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Cairns Airport (CNS) arrivals and departures Arrivals and Departures

Airline
Flight code
Arrival time
Origin
Status
Terminal and gate

Good to know

Distance to Palm Cove17.7km
Distance to Cairns4.1km
Most popular destinationLahore

About Cairns Airport

  • Located in Queensland, Cairns Airport is a main airport for people travelling to and from Cairns.

  • The airport is also used by passengers heading to or from nearby Mareeba and Edmonton, making it a major gateway for the wider region.

  • Departing from Cairns and need help deciding where to go? Flights from Cairns Airport can take you direct to sought-after destinations like these:

    • Brisbane

    • Sydney

    • Melbourne

    • Townsville

    • Cooktown

  • July, August, and September are the busiest months at Cairns Airport. These are dry season months in Far North Queensland, drawing visitors to the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree, and the Atherton Tablelands. Clear skies and low humidity make this the most popular window for outdoor and reef-based travel.

  • February, March, and November see the fewest arrivals at Cairns Airport. February and March fall deep in the wet season, when heavy rainfall and high humidity soften demand. November sits at the edge of the wet season's return, and visitor numbers tend to ease as conditions become less predictable.

How to get from Cairns Airport to Cairns

  • Buses can take you from the airport to central Cairns. Get on the Sunbus Route 110 and travel to a hub like Cairns City Bus Station in about 20 minutes.

  • For a door-to-door option, book a rideshare service from Cairns Airport with Uber.

  • Cairns Taxis is a reliable taxi option for travelling around Cairns.

  • How long it takes to drive from Cairns Airport to Cairns depends on traffic, but on average it's around 10 minutes.

  • Cairns Airport sits close to the city centre, so taxis and rideshare services are the most common way to get there. A number of shuttle services also operate from the airport and can drop you directly at your hotel.

How to get to Cairns Airport from Cairns

  • You can get to the airport by bus from the city. Give yourself roughly 20 minutes if you travel on the Sunbus Route 110 from a major stop like Cairns City Bus Station.

  • Driving from the centre of Cairns to the airport takes about 10 minutes.

  • The most common way to get to Cairns Airport from the city is by taxi or rideshare, both of which pick up from central Cairns. Public buses also connect the city to the airport, with routes running through the CBD.

Cairns Airport facilities

  • Cairns Airport is spread across two terminals.

  • If your stomach is rumbling before your flight, take advantage of the cafes and coffee shops and fast food. You'll also find grab-and-go options and sit-down restaurants.

  • You can browse the shops before your boarding call. Explore the convenience stores, duty-free outlets, fashion and accessories, and souvenirs and gifts if you're in the mood to spend.

  • Made it to the airport with time on your side? You may be able to use an airport lounge for a comfier wait. Airport lounges and Business and first class lounges are available at Cairns Airport.

  • Parking at Cairns Airport gives you a few practical choices, including:

    • Long stay

    • Pick-up/drop-off

    • Short stay

Where to stay near Cairns Airport

  • Koala Beach Resort Cairns works well when your flight to Cairns Airport arrives late or departs early. It's around 5 kilometres away and includes a golf course, luggage storage, and internet access.

  • Roughly 5 kilometres from the airport, Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort is another nearby option. A games room, express check-out, and a safe deposit box are among the amenities here.

  • Heritage Cairns also helps keep transfers short and simple. It's about 5 kilometres away and includes a safe deposit box, air conditioning, a spa, and more.

Car rental options near Cairns Airport

Cairns Airport FAQs

Yes, Jetstar operates to and from both Cairns Airport Arrivals and Departures.

Yes, Virgin Australia operates to and from both Cairns Airport Arrivals and Departures.

Yes, Singapore Airlines operates to and from both Cairns Airport Arrivals and Departures.

Currently, there don’t seem to be any car hire pick-up points near to Cairns Airport’s Arrivals or Departures.

For international arrivals, it usually takes around an hour to clear Cairns Airport’s passport control and claim your baggage if you checked any in. Domestic arrivals to Cairns Airport don’t need to pass through passport control, so take a little less time.

If you’re heading to Cairns Airport arrivals to pick up a family member or friend, consider arriving half an hour after their flight is due to touch down.

We recommend you leave at least two and a half hours between your inbound and outbound flights, especially if you are self-transferring on an international flight. When you self-transfer, you may need to clear customs, claim any luggage and then check it back on to your next flight yourself. Take into account that you might need to change terminals, or it could take longer than necessary to navigate Cairns Airport’s departure lounge.

Heritage Cairns is the highest-rated hotel near Cairns Airport, just 4.3km away. Other great hotels nearby include Cairns Harbourside Hotel (3.3km from the airport), and Alivio Hotel Cairns (4.2km away).

Check-in and bag drop often close an hour before your scheduled departure time for domestic flights, and sometimes an hour and a half before for longer-haul international flights. As a rule of thumb, you should try to arrive at Cairns Airport two hours before you fly but check with the airline you’re flying with.

Don’t worry if there’s no information available on our live flight tracker. We try our best to pull it directly from each airline but sometimes this might not work properly. Try contacting the airline directly, or checking their website to see if you can get an update.

Don’t panic! If you are not already at Cairns Airport, try contacting the airline directly to see if you can get on the next flight out, or a refund.

If you’re already inside Cairns Airport Departures when you find out, head to the airline’s desk to speak directly with someone.

If there are no more flights to your destination with the same airline and you really need to get there soon, we recommend searching for a new flight with Skyscanner and booking as soon as possible. You can then try to claim a refund for the original cancelled flight.

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