Airlines have been flying over the Pacific Ocean since the 1930s — here's how the practice evolved over the years

Transpacific flying began in 1935 with Pan American World Airways launching flying boats from San Francisco to destinations across Asia, Australia, and Oceania.
The practice quickly evolved as aircraft technology increasing, reducing the number of stops in order to traverse the ocean.
The Boeing 747 allowed for nonstop flights between continents as it traversed the Pacific with ease.
Then relaxed regulations for twin-engine aircraft later saw smaller aircraft begin flying transpacific routes.
The skies above the Pacific are now diverse with a wide variety of aircraft flying countless flights on a daily basis.
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Flying over oceans has been a common practice in aviation since before World War II.

With the aerial mode of transportation offering quicker journey times than ocean liners, airlines quickly began to standardize the practice and offer reliable, scheduled services that would be a large step in making the world a smaller place.

Transatlantic flying was the primary focus as Western Europe and the eastern United States were closer in terms of both distance and historical ties but flying over the Pacific Ocean soon became an area of interest for airlines.

Though the stakes were higher, with a notable shortage of land existing between the Hawaiian Islands and the mainland US, establishing air routes across the Pacific was of strategic importance not only for airlines seeking to grow their route networks, but also the military as World War II loomed.

Thanks to innovations in aircraft technology, flying across the Pacific is a daily occurrence for countless airlines seeking to connect cites on both sides of the international dateline, as well as the numerous islands throughout Oceania.

Here's how transpacific flying has evolved over the years.

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