In the aviation industry, this is likened to a "real" - rare, calculated accurately every minute and only occurs on some long, time-zone-crossing routes, especially flights over the Pacific Ocean.
This phenomenon does not need a time machine, but is the result of long flight schedules combined with time zone differences and International Day Lines.
The aviation industry operates locally. When an aircraft passes through the Pacific Ocean and crosses the International Day Line - the imaginary boundary near the 180-degree longitude - the schedule will "go backwards" or "jump" for a day.
Specifically, passengers can depart on a flight immediately after 0:00 on January 1, 2026 in Asia, but when arriving in North America, local time is still the evening of December 31, 2025 and they are in time to welcome the New Year 2026 once again. Flight times are not shorter, it's just that the schedule is reversed.
On normal days, postponing this day still takes place. However, New Year's Eve is the only time of the year when changing the date means changing the year - taking off in the new year, landing in the old year.
For passengers, it feels like "making a profit" for another day.
For airlines, this is a normal flight schedule but creates an interesting story at the beginning of the year for passengers.
According to flight schedule data announced by OAG as of December 21, 2025, there are 14 passenger flights expected to depart on January 1, 2026 but land on December 31, 2025.
Most are trans-Pacific flights, departing from Asia right after midnight and arriving in North America when the old year had not yet ended.
Some typical flights include: ANA flying from Tokyo Haneda to Los Angeles; Cathay Pacific flying from Hong Kong to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver; Starlux Airlines flying from Taipei to San Francisco; Hainan Airlines flying from Shenzhen to Vancouver; United Airlines flying from Guam to Honolulu; or Air New Zealand flying from Auckland to Rarotonga.
In addition to this list, there are also a group of flights departing late on the night of December 31st. If the flight is delayed after midnight New Year's Eve 2025, passengers can take off on January 1, 2026 but still land on December 31, 2025 local time.
Besides, there are very long flights, departing on December 31, 2025 and landing until January 2, 2026. On these routes, passengers can welcome the New Year's Day while still flying in the ocean.
For passengers, this experience is a memorable memory. But for airlines, this is a strict operating problem: from the crew's work schedule, aircraft rotation, technical maintenance to connecting flights and airport personnel. Just a small delay around midnight can affect the entire flight schedule of the next day.
While most people celebrate the New Year in a familiar way, there are still some lucky passengers stepping into 2026 at an altitude of 10,000 meters, then landing... in 2025. In the end, it was also a rather impressive "magical act" of the aviation industry on New Year's Eve.
