The 8 Rarest Airbus A320 Routes In The World

The Airbus A320 is by far the most popular selling aircraft type worldwide. With more than 12,000 deliveries recorded, this single-aisle, narrow-body jetliner is known for its versatility, with one of the widest single-aisle cabins in the sky. This aircraft family comprises the Airbus A319, A320, and A321, which are operated by airlines around the world. However, have you ever flown on the A320’s rarest flights?

This analysis will look into the A320’s unique flights, which are scheduled to operate just once this year. These are a far cry from the world’s largest operators of the A320, such as American Airlines, China Eastern, IndiGo, easyJet, and China Southern, who all have in excess of 340 A320s. These flights below, as per data from Cirium, an online aviation analytics company, may be on airlines you’ve never heard of, and destinations that are off the beaten track.

8

Berlin Brandenburg To Hurghada

2,030 miles (3,248 km)

Connecting the German capital, Berlin, and the Egyptian city of Hurghada is this once yearly direct service between Berlin Brandenburg Airport and Hurghada International Airport. Operated by Avion Express Malta, the flight covers a distance of 2,030 miles (3,266 km), taking four hours and 35 minutes southbound, or four hours and 50 minutes on the return.

With just one scheduled flight by the airline this year in each direction, the Airbus A320 will offer a total of 151 seats each way, representing a total available seat miles (ASMs) of 306,530. The operator, Avion Express Malta, is a subsidiary of Avion Express, an ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) provider that utilizes its fleet of A320 aircraft for charters. The airline is positioned to provide short- and long-term wet lease solutions.

Hurghada is a popular tourist destination due to its proximity to the Red Sea, and visitors can enjoy family-friendly facilities like the Makadi Water World or Jungle Aqua Park. Other cultural attractions include the El Dahar Bazaar and the Hurghada Museum.

7

Cluj Avram Iancu To Hurghada

1,460 miles (2,336 km)

Another rare service is Avion Express Malta’s single service between Avram Iancu Cluj International Airport (CLJ) in Western Romania and Egypt’s second busiest airport, Hurghada. This flight covers a distance of 1,460 miles (2,349 km) with an approximate flight time of three hours and 40 minutes direct in either direction. Operated by the carrier’s Airbus A320, it provides 151 seats onboard, resulting in a total available seat miles (ASMs) of 220,460.

Cluj-Napoca is the second most populous city in Romania, located halfway between the country’s capital of Bucharest and the neighboring countries’ capitals of Budapest (Hungary) and Belgrade (Serbia). Its airport, CLJ, is the second busiest in Romania, and is named after the Romanian revolutionary Avram Iancu.

Many year-round operators serve CLJ, including Animawings, HiSky, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, Pegasus Airlines, Ryanair, Swiss International, TAROM, Turkish Airlines, and Wizz Air (the airport’s largest operator with services across Europe). Other seasonal operators include Corendon Airlines, Sky Express, and SkyUp.

6

Tel Aviv Ben Gurion To Košice

1,351 miles (2,161 km)

FLYYO, a Romanian charter and ACMI operator, operates a fleet of three Airbus A320s, leased from Air Lease Corporation. The airline focuses on services to and from Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), to destinations across Europe through a yearly charter contract with local Israeli tour operators.

One of the carrier’s rarest flights is the once-a-year service between Tel Aviv and the eastern Slovakian city of Košice. This city is famous for its UNESCO-protected Primeval Beech Forests and, in 2008, became the European Capital of Culture. The city is known as the ‘Tuscany of the East’.

Košice is hugely popular in the winter, due to its proximity to up to 15 miles (24 km) of ski slopes at many of the country’s best ski resorts. This sees a flurry of international visitors across the winter, with airlines from across Europe offering charter services to the airport.

5

Kaunus To Athens Eleftherios Venizelos

1,172 miles (1,875 km)

FLYYO is also set to fly just one flight on the Airbus A320 between Kaunas, Lithuania, and the Greek capital of Athens. The service, which covers a total distance of 1,172 miles (1,875 km), caters to up to 151 passengers on board, resulting in 176,972 ASMs.

Kaunus Airport (KUN) is located in the center of the country, and is the nation’s second busiest airport (after Vilnius International Airport (VNO)). It is located 8.7 miles (14 km) from the city of Kaunas, and 62 miles (100 km) from Vilnius. The airport is the second busiest in Lithuania, and fourth busiest in the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania).

