This month, more than 100 airlines are operating scheduled flights to and from various destinations in Africa, offering a diverse range of air travel options.
From lengthy journeys lasting nearly 15 hours to brief hops of just under 30 minutes, the continent hosts a variety of flight durations.
Cirium, an aviation analytics company, has compiled data revealing the top 10 shortest intercontinental routes, all spanning under 200 miles. In the following list, we delve into the details of these notably concise air travel connections.
The top 3 are all between Morocco and Spain
Morocco is one of Africa’s most internationally connected countries, with Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) handling most of its traffic. While the airport saw significant growth in 2023, it has not yet reached its pre-pandemic levels. Still, there are over 900 scheduled flights between Morocco and Spain this month.
The shortest route between Africa and another continent is from Tetouan Sania Ramel Airport (TTU) to Malaga Airport (AGP). It is just 88 miles (141.6 kilometers), connecting two key tourist destinations. It is currently served by Ryanair, which operates two weekly flights on Mondays and Fridays. On Mondays, flight FR4540 departs TTU at 15:40 and arrives at AGP at 16:20 (00h 40 m). However, Flightradar24 shows that the trip usually lasts about 27 minutes.
Africa’s second-shortest intercontinental route is from Tangier (TNG) to Malaga. Covering a distance of 103 mi (165.7 km), it is served by Ryanair and Iberia Regional with the Boeing 737 and ATR 72-600, respectively. Both airlines operate three weekly flights between the two destinations. Ryanair offers the shortest flight, departing TNG at 15:05 and arriving at AGP at 15:50 (00h 45m) on Sundays. However, it is usually a 30-35 minute flight.
The third-shortest route by average miles is from Tangier to Seville Airport (SVQ). It measures 116 mi (186.6 km), giving a flight time of about 31 minutes. The route sees two weekly flights operated by Ryanair, scheduled for a 14:45 departure and 15:30 arrival (00h 45m) on Mondays.
READ: Africa: Morocco Secures Top Spot in Lonely Planet’s 2024 Travel Destinations
Flights from other countries
With North Africa and Europe being separated by only a narrow passage of water (The Strait of Gibraltar), it is unsurprising that some of the shortest air links are between the two continents. The fourth-shortest route this month measures 143 mi (230.1 km), connecting Laayoune (EUN) to Gran Canaria (LPA). The route is served by Royal Air Maroc and Binter Canaries.
The fifth-shortest route connects Africa to the Middle East. It is a 154 mi (247.8 km) route from Djibouti (JIB) to Aden International Airport (ADE) in Yemen. Flights are operated by Air Djibouti and Yemenia, with twice-weekly and thrice-weekly frequencies, respectively. Yemenia’s Airbus A320 flights are scheduled to depart JIB at 16:15 and arrive at ADE at 17:00 on Wednesdays.
Tunisia, another North African country, is also home to a short intercontinental hop. The Tunis (TUN)-Palermo (PMO) route measures 182 mi (292.9 km), making it the sixth-shortest. Closely behind it is Oran (ORN)-Alicante (ALC) at 183 mi (294.5 km). The route is served by Air Algerie, departing at 15:20 and arriving at 16:20 (1h 00m).
3 other routes under 200 miles
Only three other intercontinental routes in February 2024 are under 200 miles. The eighth-shortest is Fez to Malaga, measuring 191 mi (307.3 km). It is also served by Ryanair, which operates two flights per week. On Mondays, flight FR4461 is scheduled to depart at 13:20 and arrive at 14:20 (1h 00m), but the flight usually lands after about 45 minutes.
Another route from Africa to the Middle East makes the top 10, measuring 198 mi (318.6 km). It connects Port Sudan (PZU) to Jeddah (JED) and sees up to three daily flights operated by Sudan’s Tarco Aviation and Badr Airlines. Flights out of Port Sudan resumed in August after the country’s airspace had been closed for nearly four months. Badr’s flight J4662 is scheduled to depart Port Sudan at 09:30 and arrive in Jeddah at 11:30 (1h 00m) local time. However, the shortest flight on record this month was 34 minutes.
Completing the top 10 is the non-stop route from Algiers (ALG) to Palma de Mallorca (PMI), measuring 199 mi (320.2 km). It is served by Air Algerie with its ATR 72 turboprops. Flight AH2000 is scheduled on Sundays and Thursdays, departing ALG at 16:15 and arriving at PMI at 17:30 (1h 15m). The last flight on February 11 lasted 1 hour and 3 minutes.
