In order to prepare its network expansion and plan for future scheduled cross-strait flights, China Airlines will change the flight numbers on many of its Southeast Asia and Taoyuan-Kaohsiung routes along with its new winter schedule, which begins on October 26, 2008. A total of 60 flight numbers will be changed on routes between Taoyuan and cities including Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Singapore, Jakarta, Denpasar, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Phnom Penh, Hong Kong and Kaohsiung, while flights CI 601/602, CI 605/606, and CI 607/608 to and from Hong Kong, will retain their original numbers.

The new flight numbers will be numbered by country as follows: flights to and from the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam will be numbered between CI 701 and CI 799. Flights to and from Thailand and Cambodia will be numbered between CI 801 and CI 899, while flights to and from Hong Kong will be numbered between CI 901 and CI 999. Connecting flights between Taoyuan and Kaohsiung will be numbered between CI 300 and 310.