Quantcast

Icelandair offers only true "time-traveling" transatlantic flight for winter 2025/2026

European air traffic warning means summer delays for holidaymakers
The EU rule change that could affect millions of Brits when their flight is delayed or cancelled
Delta Earnings Land Soon. Why They’re Key for Airline Stocks and the Economy.
Avelo Airlines to Operate Deportation Flights, Hiring Flight Attendants
Travel chaos 2025: all the strikes and disruption expected across Europe
United receives FAA approval for first Starlink-equipped planes
Qantas launches mammoth Asia flight sale including Bali and Japan
New Update from Air Canada, WestJet, American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue Airways, and Sunwing: Airline Capacity Between Canada and US Slashed as Bookings Plummet Seventy Per Cent
Delta Cuts Two Domestic Routes
United Airlines Technicians Reject ‘Dead on Arrival’ Contract Proposal, Teamsters Say
The State of the Asia Pacific Airline Industry
Spirit Airlines to add Detroit nonstop flight out of Bradley International Airport
Major airline to launch new direct flights from Scotland to North America
Ryanair launches new ‘prime’ membership which saves passengers more than £400 a year
Judge Orders Boeing to Trial on 737 MAX Case
Qantas’ free international Wi-Fi to switch on from next week
The real reason Southwest is charging for bags now
Air France-KLM in ongoing talks with Air Europa on potential stake, CEO says
Frontier Savagely Shades Southwest After They Eliminated Longstanding Free Bag Policy, Sparking Backlash
Frontier Wants You to 'Divorce Your Old Airline' After Southwest Changes
Delta named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies for sustainability initiatives
Passengers escape fiery American Airlines jet in Denver
Delta, American Dive On Slashed Outlooks; But Two Airlines Rally
Competitors are circling Southwest after the airline announced it's going to start charging for checked bags
Exclusive: Dominican Low-Cost Carrier Arajet Wants to Disrupt NYC Market
Boeing deliveries rise 63% in February from a year earlier
Transportation Secretary Duffy Lays Out 10 Ways the FAA Is Working to Upgrade Air Traffic Control and Make Flying Safer
EasyJet pilot Paul Elsworth suspended after flying too close to mountain
Delta Air Lines bets on ‘blended-wing’ flight to reduce emissions
Europe's airlines pivot to bite size M&A deals to limit cost, regulatory burden
Icelandair offers only true "time-traveling" transatlantic flight for winter 2025/2026
Policy
Webp ice
Bogi Nils Bogason, CEO and President | Icelandair

So-called "time-traveling" flights refer to routes where the arrival time at the destination is earlier than the departure time from the origin, due to differences in time zones and flight duration. This phenomenon occurs when the scheduled flight time is shorter than the time zone difference between the two airports.

For the upcoming northern winter season of 2025/2026, which runs from October 26 to March 28 according to IATA slot seasons, data from OAG covering more than 3,000 airport pairs between Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas shows that only one long-haul transatlantic passenger route fits this "time-traveling" definition.

The only such route this winter will be operated by Icelandair, flying from Keflavik to Vancouver. During the winter season, Icelandair will operate this service four times a week using its 160-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which is its lowest-capacity jet. The higher-capacity Airbus A321LR will not be used on this route during winter.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

On most occasions, flight FI697 is scheduled to depart Keflavik at 17:15 and arrive in Vancouver at 17:05 local time, arriving ten minutes before its scheduled departure. This occurs because the flight's block time is 7 hours and 50 minutes, while the time zone difference is eight hours. On three dates—December 20, December 27, and January 3—the flight will arrive twenty minutes before it leaves, with a schedule of 17:50 departure and 17:30 arrival.

Another notable example involves Icelandair's daily winter service from Keflavik to Seattle. The most common schedule for this route is a departure at 17:00 and an arrival at 17:00 local time, meaning the block time matches the time zone change. The Airbus A321LR will mainly serve this route, with occasional use of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and Boeing 757-200.

Other Icelandair routes come close but do not meet the "time-traveling" criteria. For example, flights from Keflavik to Portland depart at 16:50 and arrive at 17:00, while flights to Minneapolis depart at 16:45 and arrive at 17:25.

Looking beyond Iceland, several mainland European airports have flights that arrive shortly after they depart. Most of these are operated by KLM, with examples including Amsterdam to Calgary (12:40-13:40), Edmonton (14:10-15:10), Portland (10:25-11:25), and Vancouver (13:10-14:10). However, none meet the maximum one-hour difference required for inclusion as a "time-traveling" flight.

The closest non-Icelandic entry is Air France's service from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Vancouver, operated by an Airbus A350-900. These flights usually depart at 10:20 and arrive at 11:25 local time during the winter season.

There are no other non-Icelandic long-haul transatlantic passenger markets that meet the one-hour or less difference between departure and arrival times this winter.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that its Wings of Change Europe (WOCE) event will take place at the Steigenberger Icon Wiltcher's Hotel in Brussels.

Oct 23, 2025

Delta Air Lines has announced a new partnership with Crunchyroll, the global anime streaming platform, to bring a curated selection of anime content to its flights.

Oct 23, 2025

Delta Air Lines has been recognized as one of the 2025 Fortune Best Workplaces for Women, marking its return to the list since 2019.

Oct 23, 2025

Delta Air Lines marked its 100th anniversary by serving as the official airline of the 60th Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) in Boston.

Oct 23, 2025

American Airlines has announced that it will upgrade its Boeing 777-200ER aircraft with new Flagship Suites, the airline's latest business-class product.

Oct 23, 2025

Delta Air Lines will introduce a new in-flight dining partnership with Chef José Andrés, bringing Spanish-inspired cuisine to select cabins starting November 4.

Oct 23, 2025