What is a flag carrier? Well, there is no official definition, but it generally means that this particular airline is the most representative of its country along with the most international routes out of said country. For example, Air France is France's flag carrier, Lufthansa is Germany's flag carrier, and British Airways is the United Kingdom's flag carrier. There are many flag carriers across the world, but some are so small you may have never even heard of them. Here are the 10 smallest flag carriers globally based on fleet size, aircraft types, and routes served.

10: Air Albania - Fleet Size 3

Serving as the flag carrier of Albania, they run an all-Airbus fleet with one A319 and two A320s. Founded in 2018, Turkish Airways actually owns a 49% stake in the airline. They serve 5 routes from their small hub in Tirana.

9: Air Burkina - Fleet Size 3

Flying since 1967, Air Burkina has been serving the landlocked country of Burkina and providing routes to surrounding African countries. They currently operate two E195s and one E175, all made by Embraer.

8: Surinam Airways - Fleet Size 3

Founded in 1953, this is one of the few carriers on this list that can be seen in the United States, with service from the country's capital in Paramaribo to Miami a few times weekly. They operate two Boeing 737-800s for their U.S. and South America services, along with a leased A340-600 for transatlantic service to Amsterdam.

7: Air Marshall Islands - Fleet Size 3

With one Bombardier Dash 8 and two Dornier 228s, the flag carrier of the Marshall Islands is approaching its 45th year as a carrier, having been founded in 1980. Offering daily service from Majuro to the surrounding islands, they are a vital lifeline for the country. 

6: Sudan Airways - Fleet Size 2

Currently operating one Boeing 737 and one A320, the flag carrier of Sudan has been around since 1946. However, their troubled past with two fatal accidents in the 2000s resulted in them being grounded by their own government. Additionally, in 2010, the airline was banned from flying to the European Union. 

5: BermudAir - Fleet Size 2

Another one that can be seen in the U.S., Bermud Air is a new carrier and has given Bermuda its own flag carrier for the first time in a while. Operating two Embraer E170s, BermudAir serves east coast destinations such as Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, New York, and Boston.

4: Czech Airlines - Fleet Size 2

Originally, I was going to keep this one out considering they stopped flying a week before this article was written, but since their aircraft are still flying under the Czech Airlines branding (albeit under a parent company), I kept them in here. The 1923 airline now owned by parent company Smartwings, has two Airbus A320s under the brand. They have 4 A220s that are supposedly planned to be delivered to the brand, but now it seems those orders might not get fulfilled.  

3: Cabo Verde Airlines - Fleet Size 2

Founded in 1958 as TACV, Cabo Verde Airlines assumed its current name in 2018. Formerly operating Boeing 757s, they now fly one Boeing 737-700 and one Boeing 737 MAX 8. They fly to destinations across America, Europe and Africa from their hub on the island nation about 385 miles off the west coast of Africa. 

2: Aruba Airlines - Fleet Size 1

This one is a bit tricky to pinpoint the full extent of their operations, but they currently only have 1 aircraft in the fleet, and it is operated by Global Crossing Airlines. They have suspended all routes except Miami, and it's possible this won't be around for much longer as well. 

1: Fly Arna - Fleet Size 1

This airline isn't even flying at the moment due to "operational revisions", but the flag carrier of Armenia only has 1 jet in their fleet, a singular A320. Their listed destinations include Iran and Russia and have been a carrier since 2021. 

Summary

Most countries across the world have their own flag carrier, and with some countries being as small as they are, it makes some sense that the airline is of similar proportions in its operations. However, these small operations can be a hotspot for aviation enthusiasts. 

Flying on one of these small airlines can be a popular travel trip, as the fleets of these flag carriers can be extremely enticing thanks to them having aircraft that are generally older and harder to find at the big global airlines of the world. Regardless, walking away from this read you now have some new knowledge on the world of flag carriers and just how small some of them are.