During my first class quest to Japan , I had the chance to spend some time in the Starlux First Class Lounge Taipei Taoyuan Airport (TPE) . I had a roughly three hour layover, as I had landed in Starlux’s A350-900 first class from Los Angeles (LAX) , and was connecting to Starlux’s A350-1000 first class to Tokyo Narita (NRT).

The Starlux first class experience offers an incredible soft product but a lackluster hard product, with the point of differentiation being just how attentive the ground experience is. Departing Los Angeles, I got to use PS LAX , which is unarguably the best first class ground experience offered by any airline in the US. Ironically, the Taipei ground experience wasn’t quite as impressive, by comparison.

Yes, it was super private, and the entire experience was seamless. However, the lounge setup feels a bit like an afterthought. And I suppose in a way that’s for good reason, since the first class lounge isn’t even intended for those originating or terminating in Taiwan. Let me explain…

The Galactic Lounge is the “flagship” Starlux lounge at Taipei Taoyuan Airport. The Galactic Lounge has both a first class section and a business class section.

However, if you’re originating or terminating in Taipei, Starlux gives you two lounge options. You can either use the Starlux First Class Lounge, or you can use the Huan Yu VIP Terminal (if you want to use the latter, you have to request it at least three business days in advance). This is the airport’s exclusive VIP terminal that’s not actually run by the airline.

If you’re eligible for access to the Huan Yu VIP Terminal, that definitely seems like the best option. However, the catch is that if you’re on a connecting itinerary in first class, Starlux only gives you access to the first class lounge, and not the Huan Yu VIP Terminal.

Since I was simply connecting in Taipei, I had access to the Starlux First Class Lounge, but it’s important to emphasize that this isn’t the lounge that many passengers will use. For those curious, the Huan Yu VIP Terminal ordinarily charges 12,000 NTD (378 USD) per person.

The second I deplaned my Starlux A350 flight from Los Angeles, I was greeted by a Starlux first class representative, who would be escorting me to the lounge. There’s no transit security in Taipei when connecting from the US, and it was a roughly 10-minute buggy ride to the lounge. I must say, it was a rather awkward ride, as the buggy makes a very loud beeping noise whenever it’s moving.