Long beach: Taiwan’s China Airlines (CAL) announced the start of its partnership with U.S.-based Southwest Airlines with a new interline booking service at a joint press conference in Long Beach, California. For itineraries starting January 19, 2026, passengers can now book a single ticket from CAL, which will include the flight from Taiwan to one of CAL’s U.S. gateways, and onward connecting Southwest flights to cities such as Las Vegas, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Atlanta, and Chicago, according to CAL’s website.

According to Focus Taiwan, CAL currently offers non-stop trans-Pacific flights to North American cities including Phoenix, Los Angeles, Ontario, San Francisco, and Seattle, where travelers will be able to make their connections. CAL President Kevin Chen stated that the objective is to expand the carrier’s U.S. network and attract more tourists to Taiwan, whether for connections or sightseeing.

At the press conference, Steven Swan, Southwest’s managing director in charge of networks and alliances, emphasized CAL as “Southwest’s first partner in Asia.” He also mentioned that the partnership opens doors to the recognition of mileage points between the two airlines. Swan, who has more than 23 years of experience in the aviation industry, visited Taiwan in early March to initiate alliance discussions.

Taiwanese airline Starlux Airlines signed a similar agreement with American Airlines on August 15. Southwest Airlines is the fourth-largest airline operator in the United States, transporting the highest number of domestic passengers with over 4,000 flights daily.