United Airlines 787 Dreamliner direct flights from Taipei to San Francisco in March   Early bird price starts at NT$22,129

▲ United Airlines will operate the Taipei–San Francisco route with the 787-9 starting March 28. (Photo / Provided by United Airlines)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Taipei

United Airlines, which has operated the non-stop Taipei–San Francisco route since its inaugural flight in March 2014, will replace its current 777-200 aircraft with the 787-9 Dreamliner starting March 28, and is offering an early bird fare starting at NT$22,129 for the Taipei–San Francisco route.

United Airlines stated that since the launch of the Taipei–San Francisco route, it has carried over 310,000 passengers. The new 787 Dreamliner features the largest adjustable dimming windows, along with various enhancements for cabin comfort and performance. The 787-9 offers two cabin classes with a total of 252 seats, including 48 business class and 204 United Economy seats.

The 787-9 business class includes fully flat seats that are 1.98 meters in length. Economy class meals have also been upgraded to a three-course service, with complimentary beer, red and white wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. To provide localized catering, United Airlines also noted that it will design Taiwanese-style meal elements such as three-cup chicken leg rice, stir-fried black pepper chicken, and pineapple cakes. The flight will also have Chinese-speaking flight attendants and Chinese-language in-flight entertainment systems.

▲ (From left) Koji Nagata, Director of Communications for United Airlines Asia Pacific; Tracy Tang, Regional Sales Manager for United Airlines Taiwan; and Dias Wu, Managing Director of Greater China and Korea Sales for United Airlines. (Photo / Taken by Reporter Chen Ruizhong)

From now until May 31, 2016, United Airlines’ early bird fare for the Taipei–San Francisco route starts at NT$22,129, valid for travel from now until June 20 or from September 1 to December 31. Additionally, fares for Taipei–Chicago and Taipei–Boston start at NT$15,410. (All prices are exclusive of taxes and fees)