Why Do Trans Pacific Flights to North?

Thank science: In order to prevent the aircraft's fuel from reaching its freezing point of around -50 degrees Fahrenheit, transpolar flights occasionally descend to a lower altitude over the Arctic, sometimes by as much as 10,000 feet, to an altitude ever so slightly warmer for the fuel—and ever more picturesque for ...

Why do planes not fly over the Pacific?

The main reason flight don't go over the Pacific Ocean is because curved routes are shorter than straight routes. Flat maps are confusing as the earth itself isn't flat. As a result the straight routes don't offer the shortest distance.

Why do transatlantic flights fly north?

Planes travel along the shortest route in 3-dimensional space. This route is called a geodesic or great circle. While map projections distort these routes confusing passengers, the great circle path is the shortest path between two far locations. This is why pilots fly polar routes saving time and distance.