These are the 10 Shortest Flights in the World
PHOTO: © AIRBUS A. DOUMENJOU/MASTER FILMS
- Have you ever imagined flying for just a few minutes? For some people, a short flight may feel less than satisfying. However, for others, a short flight can be a practical option and even offer a unique sensation.
Summarized from various sources, here are the 10 shortest flights in the world:
1. Westray-Papa Westray, Scotland (2 Minutes)
This flight was named the shortest flight in the world by Guinness World Records. The distance between the islands in the Orkney Islands is only 2.7 kilometers and can be reached in 2 minutes. The aircraft used was a Britten-Norman Islander with a capacity of 8 passengers.
2. Karpathos-Kasos, Greece (5 Minutes)
This flight between the Greek islands covers a distance of 47 kilometers and takes 5 minutes. The aircraft used is a Twin Otter with a capacity of 19 passengers. The beautiful view of the Aegean Sea is the main attraction of this flight.
3.St. Maarten-Anguilla (10 Minutes)
This flight is famous for its view of the plane flying low over Maho Beach before landing at Princess Juliana International Airport. The distance between the islands in the Caribbean is 12 kilometers and can be reached in 10 minutes. The aircraft used vary, from small propellers to large commercial jets.
4. Connemara-Inis Mor, Ireland (10 Minutes)
Most of the world's shortest flights are those connecting remote islands with the mainland. One of them is a flight between Connemara and Inis Mór, an island in the Aran Islands chain. This flight lasts just under 10 minutes and is the shortest of the regional flights to the Aran Islands.
5.St. Maarten-Saba, Netherlands (15 Minutes)
Some of the shortest flights in the Caribbean connect St. Maarten with other islands. Flights between St. Maarten and Saba covered a distance of around 45 kilometers and only took around 15 minutes. The two islands are part of the Dutch territory in the Caribbean.
6. Dar es Salaam-Zanzibar (15 Minutes)
Flying from Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar takes just 15 minutes. This 92 kilometer journey can also be reached by ferry, which takes around two hours.
7.St. Barts-St. Maarten (15 Minutes)
This flight connects two islands in the Caribbean with a distance of 24 kilometers. This flight is operated by Winair and uses a Twin Otter aircraft with a capacity of 19 passengers. The beautiful island views are the main attraction of this flight.
8. Queenstown-Wanaka, New Zealand (15 Minutes)
This flight connects two cities on New Zealand's South Island with a distance of 70 kilometers. This flight was operated by Sounds Air and used a Cessna Caravan aircraft with a capacity of 12 passengers. The beautiful mountain views are the main attraction of this flight.
9. Minami-Daito-Kita-Daito, Japan (20 Minutes)
Okinawa Prefecture in Japan has more than 160 islands and also hosts the shortest flight route in the country, taking just 20 minutes. This award was given to the 19-kilometer route between the small Japanese islands of Minami-Daito and Kita-Daito. The same route takes one hour by ferry.
10. Petersburg-Wrangell, United States (26 Minutes)
Known as the shortest commercial flight in the US, this 26-minute route in Alaska connects Wrangell and Petersburg. Alaska Airlines operates this approximately 50 kilometer route, while the ferry takes just over three hours.