The shortest flight in the world is a long-established air route between two of the Orkney Islands (Westray and Papa Westray) in Scotland. The distance is a mere 1.7 miles and with favorable winds, the actual flight often lasts less than a minute!

The title for the world's shortest commercial flight belongs to the route between Westray and Papa Westray in Scotland's Orkney Islands, operated by Loganair. The flight covers just 1.7 miles (2.7 km) and officially takes 2 minutes, though in favorable winds, it has been completed in as little as 47 seconds. Another notable "blink-and-you-miss-it" flight is the 5-minute hop between St. Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean. In 2026, short flights like these remain essential lifelines for island communities, acting more like "air taxis" for locals and the postal service. For travelers, these routes are a high-value bucket-list experience. Other "super-short" routes include the 12-minute flight from Toronto (YTZ) to Niagara Falls and the 17-minute international flight between Kinshasa and Brazzaville across the Congo River. While these flights are fun for the "logbook," be aware that the boarding and security processes often take ten times longer than the actual flight itself.