Brisbane to Cairns (BNE–CNS) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
No flights match your filters.
No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
Most recently operated nonstop flights — the month shown is when each was last scheduled. Most destinations remain reachable with a connection.
No discontinued nonstop flights on record for this route.
BNE–CNS is served by 3 airlines with nonstop service. Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar lead the route. The flight covers 865 miles in approximately 2h 30m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QF Qantas Also: CX, CZ, EK, FJ, MU, NZ | 64 | 223, 320, 32Q, 73H, E90 | 2h14-2h30 | – | Oneworld | CX, CZ, EK, FJ, MU, NZ |
| VA Virgin Australia Also: AC, CZ, QR, SQ | 34 | 73H, 73W, 7M8 | 2h30 | – | – | AC, CZ, QR, SQ |
| JQ Jetstar Also: 6E | 23 | 320 | 2h20-2h30 | – | – | 6E |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
Other ways to reach Cairns from Brisbane
| Metric | BNE→CNS | MCY→CNS | OOL→CNS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from BNE | – | 55 mi | 59 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Weekly flights | 247 | 4 | 26 |
| Flight time | 2h 30m | 2h 24m | 2h 30m |
Travel Essentials
BNE: AEST · CNS: AEST
When it's 6:00 PM in Brisbane, it's 6:00 PM in Cairns.
The Airtrain runs from Brisbane CBD stations (Central, Roma Street, Fortitude Valley, South Brisbane) to the Domestic and International terminals in 20 minutes. Walk-up fare is AUD 22.30 from city stations. Pre-booking online drops the price to AUD 10.95-18.96. Two adults traveling together pay AUD 32 total, and kids under 14 ride free with a paying adult. Services run every 15 minutes during peak and every 30 minutes off-peak, from 05:04 to 22:04 weekdays (06:04 weekends).
Uber and Didi from the CBD cost AUD 25-45 plus a AUD 4.86 airport access fee. The ride takes 20 minutes outside peak. Standard taxis are more expensive at AUD 55-80 plus the same airport fee. If you are south of the river (South Bank, West End), take the Airtrain from South Brisbane station. Gold Coast passengers connect via Helensvale station.
BNE–CNS Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Flights from BNE to CNS
Brisbane International Airport (BNE) and Cairns International Airport (CNS) are connected by nonstop service from Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar. With 247 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.
BNE to CNS Flight Duration and Schedule
Nonstop flight time from BNE to CNS is about 2 hours 30 minutes gate to gate. The route covers a distance of 865 miles (1,392 km). There are approximately 247 weekly flights outbound and 272 return, totaling 519 flights per week in both directions.
Connecting Options and Alternatives
1-stop connecting options are also available, commonly via Townsville, Sydney Kingsford Smith and Proserpine Whitsunday Coast. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Maroochydore (MCY) and Gold Coast (OOL).