Somewhere over the North Isles of Orkney, a small Loganair aircraft climbs off the grass at Westray, levels out, and begins its descent almost immediately. The whole thing is over in about 90 seconds. This is the Westray to Papa Westray service, and it is timetabled as the shortest scheduled flight in the world, a record it has held since Loganair inaugurated the route in 1967. Orkney is not just somewhere you fly to. In places, it is somewhere you fly around, and that makes reaching Kirkwall by air one of the more characterful journeys in British travel.
The route: mainland Scotland to Kirkwall
Kirkwall is Orkney's capital and its air gateway. Loganair, Scotland's largest regional carrier, runs the main lifeline services into Kirkwall Airport (KOI), with direct flights from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness, plus links from Sumburgh in Shetland and Dundee. In summer, Loganair also runs seasonal one-stop, same-plane services that extend the reach to London Heathrow, Belfast City and Bergen, so you can often reach Orkney from further afield without switching airlines.
Most mainland sectors are flown by Loganair's turboprop ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft, with Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets on some longer runs. The elderly Saab 340s that served Orkney for years were retired in early 2024, so the fleet you fly today is newer and quieter than the airline's reputation might suggest. Flying time from the central belt is short, roughly an hour or so from Glasgow or Edinburgh, and far less from Inverness or Aberdeen. Fares and timetables move constantly, so always price the exact dates directly with the operator.
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The world's shortest flight: Westray to Papa Westray
Here is the hook that no other UK island can match. The hop between Westray and Papa Westray, two of Orkney's North Isles, is timetabled at around 90 seconds and, with a following wind, has been flown in well under a minute. The oft-quoted record is 53 seconds. It is a genuine scheduled service, not a tourist stunt, flown by Loganair on the eight-seat Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander, and locals use it to reach the doctor, the shops and school as much as any visitor uses it for the certificate and the bragging rights.
The shortest flight is one thread in a wider network. From Kirkwall, Loganair bases two Islanders to serve Westray, Papa Westray, North Ronaldsay, Sanday, Eday and Stronsay, carrying around 20,000 passengers a year. These inter-isles flights are lifeline services supported through Orkney Islands Council, and the current contract runs to 2029. If you want the famous 90-second leg, the usual approach is to fly Kirkwall to Westray, then take the short onward hop to Papa Westray. One important catch: the Islander is a tiny aircraft, so inter-isles baggage is capped at 15kg of hold luggage per person and extra allowance cannot be pre-booked. Pack light and confirm current limits when you reserve.
Getting there: who flies and from where
Loganair is effectively the only scheduled operator into Kirkwall, so your decision is less about which airline and more about which mainland airport suits you. Fly from Glasgow (GLA) or Edinburgh (EDI) if you are coming from the central belt or connecting through a bigger hub. Fly from Aberdeen (ABZ) or Inverness (INV) if you are already in the north, both offer notably shorter hops. Standard Loganair fares generally include 15kg of hold baggage plus 6kg of cabin baggage on mainland routes, with heavier allowances on the flexible fare tiers, but always check what your specific fare includes before you fly.
Kirkwall Airport itself is small and easy. It is managed by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) and has a cafe, a shop and free Wi-Fi in the terminal, which is about as much as you need for a turnaround this quick. The town of Kirkwall is a short drive away.
Flight versus ferry to Orkney
Orkney is well served by sea, and for many trips the ferry is the sensible choice, especially if you want your own car. Here is an honest comparison.
| Option | Route | Typical crossing / flight time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fly (Loganair) | Glasgow / Edinburgh / Aberdeen / Inverness to Kirkwall | About 1 hour from the central belt, less from the north | Speed, day trips, reaching the North Isles |
| NorthLink ferry | Scrabster to Stromness | About 1 hour 30 minutes | Shortest NorthLink crossing, taking a car |
| NorthLink ferry | Aberdeen to Kirkwall | About 6 hours (often overnight) | Travelling from the north-east with a vehicle or cabin |
| Pentland Ferries | Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope | About 1 hour on the MV Alfred | Quickest, most sheltered car crossing |
| Passenger ferry | Seasonal foot-passenger services | Varies | Cheap summer crossings without a car |
The ferry wins on cost, on carrying a vehicle, and on the simple romance of arriving by sea. The plane wins on time and is the only practical way to reach the smaller isles. Sailings and flights are both weather-dependent this far north, so build in slack. Confirm all crossing times and schedules directly with NorthLink Ferries and Pentland Ferries before you commit.
When to go and how to book
Orkney is a year-round destination, but the character changes hard with the seasons. May to August brings long days, the famous near-endless summer light, seabird colonies in full cry and the best odds of calm crossings, so it is also the busiest and priciest window. Shoulder seasons in spring and autumn are quieter and often just as rewarding. Winter is dramatic and cheap but the weather can disrupt both flights and ferries, so allow buffer days around any onward travel. Book lifeline flights and popular summer sailings well ahead, and if the world's shortest flight is the point of your trip, reserve that inter-isles seat early because the Islander only holds a handful of passengers.
Where to stay in Orkney
Find hotels and guesthouses in and around Kirkwall for your dates.
What to do once you land
The Ring of Brodgar standing stones, Orkney · Illustration generated with AI Orkney punches far above its size. Kirkwall is built around the red-and-yellow sandstone St Magnus Cathedral, founded in 1137 and one of the finest medieval buildings in Scotland. A short drive west lies the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, a UNESCO World Heritage Site taking in the village of Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Standing Stones of Stenness and the chambered tomb of Maeshowe, all older than Stonehenge. On the south side, Scapa Flow tells the naval story of two world wars and is a world-class scuba diving site among the scuttled German fleet, while the beautiful Italian Chapel was built by prisoners of war from two Nissen huts. Round it off with a dram at Highland Park, one of Scotland's most northerly distilleries.
Plan the rest of your island trip
If Orkney is one stop on a bigger Scottish island adventure, our Scottish island flights guide maps out every flyable island and how the routes connect. For another once-in-a-lifetime landing, read about the beach runway at Barra, where the timetable bends to the tide. And to plan connections through any Scottish gateway, browse the full airports directory.
Route, schedule, aircraft and baggage details verified against Loganair, HIAL, NorthLink Ferries and Pentland Ferries sources in July 2026. Always reconfirm times, fares and allowances with the operator before you travel, as they change seasonally and services this far north are weather-dependent.
