San Francisco to Taipei Flights (SFO to TPE): Nonstop Airlines, Flight Time and Arrival

Four airlines fly San Francisco to Taipei nonstop

SFO to Taipei Taoyuan (TPE) is one of the busiest Pacific crossings from the Bay Area, and you never need a connection. As of November 2026, four airlines fly it nonstop: EVA Air, China Airlines, United and STARLUX. Schedules shift with each season, so check the current timetable with the airline before you plan around a departure time.

• EVA Air has the most flights, with three a day in its published summer 2026 schedule: two leave SFO shortly after midnight and one around midday. From 29 March 2026 the daytime flight moved to a Boeing 787-9, while the two overnight flights stayed on the 777-300ER.
• China Airlines flies the route once a day. Between 1 September and 24 October 2026 it scheduled an Airbus A350-900 in place of its usual 777-300ER.
• United flies once a day from its SFO hub on a Boeing 777-300ER, leaving in the early afternoon and landing in Taipei the next evening.
• STARLUX, the newest carrier on the route, started in December 2023 and went daily in March 2024. Its flight leaves SFO just after midnight, normally on an A350-900; from 1 December 2026 to 1 February 2027 it plans the larger A350-1000 on five of the seven weekly flights.

That gives you a real choice of timing. The after-midnight departures let you use a full day in San Francisco and land in Taipei around dawn; the midday and early-afternoon flights land in the evening, which is easier if you want to go straight to a hotel and sleep.

Codeshares and connecting options

EVA Air and United are both Star Alliance members, and China Airlines belongs to SkyTeam, so a ticket sold by one airline may be flown by another. Always check the operating carrier on your booking: it decides the terminal, the baggage rules and who rebooks you after a delay.

With five or six nonstops a day, connecting rarely makes sense from SFO itself. One-stop itineraries through Tokyo, Seoul or Hong Kong exist, but they usually add many hours. They are mainly worth a look when the nonstops are full around holidays, or if you want a stopover in another Asian city. If you are flying onward from Taipei, EVA, China Airlines and STARLUX all sell through tickets from SFO via Taoyuan to other cities in Asia on a single booking.

Flight time, the date line and the time difference

SFO to TPE is the long direction. Westbound flights are scheduled at roughly 13 to 14.5 hours depending on the airline and the season, because you fly into the prevailing winds. Coming home, Taipei to San Francisco is noticeably quicker, typically around 11 to 12 hours in published schedules.

You also cross the International Date Line. A flight that leaves SFO just after midnight on a Tuesday lands in Taipei early on Wednesday morning; a midday Tuesday departure lands on Wednesday evening. On the way back the calendar runs the other way: you can leave Taipei in the evening and land in San Francisco on the same date, at a clock time earlier than when you left.

Taipei is 16 hours ahead of San Francisco during Pacific Standard Time and 15 hours ahead while California is on daylight saving time. Book hotels from your arrival date, not your departure date, and double-check any meeting or tour you schedule for the first day.

Which terminal at Taoyuan?

Taoyuan has two main passenger terminals, and a new Terminal 3 North Concourse opened on 25 December 2025 while the rest of Terminal 3 is still being built. EVA Air operates from Terminal 2. China Airlines uses both terminals. Published guides disagree on STARLUX and United, so check the terminal on your boarding pass or in the airline's app before you head to the airport, especially for the return flight.

Getting between terminals changed in 2026. The landside Skytrain between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 was suspended from 1 July 2026 for Terminal 3 construction work. Before security, use the Airport MRT, which stops at both terminals, or the round-the-clock shuttle bus the airport runs between them. Each terminal has its own Airport MRT station, so going to the wrong one costs a short hop rather than a missed flight, as long as you allow time.

Entry rules for US citizens

US passport holders can visit Taiwan without a visa for up to 90 days, according to Taiwan's Bureau of Consular Affairs. For US nationals the passport needs to be valid for the length of your stay, although six months of validity remains a safe margin if your plans might change.

Since 1 October 2025 the paper arrival card has been replaced by the online Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC). Fill it in on the official National Immigration Agency site, twac.immigration.gov.tw, within the three days before you arrive. It is free, and one person can submit it for a family or group. Avoid third-party sites that charge for the same form. You do not need to show the confirmation at the counter, because the officer's passport scan pulls up your record, but keep the confirmation email in case of problems.

Getting from Taoyuan into Taipei

The Taoyuan Airport MRT is the simplest way into the city. Express trains stop at Terminal 1 (A12) and Terminal 2 (A13) and run to Taipei Main Station (A1), taking about 35 minutes from Terminal 1 and 39 minutes from Terminal 2. Commuter trains make every stop and take longer. The express runs roughly every 15 minutes through the day, with the first trains just before 6 a.m. and the last express from Terminal 1 just before 11 p.m.; a slower commuter train runs a little later.

That timing matters on this route. The flights that leave SFO after midnight land around dawn, close to the first trains, and the afternoon departures land in the evening. If your flight lands late or is delayed past the last train, plan on a taxi or an airport bus instead.

Going home, Taipei Main Station has an in-town check-in area where you can drop bags for a same-day flight on participating airlines, as long as you check in at least three hours before departure. The counters are open from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Not every airline takes part, so confirm with yours that it offers the service.

Best months to go, and typhoon season

Taiwan's Tourism Administration calls autumn, roughly September to November, the most comfortable season, while spring brings stretches of drizzle. Summer is hot and humid and is when typhoons are most likely, although late-season storms do happen: Typhoons Krathon and Kong-rey both made landfall in Taiwan in October 2024, Kong-rey on 31 October. A typhoon can close airports and cancel flights for a day or two, so build some slack into summer and early-autumn trips and follow official weather warnings.

Late October through early December and the spring months are good compromises between weather and crowds. Lunar New Year, which falls in January or February, fills flights in both directions, so book early if your dates touch it.

Baggage and fare families

Checked-bag rules depend on the fare family, not just the cabin. EVA Air, for example, includes two 23 kg checked bags on its Up, Standard and Basic economy fares to and from the US, but its Discount fare includes one. United's Basic Economy and the lighter fare types at the other airlines can carry tighter rules on bags, seat selection and changes. Compare what each fare includes before choosing the cheaper-looking option, and confirm the allowance on your ticket and the operating airline's website before you pack.

Booking tips for SFO to Taipei

• Pick the departure time first. After-midnight flights give you a last full day at home but land at dawn; afternoon flights land in the evening.
• Check the operating airline on codeshare tickets, since it decides your terminal and baggage rules.
• Book well ahead for Lunar New Year, summer school holidays and the US Thanksgiving week.
• Submit the TWAC within three days of landing, not earlier, and only on the official site.
• If you are continuing to another Asian city, a through ticket via Taoyuan protects your connection if the first flight is late.

Planning more Asia trips from the Bay Area? See all flights from San Francisco, or compare San Francisco to Shanghai, San Francisco to Singapore and San Francisco to Kuala Lumpur.