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Route

Cairns → Brisbane

CNSCairnsCairns International Airport
BNEBrisbaneBrisbane International Airport
Distance
865 mi
Estimated flight time
~2h 15m

Same local time in Cairns and Brisbane.

Observed nonstop

View the reverse route

How often does this route fly?

Frequency

A couple of times a day

On average around 2 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.

2
flights per day
2.5
busiest month · Oct
1
quietest month · Aug
1 hr 56 min
measured flight time
4 / 12
months seen

Through the year

Per day, month by month

  1. –Jan2026
  2. –Feb
  3. –Mar
  4. –Apr
  5. –May
  6. –Jun
  7. –Jul
  8. 1Aug
  9. 2Sep
  10. 2.5Oct2025
  11. 2Nov
  12. –Dec

In February 2026 we saw less traffic at Cairns in general than usual; compare that month with care.

Airlines

Who flies it

Virgin Australianow and then
Qantasnow and then
Jetstar Airwaysnow and then

Through the day

Departure times

Local time in Cairns. Most departures between 17:00 and 20:00.

  1. 00:00
  2. 01:00
  3. 02:00
  4. 03:00
  5. 04:00
  6. 05:00
  7. 06:00
  8. 07:00
  9. 08:00
  10. 09:00
  11. 10:00
  12. 11:00
  13. 12:00
  14. 13:00
  15. 14:00
  16. 15:00
  17. 16:00
  18. 17:00
  19. 18:00
  20. 19:00
  21. 20:00
  22. 21:00
  23. 22:00
  24. 23:00

Through the week

By weekday

  1. 0Mon
  2. 0Tue
  3. 0.2Wed
  4. 0.1Thu
  5. 0Fri
  6. 0Sat
  7. 0.1Sun

Fleet

Aircraft observed

  1. Boeing 737-800B73821%
  2. Embraer 190E19021%
  3. Airbus A320A32013%
  4. Airbus A321A32113%
All the numbers in a table
MonthPer daySeenAirlines
January 2026Not seen in this month.
February 2026Not seen in this month.
March 2026Not seen in this month.
April 2026Not seen in this month.
May 2026Not seen in this month.
June 2026Not seen in this month.
July 2026Not seen in this month.
August 202613
  • Qantas2×
  • Virgin Australia1×
September 202622–
    October 20252.517
    • Virgin Australia5×
    • Jetstar Airways4×
    • Qantas3×
    November 202522–
      December 2025Not seen in this month.

      Airlines observed on this route

      From observed callsign routes on CNS-BNE - not a booking guarantee.

      Jetstar Airways

      JQ · JST

      Hub: MEL Melbourne

      35 departure airportsView airline →

      Qantas

      QF · QFA

      Hub: SYD Sydney

      58 departure airportsView airline →

      Qantas

      QF · QFA

      Hub: SYD Sydney

      58 departure airportsView airline →

      Virgin Australia

      VA · VOZ

      Hub: BNE Brisbane

      29 departure airportsView airline →

      About this route

      • Domestic route: both airports are in the same country.
      • The opposite direction has also been observed as a direct connection.
      • Direct destinations observed from Cairns: 4.
      • Direct destinations observed from Brisbane: 40.

      The airports on this route

      Cairns International Airport

      Cairns, AustraliaCNS / YBCS

      Major airport · 4 direct destinations · 1 runway · longest runway 10,489 ft

      72 °F · RainSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center

      Airport pageAll direct destinations

      Brisbane International Airport

      Brisbane, AustraliaBNE / YBBN

      Major airport · 40 direct destinations · 2 runways · longest runway 11,680 ft

      63 °F · RainSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center

      Airport pageAll direct destinations

      About the route from Cairns to Brisbane

      The observed direct connection between Cairns International Airport (CNS) and Brisbane International Airport (BNE) covers approximately 865 mi. The estimated flight time is around 2h 15m. Jetstar Airways, Qantas, Qantas and Virgin Australia have been observed on this connection in the available route data.

      Frequently asked questions about this route

      How far is Cairns from Brisbane by air?
      The great-circle distance between Cairns International Airport and Brisbane International Airport is approximately 865 mi.
      How long is the flight from Cairns to Brisbane?
      Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 2h 15m. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
      Is there a direct connection from Cairns to Brisbane?
      Yes, a direct connection between CNS and BNE has been observed in our route data.
      Which airlines have been observed on this route?
      In the available route data: Jetstar Airways, Qantas, Qantas and Virgin Australia.
      How often is there a flight from Cairns to Brisbane?
      On average around 2 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 24 observed flights. Mainly Virgin Australia, Qantas, Jetstar Airways. That is an observation, not a timetable.
      What is the current time difference between Cairns and Brisbane?
      Same local time in Cairns and Brisbane.

      Where this data comes from

      The route data comes from the flight archive (ADS-B, adsb.lol): which connections actually flew over the last twelve full months and who flew them, combined with our own airport, runway, and airline datasets. It is reference data about observed routes - not a current timetable and no claim about bookability.

      The frequency and aircraft on this page come from the flight archive (ADS-B, 12 months, October 2025 to September 2026), summarized per route per month. We do not see every flight, so it is a floor, not a count.

      Route data updated on October 11, 2026.