EVA Air's newest Hello Kitty plane launches service from Chicago
Taiwan-based airline EVA Air is back with a “sweet and joyful” tradition — and one of the more interesting inflight experiences you’ll ever see.
The carrier this week debuted its latest aircraft adorned in Hello Kitty livery. The decked-out Boeing 777-300ER touched down Wednesday night at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), and it will be making three weekly appearances at the hub going forward.
This freshly painted 777 is EVA’s fourth Hello Kitty-themed aircraft, and this one is nicknamed the "Besties Jet." Like prior generations of the cartoon-centric plane, this wide-body features several famous Sanrio characters, from Hello Kitty herself to My Melody and Kuromi.
Unlike some of the other eccentric liveries you’ll see on the exteriors of commercial planes, the Hello Kitty theme runs much deeper than a paint job. It shows up in almost every aspect of the inflight service.
Hello Kitty jet's O'Hare arrival
Fittingly, the jet arrived to significant fanfare in Chicago on Wednesday night. It started with a water salute as the aircraft pulled up to the gate, and there were excited gasps from travelers and fans as they got their first glimpse of the jet.
But that was only the beginning of the party.
Inside O’Hare’s Terminal 5, shades of pink, bright lights, music and food made the occasion unmistakable.
This was not your average inaugural flight gateside party.
EVA Air, known for its high-end inflight meal service, offered passengers a taste of its culinary team’s skills with a mouthwatering array of hors d'oeuvres.
EVA’s catering team offered dishes like savory scallops with celeriac mousseline, purple cauliflower with romesco sauce, bresaola and asparagus with creme fraiche, and savory lobster with leek mousseline. Not to mention, there was a scrumptious array of elaborate desserts.
What to expect on EVA Air's Hello Kitty flight
Then there was the Hello Kitty stuff ... lots of it.
The carrier showed off the complimentary and duty-free items available on these themed flights, including Hello Kitty headrest covers and slippers for passengers in each cabin. (The black ones are for business class.)
Custom-designed place settings are used for the meal service, and special Hello Kitty boxes are even available for the children’s meals. During gateside remarks, EVA President Clay Sun — who traveled to Chicago for the event — said those are a particular favorite.
“I think over the years, passengers enjoy riding on EVA’s Hello Kitty jet very much. They have been captivated by the design and onboard amenities — especially the charming children’s meals,” Sun said.
He let the audience in on an “internal secret.”
“Some of the adults, when they make a booking, they say, ‘Oh, I want the child’s meal,’” Sun said. “They say, ‘Well, because it’s very, very cute.’”
3 weekly flights from Chicago
EVA’s first Besties Jet flight from Chicago took off from O’Hare at just after midnight Thursday.
The 777 will fly the Chicago-to-Taipei route on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for the duration of the airline’s summer schedule. It will shift to Monday, Wednesday and Friday operations during the winter months.
EVA Air Hello Kitty flight schedule
Here's the full schedule for the EVA Air Hello Kitty Besties Jet flights to and from Chicago:
| Route | Flight Number | Days operated |
|---|---|---|
ORD-TPE | BR55 | Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Shifts to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting Nov. 3, for the winter months |
TPE-ORD | BR66 | Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays |
The airline said that on days when EVA flies a more traditional-looking jet to Chicago, passengers from O'Hare will still get the full complement of onboard amenities.
Want to double-check that you're actually booking a flight on the Hello Kitty plane? The airline offers more details on that on this page.
Can you use points to book the EVA Air Hello Kitty plane?
If you’re hoping to book a seat on the EVA Air Hello Kitty jet, using points is a great way to save money.
To do this, one option is to transfer flexible credit card rewards to the EVA Air Infinity MileageLands program. You can transfer Citi ThankYou Rewards points to the program at a 1:1 ratio. You can also transfer Capital One miles to EVA, but at a reduced 4:3 ratio.
Find Star Alliance award space
There's another option if you're not a Capital One or Citi ThankYou member: Find award space on one of EVA's partners in the global Star Alliance. It includes a host of carriers, from United Airlines and Air Canada in North America to other popular airline programs like Avianca LifeMiles and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
With just a quick search, I found economy-class redemptions on the EVA Hello Kitty flight through Air Canada Aeroplan starting as low as 50,000 points, one-way.
I also found one-way economy redemptions starting at just 47,000 miles through Avianca LifeMiles.
From American Express Membership Rewards to Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards, there are tons of options for tranferring credit card rewards to major Star Alliance carriers.
Plus, right now, there are some lucrative credit card welcome offers that could help give you a leg up with your redemption, including Chase's Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. New cardholders can earn 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
The information for the Ink Business Preferred has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Read more: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card review: A great all-around business card
EVA Air's Hello Kitty flights
EVA Air’s 777 is laid out in a three-cabin configuration featuring lie-flat business-class pods, premium economy recliners and well over 200 seats in the main cabin.
Existing variations of the Hello Kitty-themed aircraft include the "Bad Badtz-Maru Travel Fun" aircraft flying on EVA’s route from Taipei to Clark in the Philippines. Its “Celebration Flight" and "Joyful Dream” aircraft alternate service on the Bali and Cebu, Philippines, routes.
Wherever the Hello Kitty aircraft flies, it draws global interest from fans and travelers, Andrew Su, executive vice president of EVA Air and head of the carrier’s North America operations, said.
“It is very successful to draw attention from the public,” Su told TPG. “There’s a lot of people, especially parents with their children, they try to find the Kitty jet, traveling especially in summer, in the winter, and are so excited to get on the aircraft."
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- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.