Australia flag Cairns Airport (CNS)

Country Australia | Oceania | Regional Airport | IATA: CNS | ICAO: YBCS | Elevation 10 ft · 3 m | Local time —

Destinations
34
Flights / day
62
Busiest route
Brisbane
Top airline
Jetstar

Cairns Airport averages 62 flights per day to 34 destinations, with 20 domestic routes and eight international routes. A total of 13 airlines operate at CNS, led by Jetstar. This airport provides direct service to seven countries across two continents, with Japan representing its largest international market. The longest nonstop route from Cairns connects to Tokyo, with a typical flight time of 8 hr 5 mins. Updated: September 1, 2026

Route Network

Cairns Airport connects 28 destinations worldwide, with Brisbane standing out as its busiest route. The longest nonstop flight is to Tokyo, and the shortest flight is to Townsville.

Australia flag Brisbane (BNE) – Australia 3 airlines
2 hr 45 mins
864 mi · 1,391 km
13
per day
Australia flag Sydney (SYD) – Australia 3 airlines
3 hr 30 mins
1,226 mi · 1,973 km
9
per day
Australia flag Melbourne (MEL) – Australia 3 airlines
4 hr 0 mins
1,437 mi · 2,313 km
8
per day
Australia flag Townsville (TSV) – Australia 5 airlines
1 hr 15 mins
176 mi · 284 km
6
per day
Australia flag Horn Island (HID) – Australia 1 airline
—
CNS → HID
3
per day
Australia flag Weipa (WEI) – Australia 2 airlines
—
CNS → WEI
3
per day
Australia flag Adelaide (ADL) – Australia 1 airline
3 hr 50 mins
1,325 mi · 2,132 km
2
per day
Papua New Guinea flag Port Moresby (POM) – Papua New Guinea 1 airline
2 hr 5 mins
524 mi · 843 km
2
per day
Australia flag Darwin (DRW) – Australia 1 airline
3 hr 25 mins
1,041 mi · 1,675 km
1
per day
Australia flag Ayers Rock (AYQ) – Australia 1 airline
3 hr 35 mins
1,111 mi · 1,788 km
1
per day
Australia flag Gold Coast (OOL) – Australia 1 airline
2 hr 50 mins
922 mi · 1,484 km
1
per day
Australia flag Nhulunbuy (GOV) – Australia 1 airline
2 hr 40 mins
677 mi · 1,090 km
1
per day
Japan flag Tokyo (NRT) – Japan 1 airline
8 hr 5 mins
3,655 mi · 5,882 km
1
per day
Australia flag Groote Eylandt (GTE) – Australia 1 airline
2 hr 40 mins
651 mi · 1,047 km
1
per day
Singapore flag Singapore (SIN) – Singapore 1 airline
7 hr 20 mins
3,111 mi · 5,007 km
6
per week
Indonesia flag Bali (DPS) – Indonesia 1 airline
5 hr 30 mins
2,133 mi · 3,433 km
5
per week
Australia flag Mt Isa (ISA) – Australia 1 airline
2 hr 15 mins
486 mi · 782 km
5
per week
Japan flag Osaka (KIX) – Japan 1 airline
8 hr 5 mins
3,612 mi · 5,813 km
5
per week
Australia flag Proserpine (PPP) – Australia 1 airline
1 hr 30 mins
309 mi · 498 km
5
per week
Australia flag Alice Springs (ASP) – Australia 1 airline
3 hr 10 mins
904 mi · 1,455 km
5
per week
New Zealand flag Auckland (AKL) – New Zealand 1 airline
5 hr 20 mins
2,249 mi · 3,619 km
4
per week
Australia flag Maroochydore (MCY) – Australia 1 airline
2 hr 40 mins
820 mi · 1,319 km
4
per week
Australia flag Moranbah (MOV) – Australia 2 airlines
1 hr 45 mins
388 mi · 624 km
4
per week
New Zealand flag Christchurch (CHC) – New Zealand 1 airline
5 hr 40 mins
2,415 mi · 3,886 km
3
per week
Fiji flag Nadi (NAN) – Fiji 1 airline
5 hr 0 mins
2,089 mi · 3,361 km
3
per week
Australia flag Perth (PER) – Australia 1 airline
5 hr 30 mins
2,132 mi · 3,432 km
3
per week
Australia flag Kowanyama (KWM) – Australia 1 airline
—
CNS → KWM
2
per week
Australia flag Cloncurry (CNJ) – Australia 1 airline
—
CNS → CNJ
1
per week

Route and destination data updated September 1, 2026.

Cairns Airport is served by 13 airlines, with Jetstar in the lead at 24% of routes. The top three carriers together cover 59% of routes. six carriers operate only one route each. A total of five airlines operate international routes, compared with eight airlines serving domestic routes. Jetstar is operating the longest nonstop flight, connecting to Tokyo with a flight time of 8 hrs 5 mins.

Jetstar (11 routes)
Qantas (9 routes)
Skytrans (7 routes)
Alliance Airlines (6 routes)
Virgin Australia (3 routes)
Rex Regional Express (2 routes)
Airnorth (2 routes)
NC (1 routes)
Air Niugini (1 routes)
Singapore Airlines (1 routes)
Air New Zealand (1 routes)
Fiji Airways (1 routes)
Porter Airlines (1 routes)

Cairns Airport provides direct service to seven countries across two continents. The route network is 71% domestic and 29% international. Japan is the primary international destination.