Ryanair is the largest operator at Kaunus, having established a hub there, providing ultra-low-cost flights to destinations across Europe. Additional year-round services are offered by airBaltic (Riga) and Wizz Air (London Luton). While seasonal charters are added by FLYYO, Freebird Airlines, and SkyUp.

4

Kraków Aéroport international Jean-Paul II de Cracovie-Balice To Tel Aviv Ben Gurion

1,469 miles (2,350 km)

Romanian carrier, FLYYO, has also scheduled a single flight between John Paul II International Airport Kraków-Balice Airport and Tel Aviv. The service, which covers a total distance of 1,469 miles (2,350 km), has a scheduled flight time of three hours and 35 minutes southbound, and three hours and 45 minutes on the return.

The airline, FLYYO, also known as FLYYO by Aerro Direkt S.R.L., was first founded in 2001, and inaugurated charter and ACMI flights in April 2024. The airline is headed by Ziv Mayberg, its Chief Executive Officer, and its headquarters are located near Romania’s largest airport, Bucharest Otopeni (OTP).

Kraków Airport is located in the village of Balice, which is around 6.8 miles (11 km) from Kraków. The airport is a focus city for Buzz, LOT Polish Airlines, and Wizz Air; however, it also sees operations from most major European carriers. Kraków is a city that is rich in history and culture. Key attractions include the Wawel Castle, Market Square, Kazimierz, Wieliczka Salt Mine, and Auschwitz-Birkenau.

3

Ilan and Asaf Ramon To Paris Charles de Gaulle

2,161 miles (3,457 km)

FLYYO will connect Israel’s second busiest airport, Ilan and Asaf Ramon International Airport (ETM), also known as Eilat Ramon Airport, and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). The charter service shuttles passengers directly from the French capital, to the Timna Valley in southern Israel.

The unique service by FLYYO will cover a distance of 2,161 miles (3,457 km), with an approximate flight time of four hours and 30 minutes, or five hours and 30 minutes on the return. The flight is operated by the airline’s Airbus A320, with 151 seats onboard, equating to 326,311 available seat miles.

Ramon Airport has just one runway, 01/19, measuring 11,811 feet (3,600 m), and welcomes operators for year-round domestic operations from Haifa and Tel Aviv. International flights are usually operated on a charter basis only, as Ryanair exited the airport following the conflict between Palestine and Israel in 2023. Red Wings Airlines, a Russian carrier, will launch direct services to the airport from Moscow Zhukovsky on October 26.

2

Chengdu Tianfu to Chiang Mai

864 miles (1,382 km)

A direct flight between Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) and Thailand’s Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) will operate just once in 2025. The service, which covers a total distance of 864 miles (1,382 km), is provided by the airline Airbus A320, with a smaller configuration than many, with just 138 seats. This represents a total of 77,832 available seat miles.

Chang Mai is a popular Asian tourist destination, due to its rich culture and iconic ancient temples. Many Chinese carriers operate at the airport year-round; however, the Airbus A320 of Sichuan Airlines is scheduled to visit just once. Other Chinese carriers present at Chang Mai include Air China, Chengdu Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, and Ruili Airlines.

CNX (Chang Mai International Airport) is the fourth busiest airport in Thailand, and is a major gateway to the north of the country. The airport is managed by Airports of Thailand and is an operating base for Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, and Thai AirAsia.

1

Chengdu Shuangliu to Pu’er Simao

564 miles (902 km)

Sichuan Airlines has scheduled just a single service in 2025 between Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) and Pu’er Simao Airport (SYM). Pu’er Simao is a city in China’s Yunnan province, and is a historic center for the production of Pu’er tea. The region is famous as a major trading hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road.

In 2026, Sichuan Airlines will operate the 564-mile (902 km) journey, with 163 available seats onboard. This represents a total available seat miles (ASM) of 91,932.

Pu’er Simao Airport is a relatively small airport in Chinese terms, with a runway 18/36 length of 8,104 feet (2,470 m). It has just two year-round scheduled operators, which include Colorful Guizhou Airlines (Chendu Tianfu) and Tibet Airlines (Changsha, Chongqing, Xi’an, and Zhaotong).