Kagoshima: Japan’s shortest flight takes just 10 minutes and connects the islands of Amami and Kikai

AMAMI, Kagoshima — The Amami-Kikai route has become Japan’s shortest regular flight route, with a flight time of just 10 minutes from takeoff to landing.

“We hope passengers will enjoy the short flight and the view of the coral reefs below,” said a Japan Air Commuter official.

Until now, the route between Kita-Daito Island and Minami-Daito Island, operated by Ryukyu Air Commuter from Naha, was considered the shortest route in Japan, but those flights were suspended late last month.

The Amami-Kikai route opened in 1964 and has connected the islands of Amami Oshima and Kikai for 60 years.

As the crow flies, the distance between the two points is about 24 kilometers, about 10 kilometers longer than the distance between the islands of Kita-Daito and Minami-Daito.

This route is served twice daily by a 48-seater turboprop aircraft. According to JAC, as of May this year, about 1.9 million passengers had flown this route since the company took over operations in December 1983.