World

US Airlines Set for 13,907 Flights on Shortest Routes in July 2025

Published

1 month ago

14 July, 2025

Editorial

In July 2025, the United States is set to witness a total of 13,907 commercial flights covering an average distance of 109 miles or fewer. These flights will offer approximately 1.2 million seats across various airlines, excluding regional bush flights. Notably, while Alaska Airlines is known for some of the longest domestic flights in the country, it also operates the two shortest scheduled routes.

Many of these brief flights connect isolated communities, particularly those lacking road access, while others link major urban centers with established transportation networks. Data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, sheds light on these shortest routes.

Flights Under 50 Miles

Only two routes in the United States fall under the 50-mile mark, both situated in Alaska and operated by Alaska Airlines. The shortest route connects Petersburg Airport in Alaska’s Panhandle to Wrangell Airport, also in the Panhandle. These communities lack road access, necessitating subsidized airline service through the Essential Air Service program. The route, operated by Boeing 737-700 aircraft, features 31 daily flights in July, providing a total of 3,844 seats.

The second shortest route links Juneau, Alaska’s capital, to Gustavus Airport, which is similarly unreachable by road. Daily flights are available in both directions on this route, utilizing the same Boeing 737-700 aircraft. Juneau is isolated from the North American road network, with connectivity provided through a ferry service running from Seattle along the coastline of British Columbia and Alaska.

Flights Between 60 and 70 Miles

There are no flights scheduled between 50 and 60 miles, but two routes are available in the 60 to 70-mile range. The shortest of these connects Chicago O’Hare Airport to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, covering a distance of 67 miles. This route sees operations from both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, with Alaska using Envoy Air and United primarily relying on SkyWest and some flights from Republic Airways. Alaska Airlines is scheduling 178 flights on this route, averaging around six daily flights, while United is set to operate 215 flights.

The other sub-70-mile route runs from San Juan, Puerto Rico’s main airport, to Cyril E. King Airport serving the US Virgin Islands, averaging 68 miles. This route is predominantly served by JetBlue, which operates daily flights using Airbus A320s. Additionally, charter airline Fly2Sky is scheduled to operate eight flights on this route.

The following table outlines some of the key routes under 70 miles:

Flights Between 70 and 80 Miles

Several airlines, including JetBlue, United, Southwest, and Delta Air Lines, are scheduled to operate flights ranging from 70 to 75 miles. JetBlue’s route from Boston Logan to Martha’s Vineyard is 70 miles and is serviced by Embraer 190 aircraft with daily flights in both directions.

Another busy route is the 72-mile connection from Denver to Colorado Springs. United and Southwest are set to operate this route, with Southwest scheduling 97 flights using its Boeing 737 family, while United has an impressive 369 flights scheduled, primarily using CRJ aircraft and some A320s.

Delta Air Lines serves a 74-mile route from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to Capital Region International Airport, formerly known as Lansing Capital City Airport. This route is exclusively served by Delta through SkyWest using Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft.

Further routes between 71 to 80 miles include:

Notably, American Airlines operates a 76-mile route from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport. Delta also has a route covering the same distance from Minneapolis–Saint Paul to Rochester in Minnesota.

In addition to these routes, United Airlines operates a 77-mile route between Washington Dulles and Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport. Another 77-mile route connects Monterey Regional Airport to San Francisco International.

These ultra-short-haul flights are primarily served by regional airlines, including SkyWest, which operates on behalf of major carriers. Noteworthy short flight examples extend beyond the mainland United States, with routes across Hawaii and Alaska.

Despite the prevalence of short flights, it is unusual for routes with such proximity and strong road connections, like Denver to Colorado Springs, to have commercial air services. These shorter flights are typically necessitated by natural barriers such as water. A standout example of an ultra-short international flight is Air France’s service from Congo-Brazzaville to Congo-Kinshasa, spanning just 16 miles across the Congo River.

Overall, while many of the shortest routes scheduled in the United States are connected by water, a few notable exceptions continue to provide essential links between communities, particularly in regions like Alaska and Hawaii.