Mandarin Airlines is a Taiwanese regional airline and a subsidiary of China Airlines, based at Taipei Songshan. It flies domestic routes to Taiwan's outlying islands plus some regional services, a practical way to reach the islands. Mandarin is a SkyTeam affiliate, and points go to Dynasty Flyer. Cabins are Business and Economy.
Mandarin Airlines is a regional airline owned by China Airlines, focusing on short routes in Taiwan.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Mandarin Airlines. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
Mandarin Airlines is a Taiwanese regional airline owned by China Airlines and based at Taipei Songshan Airport, the city airport close to central Taipei. It flies short routes within Taiwan, to the outlying islands and to a few nearby international destinations, and suits travellers heading to Kinmen, Penghu, Hualien or Taitung.
Mandarin Airlines was founded on 1 June 1991 and began flying on 16 October 1991. It started as a joint venture between China Airlines, with 67 per cent, and the Koos Group, with 33 per cent. By December 1992 China Airlines held more than 90 per cent, and it now owns almost all the shares. Its creation was linked to Taiwan's political position at the time, since its parent China Airlines was the flag carrier.
Mandarin once flew long-haul. It was reported to be Taiwan's first airline with direct flights to Australia and Canada, and it served Sydney and Vancouver, but those routes have ended. In 2007 it became the first Taiwanese airline to fly the Embraer E190, and it retired its last Fokker 100 in 2009.
Taipei Songshan is the hub, and Kaohsiung and Taichung are focus cities. Wikipedia counts about 34 destinations over the airline's history. Today the network is mainly domestic, linking Taiwan's main island with Taitung and Hualien on the east coast and with the outlying islands of Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. International flights have included Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and routes to mainland China.
Mandarin Airlines is a SkyTeam affiliate through China Airlines, without full membership of its own. It has codeshare agreements with China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern and XiamenAir, and interline agreements with Emirates and Singapore Airlines. Passengers earn miles with Dynasty Flyer, the China Airlines programme.
Travel tip: flights to the outer islands use small turboprops with tighter limits on cabin bags, and island weather can delay flights. Check the baggage rules for your fare on the Mandarin Airlines or China Airlines website, and leave slack in your plans if you have an onward connection.
Checked against trusted sources:
Mandarin Airlines official website
Mandarin Airlines (IATA: AE, ICAO: MDA) is a Taiwanese regional airline founded in 1991 and based at Taipei Songshan Airport. A subsidiary of China Airlines, it flies about 11 ATR 72-600 and Boeing 737 aircraft on domestic routes to Taiwan’s outlying islands and some regional services.
| Headquarters | Songshan District, Taipei, Taiwan |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | ATR 72-600, Boeing 737-800 |
| Frequent flyer | Dynasty Flyer |
| Official website | mandarin-airlines.com |
Flight routes
Taipei (TSA) departures4 destinations
Taipei (TSA) departures1 destination
The fleet has 13 aircraft: ten ATR 72-600 turboprops and one Boeing 737-800 with 158 seats, with three more ATR 72-600s on order. The ATRs have a single Economy cabin. The 737-800 offers Business and Economy seating.
One cabin on turboprops; two on the 737.
Short domestic hops
Eight seats on the 737-800
China Airlines’ frequent flyer programme, which Mandarin Airlines also uses.
Eligible Mandarin Airlines flights earn Dynasty Flyer miles, which can be spent on China Airlines, Mandarin and SkyTeam partner flights.
On Mandarin Airlines, the bag allowance follows your fare type, cabin and route, and the exact figure is printed on your AE e-ticket.
Domestic flights have a weight-based allowance shown on your ticket; turboprops have limited cabin-bag space.
Getting through check-in for Mandarin Airlines is simpler in this order. Start at the airport counter and finish at bag drop.
The Mandarin Airlines airport counter handles check-in on this route. Ask the airline in advance if online check-in is available for your flight.
Airline counterPack your passport plus any visa, residence permit or entry papers your destination asks for. Domestic AE passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.
Passport · visa · IDGet to the airport with time for Mandarin Airlines check-in, bag drop and security. The airline sets a deadline for each airport, shown in your booking, and late arrivals can lose their seat.
Well before departureHand in checked luggage at the Mandarin Airlines counter or bag drop, then keep your boarding pass and passport ready for security and the gate.
Mandarin Airlines counterMandarin Airlines fares out of Taipei move with the season and the fare brand. These habits help keep the price down.
Compare a full week of Mandarin Airlines departures; midweek days are often priced below Fridays and Sundays.
Midweek flightsLunar New Year and summer are very busy on island routes. Book early.
Lunar New YearA Mandarin Airlines fare that includes a checked bag, seat choice or cheaper changes can cost less overall than adding those extras later.
Baggage & changesSearch Mandarin Airlines alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.
Search Mandarin Airlines flightsOthers of this kind you opened on this device, so you can get back to them quickly.
Yes. China Airlines owns about 94% of Mandarin Airlines.
Yes. These outlying-island routes are the core of its network.
Change rules come with each Mandarin Airlines fare, and the lowest ones allow the least. Make changes through the airline or whoever sold you the ticket.
On an infant ticket, a child under two usually flies on an adult’s lap. Add the baby when you book with Mandarin Airlines and check what it allows for prams and car seats.
Enter your AE flight number on mandarin-airlines.com or in the app, or watch the departure boards at the airport.
Get an answer from the bookingMentor travel team and travellers who have flown Mandarin Airlines.
Everything travellers ask before flying Mandarin Airlines.
We check these Mandarin Airlines answers with the airline’s own sources and aviation references every season.
Getting there
Mandarin Airlines uses the IATA code AE and the ICAO code MDA. Its radio callsign is MANDARIN.
Mandarin Airlines is headquartered in Songshan District, Taipei, Taiwan. Its main hub is Taipei Songshan.
The Mandarin Airlines baggage allowance depends on your route, cabin and fare. The Baggage allowance section of this guide gives 4 figures, by cabin and route where they differ. Check the allowance printed on your ticket before you pack.
Online check-in: no. Check in on mandarin-airlines.com. The Check-in section of this guide walks through it in 4 steps.
Booking
Mandarin Airlines flies to domestic & regional. They are listed by region, with fares and route guides where we have them, in the destinations section of this page.
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