Skip to content
Vincony — fast, managed web hosting for your next site
The Pilots Desk
Large airportScheduled service

Cairns International Airport

IATA CNSICAO YBCS🇦🇺 Cairns
Coordinates
16.8789°S, 145.7495°E
Elevation
10 ft (3 m)
Type
Large airport
Region
AU-QLD
Time zone
Brisbane(UTC+10:00)
Magnetic variation
6.5° E

Daylight today(Jul 14, 2026, local time)

Civil dawn
06:24
Sunrise
06:47
Sunset
17:59
Civil dusk
18:23

About 11h 12m of daylight. Civil twilight (dawn/dusk) approximates the FAA definition of night for logging and currency. Times are computed and approximate — verify with official sources.

About Cairns International Airport

Cairns International Airport

Cairns Airport is an international airport in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Formerly operated by the Cairns Port Authority, the airport was sold by the Queensland Government in December 2008 to a private consortium. It is the seventh busiest airport in Australia. The airport is located 2.3 nautical miles north northwest of Cairns or 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north of the Cairns central business district, in the suburb of Aeroglen. The airport lies between Mount Whitfield to the west and Trinity Bay to the east.

Summary from Wikipedia, photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.

Live weather

YBCS

Live departures & arrivals

Loading live flights…

Flight data by AeroDataBox. Times are estimates — not for navigation; confirm with the airline.

Where you can fly from here

Loading current routes…

Current scheduled routes & daily frequency by AeroDataBox. Approximate — confirm bookable schedules with the airline.

Map

Runway centrelines, navaids and overlapping airspace. Tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Reference only — not for navigation.

Runways (2)

RunwayLengthWidthSurfaceLightingStatus
15 / 3310,489 ft / 3,197 m148 ftAspLightedOpen
12 / 303,035 ft / 925 m60 ftAspUnlitClosed

Radio frequencies (5)

TypeDescriptionFrequency
A/DAPP/DEP118.400 MHz
ATISATIS113.000 MHz
CLDCLNC DEL121.700 MHz
GNDGND121.700 MHz
TWRTWR124.900 MHz

Services & operations

Services
ParkingCar hireLoungeCurrency Exchange

Cairns Airport offers various passenger services and transport options.

From the airport’s official website — details may change, so confirm with the airport. Official site

Navaids(2)

Airlines & destinations

Nonstop destinations (30)

Route data from OpenFlights — historical and may be out of date. Check current schedules.

Airspace in this area(14)

NameClassTypeFloorCeiling
BRISBANE FIR CTA A1Class ACTAFL180FL245
BRISBANE FIR CTA A2Class ACTAFL245FL600
MELBOURNE FIR CTA A2Class ACTAFL245FL600
CAIRNS CONTROL ZONE (C)Class CCTRGND1500 ft MSL
CAIRNS CTA C6Class CCTA5500 ft MSL6500 ft MSL
CAIRNS CTA C5Class CCTA4500 ft MSL5500 ft MSL
CAIRNS CTA C4Class CCTA3500 ft MSL4500 ft MSL
CAIRNS CTA C3Class CCTA2500 ft MSL3500 ft MSL
CAIRNS CTA C2Class CCTA1500 ft MSL2500 ft MSL
CAIRNS CTA C9Class CCTAFL125FL180
CAIRNS CTA C7Class CCTA6500 ft MSL8500 ft MSL
CAIRNS CTA C8Class CCTA8500 ft MSLFL125
EAST COAST CTA E2Class EControlled8500 ft MSLFL125
BRISBANE EFREQUENCYClass EControlled8500 ft MSLFL180

Approximate bounding-box match from OpenAIP · all Australia airspace. Reference only — consult official charts for exact boundaries and status.

Nearby airports

Great-circle distance and true bearing from Cairns International Airport.

Official site Wikipedia Live ATC audio Live tracking (FR24) Open in Maps
🇦🇺 More airports in Australia📘 Flying in Australia: a pilot's guide

Frequently asked questions

What is the ICAO code for Cairns International Airport?

The ICAO code for Cairns International Airport is YBCS, and its IATA code is CNS.

Where is Cairns International Airport located?

Cairns International Airport is large airport located in Cairns, Australia, at an elevation of 10 ft (3 m).

How many runways does Cairns International Airport have?

Cairns International Airport has 2 runways, the longest being 10,489 ft / 3,197 m.

Which airlines fly to Cairns International Airport?

Airlines historically serving Cairns International Airport include Aero Condor Peru, Aero-Service, Air New Zealand, Air Niugini, American Airlines, British Airways, among 16 carriers (based on OpenFlights route data, which may be out of date).

How many destinations are served from Cairns International Airport?

Historical data lists 30 nonstop destinations from Cairns International Airport. Always check current schedules.

What time zone is Cairns International Airport in?

Cairns International Airport is in the Australia/Brisbane time zone (UTC+10:00).

What is the magnetic variation at Cairns International Airport?

The magnetic variation (declination) at Cairns International Airport is approximately 6.5° E, per the World Magnetic Model. Variation changes slowly over time — always use the current value charted for navigation.

What airports are near Cairns International Airport?

The nearest airport to Cairns International Airport is Koah Airport (AU-0297), about 13.5 nm to the wnw, followed by Mareeba Airport and Yalkulka Airport.

Is the information on this page suitable for flight planning?

No. Cairns International Airport data here is for reference and training only — not for navigation. Always consult official sources and current charts before any flight.