed with the Dreamliner’s giant home windows, excessive ceiling and spacious overhead bins, the cabin feels trendy, ethereal and refined.
6. Eva Air 787 Enterprise Class Seat (+ Finest & Worst Seats)
EVA Air’s Boeing 787-10 Royal Laurel Class seat presents a beneficiant quantity of private area and is especially properly suited to long-haul journey. The seat itself measures roughly 20 inches (51 cm) in width, whereas the seat pitch is round 42 inches (107 cm). The excessive surrounding shell creates a very good diploma of privateness, particularly when selecting one of many “true” window seats the place the seat is positioned straight beside the window and the facet console separates the passenger from the aisle. Though the seat doesn’t characteristic a closing door, there’s a privateness display alongside the aisle facet of the seat which might be manually slid ahead, offering some further separation from the aisle and neighbouring passengers. Mixed with the angled place of the seat and surrounding shell, this creates a reasonably personal private area.
Instantly in entrance of the passenger is a big 18-inch (46 cm) high-definition leisure display. The display is fastened in place, which implies it may be used all through most phases of the flight with out having to be folded away. Beneath the display is the footwell, which kinds the tip of the sleeping floor when the seat is transformed right into a mattress. The footwell gives a helpful place to relaxation your ft whereas seated and extends the out there sleeping area when the seat is totally reclined. As is frequent with staggered Enterprise Class configurations, nonetheless, the area across the ft is narrower than the principle a part of the seat.
A big facet console sits subsequent to the seat and is beneficial for retaining smaller private belongings inside simple attain throughout the flight. In entrance of the console is a big facet desk, providing a handy floor for putting a cellphone, glasses, drinks or different small private gadgets throughout the flight. Alongside the outer fringe of this desk are the digital seat controls, the ability shops and the handset for the inflight leisure system, all positioned inside simple attain whereas seated. The seat controls enable the passenger to maneuver between preset upright, lounging and totally flat positions, in addition to make extra exact changes to discover a snug place for eating, working or stress-free. Simply in entrance of the console, built-in into the shelf alongside the facet of the seat, is an adjustable studying mild, offering centered illumination with out having to make use of the brighter overhead mild.
On the contact of a button, the seat converts into a completely flat mattress measuring 76 inches (193 cm) in size. The sleeping floor within reason broad across the higher physique earlier than narrowing in the direction of the footwell. That is the place the staggered configuration once more makes a distinction: the encompassing shell, facet console and extendable privateness display present a substantial sense of privateness, notably on the true window seats.
What are the finest Enterprise Class seats on Eva Air’s Boeing 787-10?
- One of the best Enterprise Class seats are undoubtedly the “true” window seats in rows 2, 5, 7 and 9 (seats A and Okay). At these seats, the passenger sits straight beside the window, whereas the big facet console is positioned between the seat and the aisle. This gives significantly extra privateness and creates a extra secluded, cocoon-like feeling than the window seats within the alternating rows, that are positioned straight beside the aisle.
- {Couples} could want the paired D and G seats within the heart of the cabin, though EVA Air’s format doesn’t characteristic notably intimate “honeymoon” seats.
What are the worst Enterprise Class seats on Eva Air’s Boeing 787-10?
- There aren’t any actually dangerous seats in Eva Air’s Royal Laurel cabin, since all passengers get the identical totally flat seat and direct aisle entry. The primary variations come right down to privateness, window place and proximity to the galleys and bogs.
- I’d keep away from the ultimate row (row 10) if doable due to its proximity to the toilets instantly behind the Enterprise Class cabin. You might expertise extra passenger visitors, mild and noise right here, notably when persons are ready to make use of the toilets.
- 09A and 09K are literally wonderful true window seats by way of privateness, however their location near the rear toilets makes them much less enticing than related seats farther ahead. If privateness is your precedence they’re nonetheless a sensible choice, however I would choose 02A/Okay, 05A/Okay or 07A/Okay first.
- Solo travellers in search of most privateness are higher off selecting one of many window seats as an alternative of the middle seats. The latter seats are completely snug, however you can be sitting comparatively shut to a different passenger, albeit with a privateness divider between you.
Click on right here for a seat map of the Eva Air Boeing 787-10.
