Taiwan and China will exchange their first non-stop flights in more than 55 years this weekend amid hopes the temporary charter services can pave the way for permanent direct air links.
But with the two governments at loggerheads over the sensitive issue of Taiwan's political status, observers held out little hope that the flights would break the ice or herald a significant improvement in relations.
"This is a good beginning," said Philip Yang, a political scientist at National Taiwan University. "But I don't think from now on, everything will be fine.
Commercial airliners from both sides will take thousands of Taiwanese men and women who work in China home for the early February Lunar New Year, the biggest holiday in the Chinese-speaking world.
The flights will operate from January 29 to February 20.
Taiwan has banned direct transport links with China since the Nationalists fled to the island in 1949 after losing the mainland to the communists in a civil war. Travellers between Taiwan and the mainland usually have to transit in places such as Hong Kong.
China views self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province and vows to attack the democratic island of 23 million people if it moves towards formal statehood.
"The major problem is how you are going to bypass or put aside political differences between Taipei and Beijing, since China still insists on the 'one China' principle and Taiwan still insists on rejecting this," Yang said.
Despite booming trade across the narrow Taiwan Strait, with Taiwan firms estimated to have ploughed up to USD$100 billion into China, the island's pro-independence government is wary of lifting the transport ban for security reasons.
"We are optimistic about the success of the charter flights," said Chang Kuo-cheng, vice chairman of Taiwan's Evergreen Group, which owns EVA Air. "We hope future charters won't just be for Taiwan businessmen and can be normalized."
Under the landmark agreement clinched by aviation officials acting in a private capacity, up to 12 carriers will operate 48 charter flights between the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and the Taiwan cities of Taipei and Kaohsiung.
China Southern Airlines hopes to be the first Chinese airline to land on Taiwan soil since 1949, planning a 90 minute flight from Guangzhou that will arrive in Taipei at 9.30 a.m. (0130 GMT) on Saturday.
Taiwan's China Airlines aims to be the first to fly to the Chinese capital, arriving in Beijing at 12.20 p.m. (0420 GMT) after flying through Hong Kong or Macau airspace.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), which formulates Taiwan's China policies, says the new year flights can open the door for charters during other public holidays.
Without the charters, the estimated one million Taiwanese people who live in China must fly through Hong Kong or Macau, which extends their journeys by four hours. The MAC says direct flights can save companies 15-30 percent in transport costs each year.
In 2003, holiday charters between Shanghai and Taipei were commissioned to Taiwan airlines. Taiwan did not allow planes to fly directly, requiring them to make stops in Hong Kong or Macau.
Last year, China did not allow a repeat of the 2003 charter flights, fearing the move could help Chen win re-election.
