BNE → CNSBrisbane to Cairns

live

Direct flights from Brisbane (BNE) to Cairns (CNS): 21 nonstop departures observed each week across 3 airlines. 63% of the last 24 operated flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule. The median arrival is 8 minutes late. 1 of the 24 tracked flights was cancelled. The nonstop covers 1,391 km, an estimated 2 hours 17 minutes in the air. Measured by Pro Flight Search from live flight boards at Brisbane and Cairns. Updated 20 October 2026 at 00:34 UTC.

Today, BNE → CNS

Tue 20 Oct · local times
QF1560QantasIn the air, 15 min late

Left BNE at 06:25, 15 min after its 06:10 slot.

Landing
08:29CNS board estimate · sched 08:40
Track QF1560 →
QF714QantasIn the air, 16 min late

Left BNE at 08:21, 16 min after its 08:05 slot.

Likely landing
about 10:25middle half 10:16 to 10:33 · sched 10:35

Landing estimate from 240,212 tracked flights of 2 to 4 hours that left 15 to 29 min late. The CNS board has not posted a landing time yet. How planes make up time

Track QF714 →
  1. 04:05 TFX52TFX Left 04:12 +7 ·
  2. 06:00 JQ928Jetstar Left 06:13 +13 CNS est. 08:25In the air · sched 08:30
  3. 06:10 QF1560Qantas Left 06:25 +15 CNS est. 08:29In the air · sched 08:40
  4. 06:10 VA771Virgin Australia Left 06:20 +10 CNS est. 08:23In the air · sched 08:40
  5. 08:05 QF714Qantas Left 08:21 +16 CNS about 10:25In the air · sched 10:35
  6. 08:40 VA775Virgin Australia Left 09:08 +28 ·
  7. 08:45 JQ930Jetstar Left 09:15 +30 ·
  8. 11:35 VA783Virgin Australia On scheduleGate 40B · TD ·
  9. 12:30 QF1564Qantas On scheduleGate 17 · TD ·
  10. 14:15 VA785Virgin Australia On scheduleGate 45 · TD ·
  11. 14:25 QF1886Qantas On scheduleGate 5 · TD ·
  12. 14:25 QF716Qantas Cancelled ·

Checked BNE board 10:34 · CNS board 06:48

BNE Brisbane busy · +15
CNS Cairns smooth · +10
1,391 km · ~2h 17m est.
dep bank 06:00–20:5021x weekly
Runs mixed · 3 airlines · 21x weekly · nonstop
63% on time

of the last 24 operated BNE → CNS flights arrived within 15 minutes

Median arrival delay is +8 min. 1 of 24 tracked legs cancelled in the sample. Will a delayed flight be cancelled? →

Median arrival+8 minacross the last 24 operated legs
Flight time~2h 17mestimated from route distance
Weekly departures21x3 direct airlines on the leg
Cancelled4.2%recent route rate · 1 of 24

The week

scheduled departures · origin local time
06121824
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Jetstar AirwaysQantas AirwaysVirgin Australia

Each mark is a scheduled departure at its origin-local time, observed operating in the last 7 days. Today is highlighted.

Who flies it

observed on the boards · 7 days
Jetstar AirwaysJQ57% on time

Flights JQ928 06:00 daily · JQ930 08:45 daily · JQ936 14:50 Mo We Fr · JQ934 18:35 Tu Th Sa Su

Qantas AirwaysQF67% on time

Flights QF1560 06:10 Tu Fr Sa · QF1880 06:10 We Th · QF706 06:10 Mo We · QF1562 08:05 Mo We Th Su

Virgin AustraliaVA57% on time

Flights VA771 06:10 daily · VA775 08:40 daily · VA783 11:35 daily · VA785 14:15 daily

History

operated legs · board outcomes
10-20JQ928dep +13 → arr−5
10-20JQ930departed+30
10-20QF1560dep +15 → arr−11
10-20QF714dep +16 → arr+0
10-20QF716cancelledCNX
10-20TFX52departed+7
10-20VA771dep +10 → arr−17
10-20VA775departed+28
10-19JQ928dep +27 → arr−5
10-19JQ930dep +50 → arr+30
10-19JQ936dep +75 → arr+55
10-19QF1562dep +136 → arr+90
10-19QF1566dep +27 → arr+12
10-19QF1888dep +45 → arr+15
10-19QF1890dep +21 → arr+3
10-19QF706dep +160 → arr+125
10-19QF708dep +25 → arr+4
10-19VA771dep +25 → arr+42
10-19VA775dep +25 → arr−2
10-19VA783dep +15 → arr+40
10-19VA785dep +5 → arr+6
10-19VA799dep +20 → arr+8
10-18JQ928departed+5
10-18JQ930departed+14

Actual board outcomes rather than schedules, paired departure and arrival per flight and day.

Full board history, day by day →

Airports right now

live boards
BNEBrisbane +15 min busy 🌤 clear · S 6 kt Full BNE delay board →
CNSCairns +10 min smooth 🌤 few clouds · SE 8 kt Full CNS delay board →

Weather lens

Current conditions put the pressure at BNE and CNS: 31% odds of a 15+ minute delay and around +4 min expected when it bites, measured from this route's own weather-matched delay history. See live delays → · Weather risk by airport →

How the Brisbane to Cairns route actually runs

Pro Flight Search records official board updates for nonstop BNE to CNS flights through the day: schedules, estimates, gate pushes and actual departures. The verdict above comes from operated flights, so it reflects what this route does rather than what the timetable promises.

Planning around a delay? Live airport delays · Weather delay risk map · Will a delayed flight be cancelled? · Do planes make up time in the air? · How we measure

Cite this data

Journalists, bloggers, and researchers may cite this page with attribution and a link to Pro Flight Search.

Suggested citation

Pro Flight Search — Brisbane (BNE) to Cairns (CNS) route reliability, measured from operated flights on official airport boards.

Canonical URL
https://proflightsearch.com/search-flights/BNE-CNS
How we measure this →

BNE to CNS questions

Is BNE–CNS running on time right now?

Smooth skies ahead. The departure side at BNE is the weaker end, route health score 83/100. The airports section above carries the live status and delay window at both ends.

Morning or evening flight on BNE–CNS?

Operators schedule morning departures around 06:00 and evening departures around 17:00 from BNE. Earlier flights typically land before destination-airport delays accumulate later in the day; check the CNS delay card to confirm conditions when you'd arrive.

How long is the flight from BNE to CNS?

Great-circle distance is 1,391 km. With typical jet cruise speed plus taxi, climb and descent, expect roughly 128–149 min gate-to-gate on this route.

How often does BNE–CNS fly?

3 carriers operate this route, around 99 flights a week between them. Compare carrier days and times in the airline list above.