Tigerair Taiwan is the low-cost airline of the China Airlines Group, based at Taiwan Taoyuan International. Airbus A320s fly to Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, good for short budget trips from Taipei. It has no alliance. All seats are Economy, with 10 kg of cabin baggage covering a bag plus personal item, and checked bags sold by weight.
Tigerair Taiwan is the budget arm of the China Airlines Group, flying single-aisle Airbus jets out of Taoyuan and Kaohsiung.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Tigerair Taiwan. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
Tigerair Taiwan is the low-cost airline of the China Airlines Group. It was set up in December 2013, flew its first service in September 2014, and runs its network from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the main gateway for Taipei, with a second base at Kaohsiung.
Japan takes up most of the timetable. From Taoyuan the airline serves Tokyo Haneda and Narita, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo and Okinawa, along with a long list of regional cities such as Akita, Hakodate, Komatsu, Okayama and Yonago that big carriers rarely touch. South Korea comes next, with Seoul Incheon, Busan and Jeju, and Vietnam is covered by Da Nang.
For Thailand the picture is simple. The one Thai route is Taipei Taoyuan to Phuket, listed on both the Taoyuan and Phuket airport tables. The old flights to Bangkok Don Mueang have ended, and Chiang Mai is not on the network. Anyone planning Bangkok or northern Thailand alongside a Taiwan trip will need another airline for that part.
The airline was founded on 16 December 2013 as a joint venture of China Airlines, its regional subsidiary Mandarin Airlines and Singapore's Tiger Airways Holdings, and it flew its first service, Taoyuan to Singapore Changi, on 26 September 2014. After Tigerair Singapore merged into Scoot, China Airlines bought the Singapore partner's 10% stake in 2017, and in 2021 it acquired worldwide ownership of the Tigerair brand. Since Tigerair Australia stopped flying in March 2020, Tigerair Taiwan has been the only airline using the name. Its codes are IT (IATA) and TTW (ICAO), and the radio call sign is SMART CAT.
It was Taiwan's first low-cost airline. When TransAsia Airways and its budget offshoot V Air both closed in 2016, Tigerair Taiwan was left as the island's only low-cost carrier. The aircraft carry the word TAIWAN on the rear fuselage.
Checked against trusted sources:
Tigerair Taiwan official website
Tigerair Taiwan (IATA: IT, ICAO: TTW) is a Taiwanese low-cost airline owned by the China Airlines Group, founded in 2013 and flying since 2014 from its hub at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. It operates Airbus A320ceo and A320neo aircraft to Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Phuket in Thailand.
| Headquarters | Taipei, Taiwan |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Airbus A320ceo, A320neo |
| Official website | tigerairtw.com |
Flight routes
Taipei (TPE) departures3 destinations
Taipei (TPE) departures1 destination
Taipei (TPE) departures16 destinations
Taipei (TPE) departures5 destinations
As of December 2025 Tigerair Taiwan flew 17 aircraft: nine Airbus A320ceos and eight A320neos, all with 180 seats. Seven more A320neos and 15 Airbus A321neos with 233 seats are on order. The network counts about 33 destinations from Taoyuan and Kaohsiung.
One cabin.
Low fares, paid extras
Your allowance depends on the checked weight you add to the fare. The exact amount is printed on your booking.
Fares include one cabin bag and one personal item up to 10 kg combined; checked bags are bought by weight.
Tigerair Taiwan check-in comes down to four steps, from checking in online to dropping your bags at Taiwan Taoyuan International.
Online check-in for IT flights is on the official Tigerair Taiwan website or app. You need the IT booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.
Booking ref + surnameInternational Tigerair Taiwan passengers need a passport and whatever visa, residence permit or entry documents the destination requires.
Passport · visa · IDGet to the airport with time for Tigerair Taiwan 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 departureAt the airport, take your bags to the Tigerair Taiwan bag-drop point. Collect a printed IT boarding pass there if you have not saved one to your phone.
Tigerair Taiwan counterWays to pay less for a Tigerair Taiwan ticket, from the dates you choose to the fare type you buy.
The 10 kg limit covers the bag and the personal item together. A bag over the limit at the gate is checked for a fee that wipes out much of the saving.
10 kg combinedChecked baggage is priced by weight. Pick the amount you really need online, as topping up at the counter costs more.
Checked baggageThe Phuket route does not run every day of the week on every schedule. Look up the operating days first and build the rest of the trip around them.
TPE–HKTArriving on another airline means a fresh check-in at Taoyuan or Phuket. Leave several hours, or a night, between the two flights.
Self-connectingOn separate tickets you collect your bag and check in again at each change, and Tigerair Taiwan has no duty to hold a seat if your first flight runs late. Confirm Taiwan entry rules for your passport before paying for anything.
Search Tigerair Taiwan alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.
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Taiwan Taoyuan International (TPE), with a second base at Kaohsiung.
IT.
Phuket only, from Taipei Taoyuan.
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Everything travellers ask before flying Tigerair Taiwan.
Answers checked against Tigerair Taiwan’s official sources and public aviation references, and reviewed each season.
General
Visa & documents
What's included
Getting there
Tigerair Taiwan uses the IATA code IT and the ICAO code TTW. Its radio callsign is SMART CAT.
Stay & facilities
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