Visa Policy — Resolved

BOCA announcement Jul 17, 2026: 14-day trial visa-free entry for Thailand, Brunei, and Philippines nationals extended Aug 1, 2026 – Jul 31, 2027. Ordinary passport holders; tourism and short-term visits. Inter-agency NSP review concluded.

The prior T-18 countdown (reported Jul 13) resolved within the historical 1–4 week announcement window. The one-year extension is the third consecutive annual renewal of this program.

Cambodia — program termination effective Aug 1, 2026: Taiwan is discontinuing both the Travel Authorization Certificate (TAC) conditional visa-free scheme and the Guanhong Project high-end group tour program for Cambodian nationals. No replacement program announced.

Entry Requirements — No Changes

TWAC: mandatory for all nationalities; 7-day pre-registration window; free; digital only (twac.immigration.gov.tw).
US / EU / UK / AU / CA nationals: 90-day visa-free entry, no changes.
US State Dept: Level 1. UK FCDO: no advisory warning.

October 2026 Flight Prices — RT Economy to TPE

Updated as of Jul 19–20, 2026. Prices are round-trip economy, booked in advance.

LAX: ~$851–$1,050 — stable (STARLUX from ~$951; EVA from ~$959; low end ~$851 nonstop)
SFO: ~$785–$923 — softened slightly (prev. $1,000–$1,100; cheapest day Oct 29; STARLUX from ~$853)
SEA: ~$900–$1,200 — stable
JFK: ~$1,160–$1,350 — stable (EVA from ~$1,259)
IAD: ~$1,100–$1,400 — stable (EVA nonstop from ~$1,243; 18 Oct rotations)
IAH: ~$1,200–$1,400 — stable
LHR: ~$780–$1,050 — stable
AMS: ~$850–$1,150 — stable
FRA: ~$850–$1,100 — stable

SFO floor softening is notable — the previous $1,000+ floor has shifted to sub-$800 on the cheapest Oct 29 departures, making SFO competitive with LAX for the first time this cycle. The low end may reflect one-stop routings; verify nonstop pricing directly with EVA or STARLUX.

Route Updates — No Changes

EVA Air IAD nonstop: operational since Jun 26; 18 October rotations (4×/wk). STARLUX Prague (TPE-PRG): launches Aug 1 (3×/wk), upgrades to 4×/wk Oct 1 — bookings open. China Airlines AMS/FRA: 777-300ER Sep 1–Oct 24; A350 resumes Oct 25. STARLUX PHX (4×/wk, since Jan 15); China Airlines PHX (since Dec 3, 2025); STARLUX Busan (since Jun 1); China Airlines YYC (Oct promo CAD 1,199 RT): all unchanged. STARLUX JFK: no DOT filing; not before 2027.

TPE Transit & Airport

NT$600 transit/layover voucher: valid through Oct 31, 2026.
MRT Airport Express (TPE→Taipei Main Station): 35 minutes, NTD 150.

Weather — Sept–Nov

September: 28–32°C; typhoon season active — travel insurance recommended.
October: high 27°C / low 22°C; fewest rainy days of the year; optimal travel window.
November: 20–25°C; NE monsoon increases rain on north and east coasts.

Key Events — October 2026

Oct 10 (Sat): National Day. Oct 12 likely statutory makeup holiday — book accommodation early.
Oct 12–23: lowest prices and crowds — optimal booking window.
Oct 24–26: Retrocession Day weekend + Taipei Hakka Yimin Festival.
Oct 29–31: Taiwan Pride — parade Oct 31 (Sat), Ketagalan Boulevard; 200,000+ attendees.
Sep 1–Oct 31: Taipei Jazz Festival, Taipei Music Center, Nangang.
Oct–Nov (Miaoli/Hsinchu): Saisiyat paSta'ay biennial indigenous festival — 2026 active year.
Mid-Oct–mid-Nov: Taipingshan beech foliage, Yilan County.

Taichung Jazz Festival (Oct 11–20) listed as pending confirmation on official site as of Jul 13; status not updated in this cycle — verify directly before booking Taichung accommodation around those dates.