If you’re not familiar with STARLUX Airlines, you’re in for a treat. STARLUX is one of Taiwan’s newest airlines, aiming to elevate the air travel experience. It was founded by the son of the Evergreen Group’s founder (the parent company of EVA Airlines) and is staffed mainly by former EVA Airlines employees (a Skytrax five-star airline).

Today, I am reviewing STARLUX’s Galaxy Lounge at Terminal 2 of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (桃園國際機場). There are two Galaxy Lounges at this airport, one in each terminal. Which one you can go to will depend on your departure location.

STARLUX’s products tend to have space-themed branding; the Galaxy Lounges are no exception. The lounge at Terminal 2 is split into upper and lower levels, with an exclusive first-class section.

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with STARLUX. I received no monetary or other incentives for this review. I accessed this lounge by redeeming a business-class ticket with Alaska Airlines points (also not affiliated with Alaska Airlines). These opinions are based solely on my personal experience.

Access and Entry

After clearing immigration in Terminal 2, turn left and head toward the D gates. The Galaxy Lounge is located near gates D6 to D10.

Three types of passengers can enter the Galaxy Lounges:

• First Class Passengers
• Business Class Passengers
• Passengers that have EXPLORER or INSIGHTER status in the COSMILE Program

In order to achieve these two statuses, you are looking at the following:

• EXPLORER: Accrue 50,000 tier miles or 50 sectors in 12 consecutive months.
• INSIGHTER: Accrue 120,000 tier miles or 100 sectors in 12 consecutive months.

Both of them are pretty hard to achieve and are geared towards very frequent travelers. Since STARLUX is not part of any airline alliance, you won’t be able to get in via another airline.

The lounge is open from 5:00 am to 11:30 pm.

Seating and Layout

At first glance, the lounge may seem small. The upper level offers a modest seating area with about ten tables. Most seating is café-style, with small tables and cushioned chairs, alongside some banquette-style seating for larger groups.

However, the lower level reveals a more spacious layout with at least three additional seating areas.

The lower level features banquette seating and ample tables to accommodate dining needs. Two VIP rooms are available for those seeking extra privacy.

Food and Beverage

The Galaxy Lounge offers a diverse food selection, with one buffet on each level. The options are largely the same, with the exception of American-style hot dogs, which are only available on the upper level.

The hot buffet includes items like sweet and sour tofu, grilled catfish fillet, and truffle mushroom orzo. Two dim sum selections, including shrimp dumplings (蝦餃) and two soups, are also available. Everything I tried was quite tasty. I expect the selection to rotate every so often so YMMV.

A small selection of wines and spirits is available in the corner, along with a draft Asahi station. While I didn’t try the alcohol offerings, they seemed sufficient.

For coffee lovers, there’s a machine offering espresso and lattes. Right next to it is a decent selection of teas.

Next to the coffee and tea, there’s a fresh cold bar featuring items like bracken fern with sesame sauce, salsa macaroni, and blanched corn shoots. The lounge provides detailed allergy information and labels for various vegetarian diets (Ovo-lacto, Ovo-vegetarian, Lacto-vegetarian, and vegan). My only suggestion would be to include information for those with gluten intolerance.

Two glass fridges near the entrance houses desserts like custard pudding, cakes, almond maltose biscuits, cheeses, and jams.

The second fridge offers an impressive variety of non-alcoholic drinks, including cold-brew tea, almond beverage, carrot juice, honey lemonade, and Calpico.

If buffets aren’t your preference, there’s a made-to-order menu accessible via a QR code on your table. The menu is divided into breakfast and lunch/dinner options. I ordered the Beef Sukiyaki and Japanese-style Tofu Burger, both of which were delicious. The Sukiyaki was tender and flavorful, while the tofu burger was juicy, with crispy fries on the side.

Amenities and Facilities

Since this lounge is exclusive to STARLUX passengers, overcrowding wasn’t an issue. The business section was lightly populated, with most guests staying on the upper level, leaving the lower level quiet and serene.

The Galaxy Lounge offers two reservable showers on the lower level. While I didn’t use them, they appeared spacious and well-stocked with hair care products.

A unique feature of this lounge is the availability of lockers to store your luggage. This is particularly convenient if you have a lot of bags and want to avoid carrying them around the lounge.

Cleanliness and Service

The lounge’s cleanliness and upkeep are superb. The staff is divided into two groups: one in flight attendant uniforms who handle check-in and food service, and another in bright orange uniforms reminiscent of engineers in sci fi shows who maintain cleanliness and bus tables. Both groups were very attentive.

As you can see from my photos, this is one of the cleanest lounges I have visited recently, especially compared to many overcrowded and understaffed lounges in the U.S.

Overall Impression

The STARLUX Galaxy Lounge did not disappoint. The food was among the best I have had in an airport lounge. The tranquil and private atmosphere made for a relaxing experience. If you’re flying first or business class with STARLUX, this lounge is definitely worth a visit.