This Spacious, Underrated Airline Serves Din Tai Fung's Iconic Soup Dumplings On Select Flights

Biting into a world-famous soup dumpling at 30,000 feet in the air isn't something most travelers would expect on the otherwise least exciting part of a trip — the plane ride. Some airlines have been implementing ways to elevate the flight experience, whether it's United offering in-flight TVs and free Wi-Fi or Nok Air's cheerful colors and tasty snacks. But EVA Air, one of the largest airlines based out of Taiwan, stands out for serving cuisine from one of Taiwan's most recognized restaurants, Din Tai Fung, since 2002. The airline has plenty more to boast beyond its dishes, too. In fact, it's one of only 10 airlines worldwide to hold a five-star rating from Skytrax, with particularly high scores for its spacious seats, service, and amenity items.

At Din Tai Fung locations throughout the world, it's not uncommon for customers to wait hours in line just to try the delectable Taiwanese menu. The restaurant is most famed for its xiao long bao, or soup dumplings, which have been called "the world's greatest dumplings" by ABS-CBN and earned the restaurant several Michelin stars. If you're traveling with EVA Air in business class, though, you won't need to wait in line to savor one of these mouthwatering dumplings. The internationally underrated airline also offers a few other staples from the Din Tai Fung menu, including beef soup and noodles with spicy shrimp and pork wontons.

These premier meals aren't available on every flight with EVA Air. For North American travelers, you'll only see them on flights that originate from Taipei and go to major hubs such as Seattle, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver. They're also on a few round-trip flights that connect between Taiwan and Japan.

Even though red-eyes are an effective way to save money while booking a flight, those long journeys — sometimes across multiple continents — can be miserable. EVA Air, with many flights that connect between the U.S. and East Asia, might not eliminate your jet lag, but it does a pretty good job of making the flight experience more pleasant. "A very good experience on a long and brutal 14 hour flight," said TripAdvisor reviewer @947thaddaeusb. Its seats are comfortable, with memory foam cushioning, adjustable headrests, and ample space. Business class seats, for example, go up to 26 inches wide and over 80 inches in length (by contrast, the maximum seat size for American Airlines' business class is 21 by around 60 inches). Business class passengers are also treated to slippers and bedding to make their flight extra comfortable.

Food on board is stellar all around. From Chinese rice porridge to lychee and strawberry bread conceived by World Master Baker Peng-Chieh Wang, you'll enjoy the long-haul meal even if Din Tai Fung isn't served on your flight. On some flights, you can preorder top-tier meal options that aren't available on the standard menu (such as wok-fried lobster). Plus, passengers get complimentary drink service that includes wines, beers, and coffee. Business class passengers are known to get high-end champagne as well.

EVA Air offers flights between Taiwan and major American cities, plus many destinations throughout Asia and Europe. One fun little touch: If you're flying between Taiwan and Chicago, you might get to board one of EVA Air's playful Hello Kitty jets. These planes are completely decked out in Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters, and flight attendants even hand out themed goodies.