Australia flag Cairns Airport (CNS)

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

Destinations
36
Flights / day
70
Busiest route
Brisbane
Top airline
Jetstar

Cairns Airport averages 70 flights per day to 36 destinations, with 20 domestic routes and eight international routes. A total of 14 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: July 16, 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
15
per day
Australia flag Sydney (SYD) – Australia 3 airlines
3 hr 30 mins
1,226 mi · 1,973 km
11
per day
Australia flag Melbourne (MEL) – Australia 3 airlines
4 hr 0 mins
1,437 mi · 2,313 km
11
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
2
per day
Australia flag Adelaide (ADL) – Australia 2 airlines
3 hr 50 mins
1,325 mi · 2,132 km
2
per day
Australia flag Darwin (DRW) – Australia 1 airline
3 hr 25 mins
1,041 mi · 1,675 km
2
per day
Australia flag Gold Coast (OOL) – Australia 1 airline
2 hr 50 mins
922 mi · 1,484 km
2
per day
Papua New Guinea flag Port Moresby (POM) – Papua New Guinea 1 airline
2 hr 5 mins
524 mi · 843 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
Japan flag Tokyo (NRT) – Japan 1 airline
8 hr 5 mins
3,655 mi · 5,882 km
1
per day
Australia flag Nhulunbuy (GOV) – Australia 1 airline
2 hr 40 mins
677 mi · 1,090 km
1
per day
New Zealand flag Auckland (AKL) – New Zealand 1 airline
—
CNS → AKL
6
per week
Australia flag Groote Eylandt (GTE) – Australia 1 airline
2 hr 40 mins
651 mi · 1,047 km
6
per week
Singapore flag Singapore (SIN) – Singapore 1 airline
7 hr 20 mins
3,111 mi · 5,007 km
6
per week
Australia flag Moranbah (MOV) – Australia 2 airlines
1 hr 45 mins
388 mi · 624 km
5
per week
Indonesia flag Bali (DPS) – Indonesia 1 airline
5 hr 30 mins
2,133 mi · 3,433 km
5
per week
Australia flag Maroochydore (MCY) – Australia 1 airline
2 hr 40 mins
820 mi · 1,319 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
Australia flag Perth (PER) – Australia 1 airline
5 hr 30 mins
2,132 mi · 3,432 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 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 July 16, 2026.

Cairns Airport is served by 14 airlines, with Jetstar in the lead at 22% of routes. The top three carriers together cover 55% of routes. seven 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 (4 routes)
Airnorth (3 routes)
Rex Regional Express (2 routes)
NC (1 routes)
Air Niugini (1 routes)
Air New Zealand (1 routes)
Singapore Airlines (1 routes)
Fiji Airways (1 routes)
IU (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 - 61/day
Japan - 2/day
Papua New Guinea - 1/day
New Zealand - 1/day
Singapore - 1/day
Indonesia - 1/day
Fiji - 0/day

Delays

Worst Delays · Most Punctual · Most Cancellations · Live Delays
Global  Delays
Delay Performance (24 hour average)
Departures
on-time
min vs last 24 hours
24h trend
Arrivals
2 min late
1 min (+128%) vs last 24 hours
24h trend
Cancelled Departures
2 flights (24 hour total)

Jul 20

2026

14:00 - 15:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
8 min late
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

12:00 - 13:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
20 min late
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

11:00 - 12:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
3 min late
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

10:00 - 11:00

Departure
20 min late
Arrival
3 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

09:00 - 10:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
6 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

08:00 - 09:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
8 min late
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

07:00 - 08:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
3 min late
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

06:00 - 07:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

05:00 - 06:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
9 min late
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

04:00 - 05:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
1 min late
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

03:00 - 04:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

02:00 - 03:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
1 min late
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

01:00 - 02:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
4 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 20

2026

00:00 - 01:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
4 min late
Cancelled
0

Jul 19

2026

23:00 - 00:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min late
Cancelled
1

Jul 19

2026

22:00 - 23:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
6 min early
Cancelled
1

Jul 19

2026

21:00 - 22:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
—
Cancelled
0

Jul 19

2026

20:00 - 21:00

Departure
on-time
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0

Jul 19

2026

19:00 - 20:00

Departure
—
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 19

2026

18:00 - 19:00

Departure
—
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0
Delay Performance (7 day average)
Departures
1 min late
1 min (-53.1%) vs last week
7d trend
Arrivals
3 min early
6 min (-236.4%) vs last week
7d trend
Cancelled Departures
6 flights (7 day total)

Jul 19

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
2

Jul 18

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
9 min early
Cancelled
2

Jul 17

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 16

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
2 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 15

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
1 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 14

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 13

2026

Departure
2 min late
Arrival
3 min late
Cancelled
2
Delay Performance (30 day average)
Departures
1 min late
min (+13.9%) vs last 30 days
30d trend
Arrivals
on-time
2 min (+95.1%) vs last 30 days
30d trend
Cancelled Departures
40 flights (30 day total)

Jul 19

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
2

Jul 18

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
9 min early
Cancelled
2

Jul 17

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 16

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
2 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 15

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
1 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 14

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
0

Jul 13

2026

Departure
2 min late
Arrival
3 min late
Cancelled
2

Jul 12

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
4

Jul 11

2026

Departure
2 min late
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0

Jul 10

2026

Departure
2 min late
Arrival
3 min late
Cancelled
1

Jul 9

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
7 min late
Cancelled
5

Jul 8

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
6 min late
Cancelled
0

Jul 4

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0

Jul 3

2026

Departure
2 min late
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
6

Jul 2

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
on-time
Cancelled
0

Jul 1

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
3 min early
Cancelled
4

Jun 30

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
5 min late
Cancelled
4

Jun 29

2026

Departure
3 min late
Arrival
8 min late
Cancelled
1

Jun 28

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
1 min early
Cancelled
0

Jun 27

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
5 min early
Cancelled
3

Jun 26

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
2 min late
Cancelled
0

Jun 25

2026

Departure
4 min late
Arrival
6 min late
Cancelled
0

Jun 24

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
4 min early
Cancelled
0

Jun 23

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
7 min early
Cancelled
2

Jun 22

2026

Departure
on-time
Arrival
2 min early
Cancelled
2

Jun 21

2026

Departure
1 min late
Arrival
3 min late
Cancelled
2

Jun 20

2026

Departure
4 min late
Arrival
9 min late
Cancelled
0

Global Rankings

Worldwide Position

Flights per day

#370 (70 flights/day)
Top 100 Busiest Airports in the World
Worldwide Position

Most destinations

#523 (36 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 70 flights per day to 36 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