1 min readBy Ethan Qualle
The World’s Shortest Scheduled Flight Can Take Just 53 Seconds
A compact inter-island operation blends record lore with lifeline utility as Orkney debates ferries, bridges and tunnels.
By Ethan QualleZimbabwe

32 minutes is all it takes to travel between North Carolina's two largest cities, Raleigh and Charlotte onboard American Airlines. For a key connecting market for Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU), Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) serves over 525,000 passengers annually. At an unusually short flight time, the flight is quite often equipped with a larger Airbus A321.
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About this article
- Length
- 60 words · 1 min read
- Published
- October 22, 2026
- Byline
- Ethan Qualle
- Source
- Simple Flying