Taipei with points

Taipei punches above its weight in the points economy for a specific structural reason: EVA Air is a Star Alliance member priced by several non-alliance partners, and Aeroplan books it at 75,000 points in business class (Royal Laurel) from the continental United States without fuel surcharges. That pricing sits well below what equivalent intra-Asia premium cabin itineraries cost through most other programs, and it applies even from West Coast gateways like Los Angeles and San Francisco, which have direct EVA service to Taipei Taoyuan (TPE). The combination of a non-stop option, a flat award rate, and no carrier-imposed surcharges makes this corridor unusually clean to price out before you ever look at availability.

On the airfare math, the EVA via Aeroplan pairing is the anchor. ANA Mileage Club can also price Star Alliance metal to Taipei, and Asia Miles covers Cathay Pacific metal on a separate award chart, but neither consistently beats the 75,000-point Aeroplan rate for North America departures in business class when you account for surcharge exposure. ANA awards from the US to Taipei via Tokyo are distance-based and can land higher depending on the routing. If you hold Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards, both transfer to Aeroplan at 1:1, so at our 2.0¢ valuation for Chase UR, a Royal Laurel seat would represent roughly $1,500 in theoretical value against a $1,500 transfer cost, meaning the real prize is the premium cabin experience itself, not a cash-savings calculation. Premium cabin award space on EVA is capacity-controlled; transfer points only after you have confirmed saver availability in hand.

The hotel picture in Taipei is tiered and worth mapping carefully. The Hyatt Regency Taipei sits at Category 5, priced at 20,000 World of Hyatt points per night, which is the structural sweet spot for this city. At our 1.7¢ valuation for Hyatt points, that represents roughly $340 in point value per night against cash rates that regularly run $250 to $350 for the same property, making it roughly par or slightly above par depending on the date. The Mandarin Oriental Taipei and W Taipei are both worth considering for specific itineraries, but neither sits within a points program that offers the same per-night efficiency as the Hyatt Regency for most North American collectors. If Hyatt is your primary hotel currency, the Regency is the default choice here.

Seasonality matters for both award pricing and availability. October through April is the window when Taipei weather is most favorable, and that window overlaps with periods of higher demand on transpacific routes. Business class saver space on EVA tends to open further in advance (often 330 days out on Aeroplan's search calendar) and can compress quickly as departure dates approach. Shoulder months within that window, particularly November and early March, have historically shown more availability than the Lunar New Year period or peak December holiday dates. Monitoring availability across multiple departure dates before committing to a transfer is essential.

The correct booking sequence is hotel first, airline second. Reserve the Hyatt Regency Taipei with points (or a refundable rate if you are testing dates) before you lock anything else, since hotel award nights carry cancellation flexibility that airline tickets generally do not. Once the hotel is secured and you have confirmed saver business class space on EVA through Aeroplan's search tool, then transfer the points and ticket the flight. Find space first, then transfer.