From Micronesia to Scotland: Eight Unique Flight Routes Worldwide – and How to Book Them

United Island Hopper (Source)

No matter if you fly Economy, Business, or even First Class, at some point, frequent flyers might find regular flights mundane. However, this doesn't have to be the case. There are various unique flight routes around the world that can bring some excitement back into your flying experience.

I want to introduce you to eight extraordinary routes. These include the world's shortest flight, a scheduled landing almost in the sea, flights with seven stops, and the legendary United Island Hopper through Micronesia. I also provide tips on how to book these flights so you can experience them yourself.

The World's Shortest Scheduled Flight – Only 2 Minutes

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The flight from Papa Westray to the neighboring island of Westray (and vice versa) lasts just two minutes. Located in the northern Orkney Islands off the British coast, the flight covers less than three kilometers.

Details:

- Duration: 0h 2min

- Aircraft: Britten-Norman BN2 Islander

- Price: £17 (~$21) one way

On your return trip, you can take the ferry or fly to Kirkwall, the capital of the Orkney Islands.

Booking:

The cost per hour makes this one of the most expensive flights at $620/h, but £17 (~$21) for a one-way ticket is quite reasonable. Tickets can be booked directly at Loganair.co.uk.

Landing on the Beach at Barra

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Loganair is featured twice in this article, not only for the shortest scheduled flight but also for the only flight where a plane lands and takes off on a beach. This route uses a Twin Otter from Glasgow to the island of Barra off the Scottish coast, landing only at low tide when the three runways are dry.

Details:

- Duration: 1h 15min

- Aircraft: de Havilland Canada Twin Otter

- Price: from £80 (~$95)

Booking:

Ticket prices have risen recently, with at least £80 (~$95) per direction on Loganair.co.uk, and in summer, up to 50% more. There's also a ferry option from the British mainland (Oban) to Barra from £18 (~$22), but you need to stay at least one night on Barra.

The “Milk Run” – Through Alaska with 4 Stops

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Alaska Airlines operates several routes known as the Milk Run, where passengers are swapped instead of milk bottles at various stops.

Details:

- Duration: about 4h to 7h

- Aircraft: Boeing 737-700/800

- Price: from 6,000 Avios + $7 (or about $320)

Routes include:

- AS 61/66: Seattle – Juneau – Yakutat – Cordova – Anchorage

- AS 62/67: Seattle – Ketchikan – Sitka – Juneau – Anchorage

- AS 64/65: Seattle – Ketchikan – Wrangell – Petersburg – Juneau – Anchorage

The flights offer stunning views of Alaska's largely untouched nature and include five takeoffs and landings in one one-way trip. Juneau to Anchorage over glaciers is particularly beautiful.

Booking:

Book segments Seattle → Juneau and Juneau → Anchorage separately to maximize stops. Paid tickets are around $320, but better as award tickets via Qatar Airways instead of British Airways (Avios transferable 1:1), costing 6,000 Avios + $7 for Anchorage → Juneau and 9,000 Avios for Juneau → Seattle.

United Island Hopper Through Micronesia

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For a warmer, more comfortable journey, consider the United Island Hopper, a unique flight experience from Honolulu (Hawaii) with five stops in Micronesia before landing in Guam.

Details:

- Duration: about 15h

- Aircraft: Boeing 737-800

- Price: from $540 – or 20,000 miles + $13

Booking:

Paid tickets are expensive, starting at $1,620 one way. Booking a ticket further to Japan can be cheaper, around $540. Miles&More offers a ticket from Honolulu to Guam for 20,000 miles + $13, but additional segments in Micronesia cost 17,000 miles each.

Kangaroo Milk Run – Through Australia with 7 Stops

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For those who love multiple stops, the Kangaroo Milk Run offers eight flight segments across Queensland, Australia, from Brisbane to Mount Isa with seven stops.

Details:

- Duration: 9h 15min

- Aircraft: Saab 340 (Turboprop)

- Price: from $265

Booking:

Tickets start at AU$400 (~$265) via Rex. Flights are also available on Google Flights, with add-ons from cities like Sydney.

Fjord Hopping in Norway

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Until recently, Wideroe offered flights between Tromsø and Kirkenes in northern Norway with up to five stops. Now, up to four stops with a transfer in Vadsø are still available.

Details:

- Duration: about 4h

- Aircraft: Dash 8

- Price: from about $160

Booking:

Tickets from Tromso to Kirkenes are around $85. Options with three stops and one transfer are $160 on Wideroe.no, including hand and checked luggage.

From Canada to Greenland by Turboprop

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Air Greenland offers the only scheduled flight between North America and Greenland from Iqaluit to Nuuk, running twice weekly from June to October.

Details:

- Duration: 2h

- Aircraft: Bombardier Dash-8 (Turboprop)

- Price: from $235

Booking:

Tickets start at $225.

Flights to Antarctica

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Each year, around 10,000 passengers fly from the southern tip of South America to Antarctica. DAP Airlines operates flights from Punta Arenas, Chile, to King George Island.

Details:

- Duration: about 3h

- Aircraft: VAE Avro RJ (for cruises) or Beechcraft King Air (for day trips)

- Price: from about $6,000

Booking:

Day trips to Antarctica cost around $6,480. Fly & Cruise packages, combining a cruise from Ushuaia (Argentina) to Antarctica and a flight back, start at around $6,480 per person (double occupancy). Full cruises are recommended for a longer stay.

Each of these flights offers a unique and memorable experience, perfect for those looking to break the routine of regular travel.

This article was first published on travel-dealz.de