The World's Shortest Commercial Flights

Although time consuming, those pre-flight briefings are detailed explanations of the safety features of the aircraft.

We all know the drill. We’re told to arrive at the airport no later than two hours before our scheduled flight time in order to check in and clear security. If you’re traveling internationally, airports and airlines now suggest a three-hour time cushion. Boarding normally begins one-half hour before departure so everyone crowds the gate area and dutifully boards according to group number. Minutes tick by as flight attendants assist passengers with carry-on luggage and conduct pre-flight safety demonstrations. With mask mandates currently in place, they make yet another trip down the aisle to ensure that everyone is in compliance. When the aircraft door finally closes, the plane waits for tower permission to push back and then taxis to the departure runway awaiting further instructions from the air traffic control tower which clears the plane for take off. After landing, the ground controller issues taxi instructions to the appropriate arrival gate. After the now-familiar two-bell signal, passengers leave their seats, collect their belongings and are finally permitted to exit the aircraft. It’s a lengthy process. Would you go through all that for a flight lasting mere minutes? While you’re deciding, let’s take a look at some of the shortest flights operating in commercial aviation.

Westray and Papa Westray in Scotland

The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a light utility aircraft capable of short take-off and landing (STOL) operations.

The world’s shortest scheduled flight takes under two minutes. If the winds permit, passengers can travel between Westray and Papa Westray, two of the Orkney Islands in Northern Scotland, in about 90 seconds. Regional UK airline Loganair celebrated its millionth passenger in 2016. The flight takes policemen, teachers, students, doctors and AvGeeks in an eight-seater Britten Norman Islander aircraft, and has been operational since 1967. All passengers receive a singed certificate from the captain attesting to having flown aboard the world’s shortest commercial flight. The alternative to this quick 1.7-mile journey is a rocky boat ride, which lasts for twenty long minutes.

Karpathos and Kasos in Greece

Kasos is an historic yet small, unassuming Greek island with quiet streets, local charm and welcoming residents.

The Sky Express flight ferries passengers between two Greek islands, Karpathos and Kasos, in just five minutes. Karpathos Island is famous for its crystal-clear, emerald waters and unspoiled terrain that make it the ultimate destination for beach lovers. Kasos is the southernmost island in the Aegean Sea and has only recently been discovered by tourists. It’s one of those Greek islands that combine history and beauty but normally fly under the radar of most visitors. The flight distance between the islands covers all of twelve miles. A ferry is also available between the islands but that ride takes an hour and a half.

Connemara and Inis Mór in Ireland

Aer Arann Islands also uses the Britten-Norman Islander aircraft, one of the best-selling European-made planes.

The Arann Islands, a group of three Irish islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, are postcard-pretty. They offer a window into Irish culture and take your breath away with their beauty. You can take the ferry from Rossaveel or Galway, but for a quicker hop, you can book a flight from Connemara in Inverin to Inis Mór, the largest of the Arann Islands, and get there in under ten minutes! There are flights to the other two islands, Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr, too. The flights are operated by Aer Arann Islands which was established in 1970 to provide an island-hopping air service between Galway and the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. The carrier uses a a single Britten-Norman Islander with service based at the Connemara Airport and operates between ten and thirty flights to the three Arann islands. Average flight time? Only eight minutes.

St. Maarten and Nearby Caribbean Islands

After taking the short Winair flight to Saba, you'll touch down on the world's shortest paved commercial runway.

Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten is a popular spot for AvGeeks, which I covered in my post on The World’s Most Dangerous Airports. Planes fly right overhead and people go to the beach for plane-spotting. But there’s another reason that St. Maarten is featured on travel lists. From there, it’s only a short flight on St. Barth Commuter Airline to nearby Anguilla’s Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport. The distance is only twelve miles and the flight lasts just ten minutes! If you prefer to island hop in the Caribbean, you can also reach the glamorous island and French territory of St. Barthélemy from St. Maarten in a mere fifteen minutes. The ferry will take half an hour longer, but it won’t give you the thrill of taking off and landing at two of the world’s most dramatic airports. Saba Island, a Dutch territory in the Caribbean, is also just a fifteen-minute ride from St. Maarten. The short flight covering only twenty-eight miles is memorable for another reason—Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport in Saba features the world’s shortest paved commercial runway. It’s just over 1,312 feet long. The airport is located at an altitude of 60 feet above sea level. Only STOL aircraft are permitted to land at this airport which is understandably closed to jet traffic.

Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar in Tanzania

Tanzania's Precision Air can take you to Zanzibar on one of its eight popular and best selling ATR 42 or 72 aircraft.

Tanzania is an East African country known for its vast wilderness areas that’ve become quite popular in recent years. Its Serengeti National Park is a safari mecca populated by the “big five” game, including elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhino and its Kilimanjaro National Park is home to Africa’s highest mountain. Dar es Salaam is a major Tanzanian city and commercial port on the Indian Ocean coast. Offshore lie the tropical islands of Zanzibar famous for their Arabic influences. The islands are one of the safest African destinations, even for solo female travelers. Taking the ferry the forty-five miles between Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar takes around two hours. But, a flight from the financial hub of the nation to the beautiful semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar will only take between fifteen and thirty minutes, depending on your choice of airline, as their are currently seven different carriers making the short hop.

Minami-Daito and Kita-Daito in Japan

With a fleet of five Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 aircraft, Ryukyu Air Commuter operates inter-island service.

Okinawa is Japan’s southernmost prefecture, comprising more than one hundred fifty islands in the East China Sea between Taiwan and the Japanese Mainland. It's known for its tropical climate, broad beaches and coral reefs, as well as a number of famous World War II sites. Two of its smallest coral islands lay claim to one of the world’s shortest flights between the Islands of Minami-Daito and Kita-Daito. The former was garrisoned by the Japanese military in 1942. As the war situation worsened for Japan, many of the civilian inhabitants were evacuated elsewhere in Okinawa in 1944. The island was repeatedly bombed and shelled by the US Navy from February to June of 1945. After World War II, it was occupied by the US and was returned to Japan in 1972. This island is entirely devoted to agriculture, has no beaches but does have a fishing boat harbor and three cargo and ferry ports and a small airport. The jagged coastline of Kita-Daito Island rises out of the ocean some two hundred twenty-three miles to the east of Okinawa’s main island. This Island is an angler’s paradise and offshore fishing is a popular pastime. The two islands, Minami-Daito and Kita-Daito, are located only eight miles apart but you can fly from one to the other in less than twenty minutes via Ryukyu Air Commuter, operating domestic service on behalf of Japan Airlines.

Brazzaville and Kinshasa in Africa

The Kinshasa-Brazzaville bridge spans the River Congo, which is the border between these two African nations.

At less than thirty minutes, this is the shortest flight between two national capitals. From the capital city of the Republic of the Congo, Brazzaville, to the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, the distance is a mere sixteen miles that can be covered in less than thirty minutes. Both nations gained their independence in 1960, but were colonized by different countries. Congo-Brazzaville was colonized by France while Congo-Kinshasa was colonized by Belgium. The River Congo, the second longest river on the continent, separates the two capitals and crossing on a boat takes less time than jet setting to the other side but I suspect the flight time listed includes gate to gate and not wheels up to wheels down.

I’d like to travel on one of these very short flights someday but I must admit that‘d be strange for me. I’m so used to long-haul journeys, I know there’d be no time to complete my usual “nesting rituals” before landing.

Until next time…safe travels.

Taking the short Winair commercial flight to Sabo will put you on the world's shortest paved commercial runway.