Take Off: The World’s Shortest Airline Flights

Airlines are forever jockeying for bragging rights as the operator of the world’s longest flight. But for most travelers, who must endure the hassle and discomfort of flying coach, shorter flights are always to be preferred over longer ones.

As it happens, the world’s shortest commercial airline flight takes all of two minutes, although it can be even shorter when flight conditions are ideal. It’s operated by Loganair, between Westray to Papa Westray, Scotland.

The second-shortest flight is a ten-minute Cayman Airways hop between Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, Cayman Islands.

And the third shortest, as of September 15, will be Greater Toronto Airways’ service between Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport and Niagara District airport. The new twice-daily flights will take just 12 minutes. In addition to the short travel time, travelers will be subjected to only cursory security checks; they can arrive just 15 minutes before their scheduled flights’ departure times.

The shorter the flight, the more there is to love.

Reader Reality Check

What’s the shortest flight you’ve ever taken?

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After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.