Hop from island to island on North America’s “shortest international flight”

A new international flight will give travellers in North America a chance to hop from island to island – and country to country – in just 12 minutes.

Northstar Air Tours, a Canadian charter airline, has announced a new scheduled flight between Victoria, Canada and Friday Harbor, USA, which it is calling “the shortest international scheduled flight in Northern America”.

The flight connects Victoria, the capital of the province of British Columbia on Vancouver Island, and Friday Harbor, a town on Washington State’s picturesque San Juan Islands. The new flights will start at a price of $49, plus airport fees and taxes, and will launch on 2 February.

The airline will fly small nine-passenger planes on the route, which will begin while the Washington State Ferries service between Anacortes in the San Juans, and a town outside of Victoria, is on a winter break, reports the Seattle Times.

The rest of the year, ferry services can take travellers between the two areas, but the flight will be a new option for travellers looking to get across the border quickly. Luckily, both stops offer some amazing sites to explore. Victoria is often called Canada’s most British city, offering a laidback community with amazing city offerings like hip cafes, brewpubs and a ton of museums. It also provides the perfect gateway to outdoor activities like kayaking and whale-watching. On the US side, the San Juan Islands offer all the low-key charms of small communities, while providing easy access to beaches, hiking trails and plenty of outdoor activities. Find out more about the flights here.