World's shortest flight is just 53 seconds long and has been operating since 1967

Most of us either love flying or hate it. There's usually someone in the group that wants to get to the airport hours early and make the most of the lounges before settling in for a long nap in their seat, while someone else is gripping onto their luggage for dear life and has gnawed their nails raw because they're terrified of flying.

For those still yet to get their wings, fear not, because we've got the flight just for you. Forget an overnight layover from New York to Sydney - the world's shortest flight can help ease your anxiety.

Leaving long-haul behind you, the world's shortest flight takes a total of 90 seconds, with a tiny runway meaning only 53 of those are actually in the air. This tiny journey takes place between the Scottish Orkney Islands of Westray and Papa Westray, with the pair being separated by a strip of water.

The world's shortest flight has been operating since 1967 and is managed by Loganair on a Britten-Norman BN2B-26 Islander aircraft that only carries 10 passengers. Still, it's an essential connection for the 90 people that live on Papa Westray.

With the total distance being just 2.7 km (1.7 miles), the flight is about the length of the Edinburgh Airport runaway.

Flights run daily both directions, except flights only going from Westray to Papa Westray on Saturdays and from Papa Westray to Westray on Sundays.

The flight is mainly used for teachers and students who head to Papa Westray to study some of its many archeological sites, although health professionals also make the quick hop to tend to its residents.

With the aircraft described as being 'robust' and well-versed at travelling on the 'shortest and roughest Highland runways,' passengers can sit back and maybe just about open their bag of peanuts before they land.

Although this record-breaking flight has become a part of the Orkney Islands' charm, it was under threat when the local council started working on fixed links between the islands in 2014. Thankfully, these plans still haven't started construction as of 2024. There's also a ferry, but with it taking about 25 minutes, you might as well take the 90-second flight.

Unfortunately, not every flight can be a 90-second jaunt, and on the other end of the spectrum, the world's longest passenger flight (in terms of total time non-stop) is the 18 hours and 50 minutes it takes to fly from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Singapore Changi Airport.

Considering you could make the Orkney Island flight a whopping 753 times in that time, that's really putting the 'long' in long-haul.