The world's shortest A380 routes

Airbus' A380 is the world's biggest commercial passenger jet, but – despite its size – the aircraft is flown on a handful of routes that may seem surprisingly short.

"Many airlines run the superjumbo on jaunts lasting just a few hours in order to rake in a little extra revenue from the twin-deck jetliner between its more conventional long-distance flights," writes Kinny Cheng of Australian Business Traveller.

In fact, the publication takes a look at some of the world's shortest A380 routes. Here are what Australian Business Traveller says are five of the shortest:

1. Guangzhou-Shanghai (2 hours, 20 minutes)
China Southern flies A380s (photos here) this domestic Chinese route.

2. Bangkok-Hong Kong (2 hours, 40 minutes)
Thai Airways and Emirates each fly A380s on this route within Southeast Asia.

2. Dubai-Jeddah (2 hours, 40 minutes)
Emirates flies A380s on this route between cities on the Arabian Peninsula.

4. Guangzhou-Beijing (3 hours 10 minutes)
Another domestic Chinese route that features China Southern's A380s.

5. Sydney-Auckland (3 hours 20 minutes)
Australian Business Traveller writes this Emirates route is "cleverly designed to press the superjumbo into trans-Tasman service during the long layover between when it reaches Sydney on the overnight flight from Dubai" and before the return flight."