Between February and June 2025, airlines around the world are deploying widebody aircraft with at least 450 seats on relatively short routes. While much of the industry’s attention is on long-haul services, these short-haul widebody flights offer a unique glimpse into operational strategy, efficiency, and passenger handling. This article highlights these interesting short-haul routes, with a focus on why they stand out and the factors behind their deployment.
Widebody Aircraft for Short-Haul Routes: An Overview
From February to June 2025, widebody aircraft operating on short routes will carry an average of 307 passengers over 2,680 nautical miles (4,964 km). Some routes are as short as 200 nautical miles, where carriers use high-capacity planes like the Boeing 777-300ER or Airbus A330-900. Such deployments are uncommon and mostly seen in Asia, where dense passenger traffic drives the need for larger aircraft.
List of Shortest Flights with 450+ Seat Aircraft
The following table shows the shortest routes scheduled for very high-capacity aircraft, based on data from OAG and Cirium Diio. These services are subject to change but reflect the current airline schedules.
| Nautical Miles (KM) | Route | Airline (Aircraft) | Operational Dates/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 205 (380) | Istanbul to Ankara | Turkish Airlines (492-seat 777-300ER) | Feb 8-13, 15-21, various March dates |
| 275 (509) | Toronto to Montreal | Air Canada (450-seat 777-300ER) | March 29 only (two departures) |
| 279 (517) | Istanbul to Antalya | Turkish Airlines (492-seat 777-300ER) | Various dates from Feb to March |
| 305 (565) | Manila to Cebu | Cebu Pacific (459-seat A330-900) | Multiple dates daily (Feb to June) |
| 442 (819) | Tokyo Haneda to Sapporo | All Nippon Airways (514-seat non-ER 777-300) | Daily with varying frequencies (Feb 8: 1-6/day) |
| 477 (883) | Tokyo Haneda to Fukuoka | All Nippon Airways (514-seat non-ER 777-300) | Daily with varying frequencies |
| 519 (961) | Manila to Davao | Cebu Pacific (450-seat A330-900) | Almost daily, 1-2 flights per day |
| 560 (1,037) | Manila to General Santos | Cebu Pacific (450-seat A330-900) | Almost daily, 1-3 flights per day |
| 618 (1,145) | Manila to Hong Kong | Cebu Pacific (450-seat A330-900) | Daily, 1-4 flights per day |
| 632 (1,170) | Manila to Taipei | Cebu Pacific (450-seat A330-900) | Daily until March 29 |
Key Insights: Why Use 450+ Seat Aircraft on Short Routes?
1. High Passenger Demand on Busy Routes
Most of the routes in the list are in Asia, where passenger traffic is dense, and airlines face peak demand. Cebu Pacific’s A330-900 flights between Manila and domestic or nearby international destinations are examples of using large aircraft to efficiently serve high-capacity routes while keeping ticket prices low.
2. Hub-to-Hub Connectivity
Short-haul widebody operations often connect major hubs, like Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul-Ankara route and All Nippon Airways’ Tokyo Haneda-Sapporo and Fukuoka services. These routes provide crucial connections for passengers transferring to international flights.
3. Fleet Utilization and Cost Efficiency
Carriers like Cebu Pacific and Turkish Airlines use large aircraft to optimize fleet utilization, even on short distances. Widebodies often offer a lower cost per seat-mile, making them ideal when demand justifies their use.
Highlight: Turkish Airlines’ 492-Seat Boeing 777-300ER
Turkish Airlines’ shortest routes on this list, including Istanbul to Ankara (205 nm) and Istanbul to Antalya (279 nm), use a 492-seat Boeing 777-300ER. This aircraft, registered as TC-LKF, has an interesting history.
- Originally Delivered to Emirates: The aircraft was delivered in 2007 with 428 seats.
- Later Used by Russian Carrier Royal Flight: It was reconfigured to seat 492 passengers—14 in business and 478 in economy.
- Current Operations with Turkish Airlines: Delivered to Turkish Airlines in 2024, it primarily operates domestic Turkish routes and international charters. Its high capacity helps the airline meet demand while keeping operational costs low.
Operational Considerations
With such a high number of seats, airlines face challenges filling them, especially on short routes. However, Turkish Airlines manages to optimize load factors through effective scheduling, often relying on connecting passengers at its Istanbul hub.
The use of widebody aircraft with 450+ seats on short-haul routes highlights an interesting operational strategy driven by demand, fleet optimization, and cost efficiency. While most of these services are concentrated in Asia, the trend shows how airlines strategically deploy high-capacity planes to meet regional needs. As air travel continues to recover globally, such routes may become more common, especially on high-traffic domestic and regional corridors.
