Leading global travel data provider OAG has collated a list of the world’s shortest international flights by distance routes with less than a weekly frequency and some may operate on a semi-charter basis. 

In a press statement, OAG says that it has included all fixed wing aircraft types and the range of aircraft used on these very short sectors ranges from extremely small, from a six-seater Cessna from Kasana in Botswana to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, up to a narrowbody B737-800 with 160 seats on the very shortest route between Brazzaville and Kinshasa.

All of the 10 shortest flights in the world operate over a distance of less than 100 km Great Circle Distance (GCD) or the way of measuring a flight’s length, taking into account the fact that the Earth is spherical. 

Here are the shortest flights in the world.

1. World’s shortest international flight: Brazzaville (BZV), Congo to Kinshasa (FIH), DRC (24 km)

Distance (GCD): 24 km

Aircraft: Boeing 737-800 Passenger

Weekly Frequency: 7

The shortest flight operates between Brazzaville, the capital of the Congo to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With a scheduled time of 50 minutes, passengers on this flight of just 24 km will in reality have just buckled themselves in before preparing for landing.

2. St Martin (SFG), St Martin (French Part) to St Barthelemy (SBH) (31KM)

Distance (GCD): 31 km

Aircraft: Boeing Cessna 208B Caravan

Weekly Frequency: 37

Around 495 times shorter than the world’s longest flight, this 31 km trip between two Caribbean islands goes 5 times a day, on average. The two locations are popular with tourists who move between islands for a change of scenery.

3. Saba (SAB), Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba, to St Maarten (SXM), St Maarten (Dutch Part) (45 km)

Distance (GCD): 45km

Aircraft: DeHavilland-Bombardier DHC6 T/Otter

Weekly Frequency: 55

St Maarten/St Martin has two airports, one on the French side of the island, Grand Case-Espérance Airport (SFG), and the airport featured in this third shortest international flight on the list, the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on the Dutch side of the island.

4. St Maarten (SXM), St Maarten (Dutch Part) To St Eustatius (EUX), Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba (61 km)

Distance (GCD): 61 km

Aircraft: DeHavilland-Bombardier DHC6 T/Otter

Weekly Frequency: 56

Of the top 10 shortest commercial flights, this is the one with most frequency, at 56 flights per week. Six of the Top 10 routes, like this one, operate in the Caribbean on inter island routes; two in Africa; one in the Middle East and one between the USA and the Bahamas.

5. Bonaire (BON), Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba to Curacao (CUR), Curacao (74 km)

Distance (GCD): 74 km

Aircraft: Saab 340

Weekly Frequency: 17

This 25-minute flight between Bonaire and Curacao forms the B-C part of the ABC islands, where A stands for Aruba. The geographical order of the islands, from west to east, is A-C-B, with a distance of 125km between Aruba and Curacao, which makes that flight too long for inclusion on our list of the world’s shortest commercial flights.

6. Kasane (BBK), Botswana to Victoria Falls (VFA), Zimbabwe (77KM)

Distance (GCD): 77km

Aircraft: Cessna Light Aircraft (Single Turboprop)

Weekly Frequency: 10

With 420 flights in the schedule and a route length of 77 km each time, this flight will clock up 32,340 km of travel this summer season. The world’s longest flight, New York JFK to Singapore Changi, will cover more than that in just three flights. 

7. St Vincent (SVD), St Vincent and the Grenadines to Carriacou (CRU), Grenada, Windward Islands (79 km) 

Distance (GCD): 79 km

Aircraft: DeHavilland-Bombardier DHC6 T/Otter

Weekly Frequency: 14

Three of the routes on this list operate a once-a-day service, meaning day trips are possible between St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. Similarly, for residents of Brazzaville a quick trip to Kinshasa on the shortest international flight route is possible, and Damman to Bahrain also operates on average once daily.

8. Dammam (DMM), Saudi Arabia to Bahrain (BAH), Bahrain (87KM)

Distance (GCD): 87 km

Aircraft: Airbus A320neo

Weekly Frequency: 10

This 40-minute flight is the only one on our list of the shortest international flights that operates in the Middle East, and the only one to use the Airbus A320 neo, which can seat from 120 passengers.

9. St Maarten (SXM), St Maarten (Dutch Part) to St Kitts (SKB), Saint Kitts and Nevis, Leeward Islands (90 km)

Distance (GCD): 90 km

Aircraft: DeHavilland-Bombardier DHC6 T/Otter

Weekly Frequency: 16

The island of St Maarten/St Martin makes its fourth and final appearance on the list. Avid plane spotters and keen photographers will be familiar with Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), as Maho Beach is just a road’s width away from the end of the runway, which means that as flights come in to land the aircraft can appear to be extremely close to beachgoers’ heads.

10. Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Intl Apt (FLL), USA TO Bimini North SPB (NSB), Bahamas (95 km)

Distance (GCD): 95 km

Aircraft: Cessna Light Aircraft (Single Turboprop)

Weekly Frequency: 17

Bimini is the furthest-west island of the Bahamas and therefore the closest to mainland USA. The flight from Fort Lauderdale takes around 40 minutes, making it a popular trip for American visitors who travel to enjoy fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling and night life.

While these shorter flights might not be as attention-grabbing as the world’s longest flights, they play an important role, connecting up more remote areas of the world to help keep important tourism economies going.