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Home Airports Queensland Cairns Airport (CNS)

Cairns Airport (CNS) · Domestic & International · Gateway to the Reef

Cairns Airport
transfers from $45.

Private door-to-door transfers from Cairns Airport to the CBD, Palm Cove, Port Douglas, Mission Beach, the Atherton Tablelands, and the Great Barrier Reef gateway. Fixed fares, meet and greet, real-time flight tracking.

CBD ~10 min from $45
Port Douglas from $119
Palm Cove from $59
90-min wait for internationals
Cairns CBD
$45
~10 min · 7 km
Palm Cove
$59
~25 min · 28 km
Port Douglas
$119
~60 min · 68 km
Pickup location
Destination
Flight number (optional — we track it live)
Date
Time
Passengers
Vehicle class
🚗
Economy
From $45
🚙
Business
From $79
🏎️
First Class
From $119
🚐
Van / Group
From $89
$
Fixed fare · GST included
Distance
Est. time
Vehicle
✓ Fixed fare
✓ GST included
✓ Flight tracked
🔒
Fixed fares onlyNo surge pricing, ever
🐠
Reef gateway expertPort Douglas, Palm Cove & beyond
✈️
All airlines trackedQF · VA · JQ · international
🪧
Meet & greetName board at arrivals

Popular routes from Cairns Airport

Fixed fares to every destination.

Most popular
CNS → Cairns CBD
CBD · Esplanade · Cairns City · Woree
$45 from
⏱ ~10 min · ~7 km
Northern Beaches
CNS → Palm Cove
Palm Cove · Trinity Beach · Clifton Beach · Kewarra
$59 from
⏱ ~25 min · ~28 km
Port Douglas
CNS → Port Douglas
Port Douglas · Mossman · Daintree Village
$119 from
⏱ ~60 min · ~68 km
Atherton Tablelands
CNS → Kuranda / Atherton
Kuranda · Mareeba · Atherton · Yungaburra
$69 from
⏱ ~30–50 min
Mission Beach
CNS → Mission Beach
Mission Beach · Tully · Cardwell · Dunk Island ferry
$149 from
⏱ ~90 min · ~140 km
Daintree Rainforest
CNS → Daintree / Cape Tribulation
Daintree Village · Cape Tribulation · Cow Bay
$149 from
⏱ ~90 min · ~130 km

Pricing

All fares, upfront.

DestinationEconomyBusinessFirst ClassVan / GroupEst. Time
Cairns CBD / Esplanade$45$79$119$89~10 minBook →
Palm Cove / Trinity Beach$59$99$149$115~25 minBook →
Clifton Beach / Kewarra$55$89$135$105~20 minBook →
Port Douglas$119$189$289$229~60 minBook →
Mossman / Daintree Village$139$219$329$259~75 minBook →
Kuranda$69$109$169$129~30 minBook →
Atherton Tablelands$89$149$219$169~50 minBook →
Mission Beach$149$239$359$279~90 minBook →

All fares include GST and meet & greet. Group rates and long-distance FNQ routes on request — 0448 588 156.

Gateway destinations

Tropical North Queensland
starts here.

🐠
Port Douglas

The most popular destination from Cairns Airport. The Captain Cook Highway north hugs the Coral Sea for most of the drive. Port Douglas is the gateway to Low Isles and Agincourt Reef on the outer Great Barrier Reef.

From $119 · ~60 min · 68 km north
🌴
Palm Cove

The northern beaches strip — Palm Cove, Trinity Beach, Clifton Beach, and Kewarra Beach. Palm Cove in particular is Tropical North Queensland's most upmarket beach village, with esplanade dining and boutique resort accommodation.

From $59 · ~25 min · 28 km north
🌿
Daintree Rainforest

One of the world's oldest rainforests — a UNESCO World Heritage site north of Port Douglas. We service Daintree Village, Cape Tribulation, and Cow Bay. Pre-booking essential as road conditions vary seasonally.

From $149 · ~90 min · 130 km north
🚞
Kuranda

The village in the rainforest. We transfer directly to Kuranda village, and can also collect from the Smithfield Skyrail terminal. Most visitors combine the Scenic Railway up and Skyrail down, or vice versa.

From $69 · ~30 min · 30 km west
🏔️
Atherton Tablelands

The cool fertile highland plateau behind Cairns — Atherton, Yungaburra, Mareeba, and the crater lakes. Coffee farms, waterfalls, wildlife, and avocado plantations. A refreshing contrast to the tropical coast below.

