TPA - MCO (Delta Express ) on a 737-200 80 miles.

Ithaca, NY to Elmira, NY on a DC9. 30 mile trip. Usually takes about 12 minutes. (US Airways)

US Air doesn't justify having two jets go out to both cities, so, they have a flight PIT-ITH-ELM-PIT.

MileKing

That's a mighty short flight you wrote about.
Here is another "shortie". Back in the late 60's or early 70's (they say memory is the SECOND thing to go with guys you know) I believe it was Branniff flew 727s out of Amon Carter field (FTW) to Love Field (DAL), a distance of about 19 miles. It had something to do with some federal regulation I think. It may have been to get around the Love Field 4-state federal regulation. In any case, they were regularly scheduled flights, all legit and all that with regular jets.

Heck, the smallest jet I remember back then was the BAC-111, at least in the normal world (Texas that is!).

Anybody else from DFW-land remember this oldie but goodie?

Air UK as they used to be KLM UK as they are now used to fly a 146 (100 seats) between Edinburgh and Glasgow and then on to Gatwick(did that) about 45 miles by road, Swissair used to fly 747s and DC-10 between Geneva and Zurich (sorry I do ot know the distance. American used to fly an MD80 between Bakersfield and Santa Barbara as a continuation of a DFW-SMF service.BA fly 757s between London and Manchester and do a beverage and snack service!

Finnair uses DC-9 between Helsinki and Tallinn, Estonia sometimes. Distance is 63 miles. (Somehow, however, flight time is quite long - 40 min - and they offer chocolate during flight).
other:
Swissair flys MD-83 between Zurich to Basel. Distance 49 miles, flying time 30 min. Not sure about service.


[This message has been edited by fokker50 (edited 11-15-2000).]

Northwest currently flies DC9s between Detroit Metro and Flint, which is 56 miles.

United flight 5510 from Green Bay to Appleton, Wisconsin is 25 miles on a 100-seet BAE-146 jet.

Years ago, Continental offered a flight from ORD to ORD (0 miles!). It was a flight to nowhere for those who wanted to experience flight. This was back in the regulated days where flying was expensive and an outing - few flew for fun! I was too young to remember most of the flight.

Oops, sorry. It was on a DC-9 according to a reliable source (ok, my dad, who paid for the tickets for the trip).

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

This thread reminded me of the shortest jet flight (DC9) I ever did: LAX-BUR on PSA in the mid-80s. Non-scheduled stop between LAX-OAK as the Burbank plane had a mechanical and they had us stop to pick up the stranded passengers. I timed the flight, ten minutes from wheels up to touchdown, approximately 12-13 miles.

DL 1225 CVG-SDF is 83 miles on a DL 727.

DL 118 BDL-JFK is 106 miles on a DL 767-300ER with BusinessElite!

DL 1490 is sold as ATL-FLL, but it stops in MIA first. The last leg MIA-FLL is 21 miles on a DL 767-200.

DL 2408 MCO-TPA is 80 miles on a DL Express 737.

I am sure there are more examples out there, these are just the ones I came across in the DL computer.

DL: Great Falls - Helena: 67 miles

I flew 2 sub-100 mile legs on US "large" jets earlier this year:

PHL-DCA (737-300/400) and GSO-CLT (F-100 IIRC).

Before Piedmont was absorbed by US, also flew SYR-ITH (F-28?)

I think one thing to keep in mind here is why a jet is being used for such a flight. Most of these short flights between non-hub cities are more of a 'drop off and pick up people heading to a hub' situation.

Other than mileage gaining motives, does anyone really ever fly from OAK-SFO for example with that being their only flight on the trip?

No, of course you wouldnt't fly SFO-OAK with no other flights - taxi would have been about the same cost, with the advantages of pick up and dropoff wherever you really wanted to be!

But I'm one of the people who bought the flight just for the miles. Notice my phrasing: My partner and I drove to SFO, I checked in, and got back in my car! Yes, the miles showed up and I got the special award (it was one of those 8 segments = a free trip bonuses; nobody would take it just for the 9 miles). I've always regretted not taking the flight, although I don't know if he would have been willing to drive across the bay to pick me up.

BTW, I'm told that the no smoking sign went off (it was back in the mid-80's) but the seat belt sign never did!