[citation needed] It was founded by I Fuen,[6] a retired ROC Air Force officer, and initially concentrated on charter flights.

[citation needed] With the airline's first two Boeing 707 aircraft, trans-Pacific flights to San Francisco via Tokyo were initiated on February 2, 1970.

[8] The 747SP aircraft made it possible for China Airlines to fly daily nonstop services from Taipei to its North American destinations without stopping over in Japan.

The new 747-400s and an earlier order with Airbus for over a dozen A300B4 and A300-600Rs wide body regional jets allowed for addition destination growth.

Starting from October 7, 1995, partly as a way to avoid the international controversy, China Airlines unveiled its "plum blossom" logo,[7][9] replacing the national flag which had previously appeared on the tail fins (empennage), and the aircraft livery from the red-white-blue national colours on the fuselage of its aircraft.

Since 2012, China Airlines has participated in the Pacific Greenhouse Gases Measurement (PGGM) Project, led by the Environmental Protection Administration, Ministry of Science and Technology, and National Central University.

[5][17] In March 2014, China Airlines announced the "NexGen (Next Generation)" plan to complement its then-upcoming Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350-900XWB.

Designed to refresh the brand image of the carrier, the plan included product innovations, new uniforms, and fleet replacements.

Through cooperating with designers from the Greater China region, the carrier hoped to introduce unique product offerings that could showcase the beauty of the Orient and the cultural creativity of Taiwan.

In addition to new cabin designs, also introduced were the renovated Dynasty Lounges at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and the debut of new William Chang-designed uniforms.

On June 25, 2016, the Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union, representing some 2,500 cabin crew, staged the first strike in Taiwanese aviation history.

In the 1990s, the airline management stated to the South China Morning Post that the logo change to the flower was not because of politics.

Han Cheung of the Taipei Times wrote that "the change was reportedly made so that the airline could keep flying to Hong Kong after the 1997 handover to China.

"[35] In 2011, the carrier made alterations to its logo as part of refreshing the brand image which were unveiled during SkyTeam joining ceremony in September 28.

[37] In April 2020 Premier Su Tseng-chang voiced support for changing the name but said that it might come at the cost of the nation's aviation rights.

The Premier announced that China Airlines would highlight Taiwan on the fuselage of planes delivering COVID-19 related medical supplies.

As part of the celebrations, the airline announced plans to decorate one aircraft from each of its fleet type with special 60th Anniversary stickers.

[54] In September 2022, China Airlines announced the resumption of flights to Bali, the popular Indonesian tourist destination as the travel industry started recovering from the COVID-19 impact.

Although it was planned to move back to Gatwick in March 2021, but China Airlines opted to remain serving Heathrow as their scheduled London operation.

[59] In America, daily flights were launched between Taipei and Ontario (California) International Airport in Greater Los Angeles in March 2018.

[60] Additionally, the carrier has expressed interests in launching European destinations such as Barcelona, Madrid and Warsaw;[61] in North America, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Montréal, and Toronto.

[62][63][64][65] Regarding its regional network, China Airlines is actively supporting the Taiwanese government's "New Southbound Policy" by increasing flights to destinations in southeast Asia.

The CI code is placed on seven Frankfurt-initiating DB routes, including those to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart.

Elite members have more privileges such as access to the VIP Lounge, a higher checked baggage allowance, and being able to upgrade their ticket to a different cabin.

The partnership ensures that members flying the four airlines can enjoy matched benefits and freely change flights to any Greater China Connection partner-flights.

Services typically include meals, refreshments, free Wi-Fi access, computers, televisions, publications, shower facilities, and breast-feeding rooms.

Sleeping quarters and tea bars are featured at the newly renovated Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 lounge, which was designed by Taiwanese architect Ray Chen.

[110] In the United States, China Airlines operates private bus services in selected cities to transport customers between their residing location and the airport.

[114] China Airlines has diversified into related industries and sectors, including ground handling, aviation engineering, and inflight catering.

[115] In 2022 China Airlines opened a major MRO facility at Taoyuan International Airport in a joint venture with Nordam.