From $89 · ~50 min · 80 km west
🏖️
Mission Beach

The closest point on the mainland to the outer Great Barrier Reef. Four beach villages including South Mission Beach and Bingil Bay. The jumping-off point for Dunk Island water taxis and cassowary spotting.

From $149 · ~90 min · 140 km south

Terminal information

Cairns Airport
arrivals guide.

Domestic & International — adjacent terminals

Cairns Airport has two adjacent terminals — domestic and international — connected by a short covered walkway. The airport is just 7 km from the Cairns CBD and straightforward to navigate.

The international terminal handles direct flights from Japan (Narita, Kansai), Singapore (Scoot), and Pacific Islands (Air Niugini), plus Qantas international charter services. After clearing customs, follow exit signs to the arrivals hall where your driver waits with a name board.

For domestic arrivals, exit baggage claim at the domestic terminal. If you are unsure which terminal your flight arrives into, check your boarding pass or call us on 0448 588 156.

Key facts

IATA codeCNS
AddressAirport Ave, Cairns QLD 4870
TerminalsDomestic · International (adjacent)
Distance to CBD~7 km · ~10 min
Distance to Palm Cove~28 km · ~25 min
Distance to Port Douglas~68 km · ~60 min
International wait90 min complimentary
Domestic wait60 min complimentary
Road tollsNone on any CNS route

Airlines at Cairns Airport

Every airline. Every flight.

Qantas
QF
Sydney · Melbourne · Brisbane · Darwin · international charter services and seasonal routes
Virgin Australia
VA
Sydney · Melbourne · Brisbane · Adelaide
Jetstar
JQ
Sydney · Melbourne · Brisbane + international seasonal services to Auckland and Japan
Scoot
TR
Singapore (SIN) — seasonal direct service connecting Cairns to Asia and beyond
Air Niugini
PX
Port Moresby (POM) — PNG connections and Pacific Island routes via Cairns
Charter & seasonal
Multiple
Japanese charter flights (Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai), Asian seasonal routes, reef tourism services

Verified reviews

What Cairns passengers
say about us.

★★★★★

Flew in from Sydney, driver was there instantly, had us in Port Douglas for a sunset dinner. The Captain Cook Highway drive is stunning — perfect start to the holiday.

LB
Lisa B.
CNS → Port Douglas
Verified Google review
★★★★★

Family trip to Palm Cove. Van was waiting at arrivals, four bags loaded without being asked. Smooth ride up the northern beaches. Great service from start to finish.

DK
David K.
CNS → Palm Cove
Verified Google review
★★★★★

International flight from Tokyo, jet-lagged and disorientated. Driver was calm and professional — had me at my Cairns hotel in under 15 minutes. Exactly what you need after a long flight.

AC
Amy C.
CNS International → Cairns CBD
Verified Google review

Frequently asked questions

Cairns Airport
transfer FAQs.

Cairns Airport is approximately 68 km south of Port Douglas. The drive takes around 60 minutes via the Captain Cook Highway — one of Australia's most scenic coastal roads, hugging the Coral Sea with reef views. We pick up from all Port Douglas hotels and resorts. Transfers from $119 (economy sedan).
Yes. Palm Cove is approximately 28 km north of the airport, taking about 25 minutes. We also service Trinity Beach, Clifton Beach, and Kewarra Beach — the entire northern beaches strip from $55. For families with luggage heading to resort accommodation, our van class is ideal.
Yes. We service Daintree Village, Cape Tribulation, and Cow Bay. The journey is approximately 130 km taking around 90 minutes, including the Daintree River ferry crossing. Transfers from $149. Pre-booking is essential — road conditions north of the ferry can vary during the wet season.
Yes. Cairns has a dedicated international terminal with direct flights from Japan (Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai), Singapore (Scoot), and Pacific Island destinations via Air Niugini. Qantas also operates international charter services through Cairns. International arrivals receive 90 minutes of complimentary wait time from scheduled landing.
Yes. Mission Beach is approximately 140 km south of Cairns Airport, taking about 90 minutes via the Bruce Highway. Transfers from $149. Mission Beach includes four villages — Bingil Bay, Mission Beach, Wongaling Beach, and South Mission Beach — and is the jumping-off point for Dunk Island water taxis.
Yes. Kuranda is approximately 30 km from the airport, taking about 30 minutes. Transfers from $69. We can collect from both the Kuranda village centre and the Smithfield Skyrail terminal. Many visitors travel up by the famous Scenic Railway and return via Skyrail over the rainforest canopy — just let us know your plan when booking.