Airlines with transpacific flights
Transpacific flights have been available for almost 100 years – but when did the commercial flights start and which major airlines offer transpacific flights in today's market? Learn everything you need to know about traveling across the Pacific Ocean by air.
Transpacific flights – when did it begin?
The first attempt to cross the Pacific Ocean was made almost 100 years ago, and the first successful non-stop flight was accomplished in 1931 by American aviator Clyde Pangborn. The flight destined from Misawa, Japan, and landed in Washington – taking a total of about 40 hours. Just a few years later the first commercial flights were operated giving passengers the opportunity to cross the Pacific Ocean by air. Since then, the business has continued to grow and today the majority of the transpacific flights are routes from North America to Asia or Oceania.
Are you interested in learning about flights crossing the Atlantic Ocean instead? Take a look at our guide to transatlantic flights here.
Airlines with transpacific flights
In today’s commercial flight market, there are a number of airlines that offer flights across the Pacific Ocean – mainly American and Japanese operators. In the list below we have gathered ten of the major players that offer transpacific flights, presented in alphabetical order.
This is a list of airlines (but not necessary all) with flights over the pacific ocean between North America and parts of Asia, Australia & Oceania and some of their popular routes. This list was last updated on 2024-12-01.
Old list
The airlines below were from a previous article and might not be up to date.
Air Canada
Air Canada is the largest airline in the country, and also the flag carrier of Canada. When it comes to transpacific flights, the airline offers several routes. For example, you can fly from Vancouver to destinations such as Tokyo and Sydney.
Air China
The Chinese airline Air China is one of the largest operators in the country. If you want to travel across the Pacific with this Chinese operator, one option is to fly from Beijing to Los Angeles.
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
All Nippon Airways, commonly known as ANA, is a Japanese airline with hubs at both airports in Tokyo – Haneda and Narita. The airline can provide a number of transpacific routes. Two popular options are to fly between Tokyo Narita and Los Angeles, or between Tokyo Haneda and Vancouver.
American Airlines
A number of American operators offer transpacific flights to both Asia and Oceania. One of them is American Airlines. Here you can find routes such as Dallas to Seoul or Los Angeles to Sydney.
Asiana Airlines
Asiana Airlines is an airline from South Korea. The majority of the routes offered are connections within Asia, but you can also find some transpacific routes operated by Asiana Airlines. Their hub for transpacific flights is found in Seoul, and from here you can reach American destinations such as San Francisco and Seattle.
Cathay Pacific Airways
Cathay Pacific Airways has its base in Hong Kong, and the airline offers a number of routes crossing the Pacific. From Hong Kong you can find connections to both the Western and Eastern parts of North America. Some of the destinations that you can reach from Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific Airways are San Francisco and New York.
Delta Air Lines
Being the second largest airline in the world, the American operator Delta Air Lines has a lot of routes to offer. When it comes to transpacific flights, you can choose between routes like for example Seattle to Seoul and Los Angeles to Tokyo.
Japan Airlines (JAL)
Japan Airlines (JAL) is the flag carrier of Japan and the largest airline in the country. If you want to travel from Japan to North America, Japan Airlines has a number of options to choose from. One alternative is to fly from Tokyo Haneda to Los Angeles. You can also find flights from Tokyo Narita to Seattle.
Qantas
When it comes to transpacific flights and Australian operators, flag carrier Qantas is the one to choose. The airline offers flights across the Pacific from several airports, and has destinations in both North and South America. Two routes available are Sydney to Santiago and Brisbane to Los Angeles.
United Airlines
Another American operator that flies across the Pacific Ocean is United Airlines. The airline offers a number of connections to both Asia and Oceania. For example, you can choose to fly between San Francisco and Tokyo, or between Los Angeles and Sydney.