Australia - 53/day
Papua New Guinea - 2/day
Japan - 2/day
Singapore - 1/day
Indonesia - 1/day
New Zealand - 1/day
Fiji - 0/day

Delays

Worst Delays · Most Punctual · Most Cancellations · Live Delays
Global  Delays
Delay Performance (24 hour average)
Departures
on-time
0 min vs last 24 hours
24h trend
Arrivals
3 min early
2 min (+38.8%) vs last 24 hours
24h trend
Cancelled Departures
0 flights (24 hour total)

Sep 5

2026

01:00 - 02:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
2 min late
Cancelled
0

Sep 5

2026

00:00 - 01:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

23:00 - 00:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
13 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

22:00 - 23:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
13 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

21:00 - 22:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
—
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

20:00 - 21:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

19:00 - 20:00

Departure
—
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

17:00 - 18:00

Departure
—
Arrival
—
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

14:00 - 15:00

Departure
—
Arrival
8 min late
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

13:00 - 14:00

Departure
—
Arrival
8 min late
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

12:00 - 13:00

Departure
—
Arrival
5 min late
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

11:00 - 12:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
6 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

09:00 - 10:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
20 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

08:00 - 09:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
4 min late
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

07:00 - 08:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
5 min late
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

06:00 - 07:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

05:00 - 06:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
2 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

04:00 - 05:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
2 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 4

2026

03:00 - 04:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
4 min early
Cancelled
0
Delay Performance (7 day average)
Departures
on-time
min (-65.9%) vs last week
7d trend
Arrivals
5 min early
1 min (-47%) vs last week
7d trend
Cancelled Departures
4 flights (7 day total)

Sep 4

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
3 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 3

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 2

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
4 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 1

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
3 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 31

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
2 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 30

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
2

Aug 29

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
2
Delay Performance (30 day average)
Departures
1 min late
min (-24%) vs last 30 days
30d trend
Arrivals
3 min early
3 min (-1,430.4%) vs last 30 days
30d trend
Cancelled Departures
20 flights (30 day total)

Sep 4

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
3 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 3

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 2

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
4 min early
Cancelled
0

Sep 1

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
3 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 31

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
2 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 30

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
2

Aug 29

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
2

Aug 28

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 27

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 26

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 25

2026

Departure
3 min late
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0

Aug 24

2026

Departure
2 min late
Arrival
4 min late
Cancelled
0

Aug 23

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
9 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 22

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
4 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 21

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
2 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 20

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
4 min early
Cancelled
6

Aug 19

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
3 min early
Cancelled
4

Aug 18

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 17

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
1 min late
Cancelled
0

Aug 16

2026

Departure
3 min late
Arrival
6 min late
Cancelled
0

Aug 15

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
3 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 14

2026

Departure
2 min late
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0

Aug 13

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
6 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 12

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
3 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 11

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
0

Aug 10

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
3 min late
Cancelled
0

Aug 9

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
2 min late
Cancelled
0

Aug 8

2026

Departure
2 min late
Arrival
1 min early
Cancelled
1

Aug 7

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
4 min early
Cancelled
5

Aug 6

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
4 min early
Cancelled
0

Global Rankings

Worldwide Position

Flights per day

#395 (62 flights/day)
Top 100 Busiest Airports in the World
Worldwide Position

Most destinations

#533 (34 destinations)
Top 100 Airports with Most Destinations

Runways

Runway Length Width Surface
10,528 ft 3,209 m 148 ft 45 m Asphalt
10,528 ft 3,209 m 148 ft 45 m Asphalt
3,035 ft 925 m 60 ft 18 m Closed
3,035 ft 925 m 60 ft 18 m Closed

Runway Length

10 aircraft cannot operate at Cairns Airport due to runway length constraints. The airport’s longest runway is 10,528 ft (3,209 m), which is below the typical takeoff or landing distance required by the aircraft listed here.

Aircraft Takeoff Landing
Boeing 777-300 10,597 ft 3,230 m 5,906 ft 1,800 m
Boeing 747-100 10,650 ft 3,246 m 6,168 ft 1,880 m
Boeing 747-8 VIP / BBJ 10,801 ft 3,292 m 7,001 ft 2,134 m
Boeing 747-8 Freighter 10,801 ft 3,292 m 7,001 ft 2,134 m
Boeing 747-300 10,827 ft 3,300 m 6,919 ft 2,109 m
Boeing 747-400F 10,827 ft 3,300 m 6,890 ft 2,100 m
Boeing 747-400ER 10,892 ft 3,320 m 7,136 ft 2,175 m
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde 11,250 ft 3,429 m 7,218 ft 2,200 m
Antonov An-225 Mriya 11,483 ft 3,500 m 10,827 ft 3,300 m
McDonnell Douglas DC-8-71 11,499 ft 3,505 m 5,909 ft 1,801 m

Operational Context

Cairns (IATA: CNS) operates around 62 flights per day to 34 nonstop destinations. Its network includes 20 domestic and 8 international routes, with Jetstar as the leading carrier and Brisbane currently the busiest connection. From CNS, passengers can reach 7 countries across 2 continents, and the longest runway measures 3,209 m (10,528 ft).

Miscellaneous