Darwin to Cairns (DRW–CNS) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

DRW Airport Page →
1,040 mi airlines 12/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 4 flights Verified 11h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight Hide codeshares
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
✈ Nonstop
✓
→
QF1889
QF Qant
E90
7:00 AM
ACST
10:00 AM
AEST
2h 30m
—
M T W T F S S
Prices
✓
→
QF1853
QF Qant
E90
1:30 PM
ACST
4:30 PM
AEST
2h 30m
—
M T W T F S S
Prices
✓
←
QF1980
QF Qant
E90
10:45 AM
AEST T2
12:55 PM
ACST
2h 40m
—
M T W T F S S
Prices
✓
←
QF1852
QF Qant
E90
5:15 PM
AEST T2
7:25 PM
ACST
2h 40m
—
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

✦ 1-STOP More options, longer trips
✧ 2-STOP Loading... Reach the hardest destinations
Darwin to Cairns
1 carrier, 12 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 12 Flights/wk 1,040 mi 2h 30m nonstop +0.5h ahead 10 1-stop hubs

DRW–CNS is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. Qantas leads the route. The flight covers 1,040 miles in approximately 2h 30m. Beyond nonstop, 10 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Also explore DRW Routes CNS Routes DRW Live Flights CNS Live Flights
Carriers on this route

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop DRW–CNS service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
QF Qantas 12 E90 2h30 – Oneworld –
Aircraft on this route
E90 Embraer 190 – QF
Alliance coverage
Oneworld: QF (12 flights/wk, 100%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.
Schedule

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, DRW to CNS direction.
Mon
2
flights
Tue
2
flights
Wed
2
flights
Thu
1
flight
Fri
2
flights
Sat
2
flights
Sun
1
flight
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
2
Nonstop flights
12
Outbound / wk
12
Return / wk
Connections

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for DRW to CNS.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
10
Hubs
~9h
Fastest
~22h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
111
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.
Know before you go

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+0.5h
Cairns is 0.5 hours ahead of Darwin.
DRW: ACST · CNS: AEST

When it's 6:00 PM in Darwin, it's 6.5:00 PM in Cairns.
Distance & Flight Time
1,040 mi / 1,674 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 2h 30m.
Facts

DRW–CNS Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Darwin to Cairns route.
Route details
Distance1,040 mi / 1,674 km
Flight time2h 30m
Time difference+0.5 hours
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights12 out / 12 return
1-stop connections10 hubs
Origin: DRW
Full nameDarwin International Airport / RAAF Darwin
IATA / ICAODRW / YPDN
TimezoneAustralia/Darwin
Passengers/yr1.8M
Elevation103 ft / 31 m
Destination: CNS
Full nameCairns International Airport
IATA / ICAOCNS / YBCS
TimezoneAustralia/Brisbane
Passengers/yr5.0M
Elevation10 ft / 3 m
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about DRW to CNS flights.
Nonstop flights from Darwin International Airport / RAAF Darwin to Cairns International Airport take approximately 2h 30m. The route covers 1,040 miles.
1 airline operates nonstop service: Qantas.
There are approximately 12 nonstop flights per week from DRW to CNS. The return direction has about 12 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through PER, DPS, GOV, SYD, ASP, OOL, MEL, ADL, BNE and SIN. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Cairns is 0.5 hours ahead of Darwin.
Yes, return flights from CNS to DRW are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.

Flights from DRW to CNS

Darwin International Airport / RAAF Darwin (DRW) and Cairns International Airport (CNS) are connected by nonstop service from Qantas. With 12 weekly departures, this is a regularly served route.

DRW to CNS Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from DRW to CNS ranges from 2 hours 30 minutes. The route covers a distance of 1,040 miles (1,674 km). There are approximately 12 weekly flights outbound and 12 return, totaling 24 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

10 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 9 hours via PER. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs.