Anyone who has ever been on long flights, will agree that they may not be the most comfortable experiences in the world! Especially when your flights are more than 6-hours long and require you to check-in two to three hours prior to flying. Sometimes it's quite a hassle to wait at the airport for your flight and then fly for long hours, cramped in a small economy seat. And if you get the dreaded middle seat, you know you're going to be in a bad mood the rest of the day. But what if we told you that the shortest flight in the world is over before you can finish your cup of tea or coffee?
Imagine being on a flight that ends before you can even complete a sentence. A flight where you won't even have enough time to complain? Yes! Surprisingly, there are certain flights in the world that are over even before you can ask for a glass of water!
Here's a list of some of the quickest flights in the world, from the shortest one that is over in just 53 seconds to the longest one lasting 15 minutes.
Westray to Papa Westray - shortest flight in the world!
Westray and Papa Westray are two islands part of the Orkney Islands archipelago off the shore of Scotland. This inter-island service is mainly used by students and professors who travel to Papa Westray to study the 60 archeological sites on the island. Other than that, this carrier is also used as an ambulance in times of medical emergency and and for postal delivery as well.
Carrier: Loganair
Duration: 53 seconds to two minutes, depending on the direction of the wind. Clearly, this has to be the shortest flight in the world.
Distance: 2.7km
Country: Scotland, UK
Frequency: Six times a week
Price: £17 or ₹1,500
Minami-Daito to Kitadaito
Covering 11km, Ryukyu Air Commuter operates on this route and flies between the two destinations in just over three minutes. Technically the flight is from Naha to Minami-Daito and then to Kitadaito but the leg between Minami-Daito and Kitadaito is considered one of the shortest flight in the world.
Carrier: Ryukyu Air Commuter
Duration: Three minutes
Distance: 11km
Country: Japan
Frequency: Five times a week
Price: ¥7,600 or ₹4,540
Caye Caulker to San Pedro
If nothing else, a flight from Caye Caulker to San Pedro will make you appreciate the natural beauty of Belize for sure! Operated by Maya Island Air, the flight from Caye Caulker to San Pedro takes around five minutes, while the return flight from San Pedro to Caye Caulker takes around 10 minutes.
Carrier: Maya Island Air
Duration: Five minutes
Distance: 22km
Country: Belize
Frequency: Seven times a week, five flights daily
Price: $57 or ₹3,700
Karpathos to Kasos
Island hopping via a ferry is so regular! This time, island hop on a flight! That is exactly what this tiny flight offers. Flying between the Mediterranean islands of Karpathos and Kasos, this Olympic Air flight requires you to check in 45 minutes in advance for a flight with a flying time of five minutes.
Carrier: Olympic Airline
Duration: Five minutes
Distance: 22km
Country: Greece
Frequency: Seven times a week, one daily.
Price: €50 or ₹4,300
Connemara to Inis Meáin
Flying from Connemara Airport, just west of Galway, to the island of Inis Meáin, Aer Arann flies several times a week over this distance of about 16km and covers it in around six minutes only. Enough time to actually see the stunning coastline, but maybe not enough to finish that glass of Irish whiskey you ordered?
Carrier: Aer Arann
Duration: Six minutes
Distance: 16km
Country: Ireland
Frequency: Seven times a week
Price: €49 or ₹3,700
Saipan to Tinian
Tinian And Saipan are both islands in the Northern Marina Islands archipelago. Star Marinas Air flies between these two islands, covering a distance of 20km in just under 10 minutes. However, this requires you to check-in 45 minutes prior to departure as well! Weird, but so cool!
Carrier: Star Marinas Air
Duration: 10 minutes
Distance: 20km
Country: USA
Frequency: Seven times a week
Price: $50 or ₹3,200
Papeete to Mo’orea
Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia and the island of Mo’orea are merely 20km away, but because there is just an ocean between them, and no roads, Air Tahiti happily flies passengers to and fro between these two islands. So, what essentially could have been a 15 minute drive, is now a 15 minute flight! Way cooler, right?
Carrier: Air Tahiti
Duration: 15 minutes
Distance: 20km
Country: Tahiti
Frequency: Six times a week
Price: $95 or ₹6,215