7. Facilities & Bedding
Given the quick length of the flight from Hong Kong to Taipei, the standard vary of Enterprise Class facilities provided on EVA Air’s long-haul flights was not offered. There was no amenity equipment or different further consolation gadgets ready on the seat. However, every passenger was supplied with a quilt, which was greater than adequate for such a brief journey, in addition to a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to be used with the inflight leisure system.
8. Meals
Regardless of the very quick flight from Hong Kong to Taipei, Eva Air provided a full meal service in Enterprise Class — one thing many airways in Europe or the US wouldn’t present on a flight of this size. The complete meal was served on one tray, which made sense given the restricted flying time. I began with smoked salmon accompanied by cauliflower rice and purple quinoa salad. For the principle course, I selected the grilled spiced rooster thigh, served with creamy mushroom sauce and mushroom risotto. Dessert consisted of a purple bean panna cotta, whereas a number of bread was additionally provided. The wine checklist was surprisingly intensive and spectacular for such a brief flight, though I personally by no means drink alcohol when flying. Total, it was a powerful quantity of meals for a flight of only a bit moire than one hour and a very good instance of the excessive degree of inflight service provided by Eva Air.
9. Leisure
Eva Air’s Boeing 787 options the airline’s STAR GALLERY inflight leisure system, displayed on a big 18-inch (46 cm) high-definition touchscreen in Enterprise Class. The system presents a broad number of films, TV applications, music and video games, together with each worldwide and Asian content material, and the interface is comparatively intuitive and responsive. The display might be managed both straight by contact or through the hand-held controller positioned beside the seat, whereas noise-cancelling headphones are offered to Enterprise Class passengers. A shifting map permits passengers to comply with the progress of the flight, though on the quick hop from Hong Kong to Taipei there may be clearly little time to discover the intensive leisure library.
10. Onboard Web
Eva Air presents inflight Wi-Fi on its Boeing 787 plane, with Enterprise Class passengers having fun with complimentary limitless net searching all through the flight. The service can be utilized for searching web sites, checking emails and sending messages by apps akin to WhatsApp and LINE. Nevertheless, video streaming, voice calls, VPN connections and video conferencing should not supported. Because the Wi-Fi connection depends on satellite tv for pc communication, speeds can fluctuate relying on components such because the variety of passengers related, the plane’s location and climate circumstances. On such a brief flight from Hong Kong to Taipei there was clearly restricted time to make intensive use of the service, however complimentary Wi-Fi is nonetheless a wonderful Enterprise Class perk.
11. Different Inflight Experiences
# Crew: The Eva Air cabin crew have been exceptionally pleasant and welcoming all through the flight. They even allowed me to board a couple of minutes earlier than the opposite passengers so I might take some images and movies for my weblog with out disturbing anybody. What additionally stood out was how genuinely proud they gave the impression to be of their airline, which added a really private contact to the service.
# Bathroom: Eva Air’s Boeing 787-10 has three toilets out there for the 34 Royal Laurel Enterprise Class passengers. The toilets are trendy, properly maintained and stocked with toiletries from Australian model Ideology, together with hand cleaning soap, physique lotion and facial mist. This beneficiant passenger-to-lavatory ratio additionally signifies that ready instances are typically minimal.
12. Remaining Ideas & My Verdict
My quick journey from Hong Kong to Taipei confirmed why Eva Air enjoys such a robust repute amongst frequent flyers. Nothing in regards to the expertise felt notably flashy or over-the-top; as an alternative, Royal Laurel Class impressed with its mixture of understated consolation, polished service and memorable consideration to element. The 787 Enterprise Class product is probably not cutting-edge anymore, however it nonetheless feels refined and extremely aggressive, whereas the heat and professionalism of the crew have been maybe essentially the most memorable facet of the flight. If this 75-minute journey is consultant of the airline’s long-haul expertise, I’d be very eager to fly EVA Air once more — ideally subsequent time on a flight lengthy sufficient to correctly take pleasure in the whole lot Royal Laurel Class has to supply.
Right here is my rating for Eva Air’s Enterprise Class product on the Boeing 787-10:
- Seat consolation (upright): 8/10
- Seat consolation (mattress place): 8/10
- Meals (high quality): 8/10
- Meals (amount): 8/10
- Inflight leisure : 9/10
- WiFi: 9/10
- Service: 10/10
- Cabin design: 8/10
- Total expertise: good:
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