MEL → CNSMelbourne to Cairns

live

Direct flights from Melbourne (MEL) to Cairns (CNS): 21 nonstop departures observed each week across 3 airlines. 55% of the last 22 operated flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule. The median arrival is 14 minutes late. No cancellations were recorded across the 22 tracked flights. The nonstop covers 2,313 km, an estimated 3 hours 28 minutes in the air. Measured by Pro Flight Search from live flight boards at Melbourne and Cairns. Updated 26 October 2026 at 05:54 UTC.

Today, MEL → CNS

Mon 26 Oct · local times
JQ34JetstarIn the air, 87 min late

Left MEL at 07:42, 87 min after its 06:15 slot.

Likely landing
about 09:30middle half 09:21 to 09:40 · sched 08:30

Landing estimate from 71,561 tracked flights of 2 to 4 hours that left 60 to 119 min late. The CNS board has not posted a landing time yet. How planes make up time

Track JQ34 →
VA1293Virgin AustraliaIn the air, 33 min late

Left MEL at 09:08, 33 min after its 08:35 slot.

Likely landing
about 11:10middle half 11:02 to 11:20 · sched 11:05

Landing estimate from 152,068 tracked flights of 2 to 4 hours that left 30 to 59 min late. The CNS board has not posted a landing time yet. How planes make up time

Track VA1293 →
  1. 06:15 JQ34Jetstar Left 07:42 +87 CNS about 09:30In the air · sched 08:30
  2. 08:35 QF702Qantas Left 08:36 CNS 10:55In the air · scheduled landing
  3. 08:35 VA1293Virgin Australia Left 09:08 +33 CNS about 11:10In the air · sched 11:05
  4. 15:25 JQ948Jetstar Est. 16:20Departure not confirmed by the board CNS 17:45scheduled
  5. 16:35 VA1297Virgin Australia Est. 16:35Departure not confirmed by the board CNS 19:05scheduled

Checked MEL board 15:18 · CNS board 15:54

MEL Melbourne smooth · +4
CNS Cairns smooth · +7
2,313 km · ~3h 28m est.
dep bank 06:05–20:0521x weekly
Runs rough · 3 airlines · 21x weekly · nonstop
55% on time

of the last 22 operated MEL → CNS flights arrived within 15 minutes

Median arrival delay is +14 min. 0 of 22 tracked legs cancelled in the sample. Will a delayed flight be cancelled? →

Median arrival+14 minacross the last 22 operated legs
Flight time~3h 28mestimated from route distance
Weekly departures21x3 direct airlines on the leg
Cancelled0.0%recent route rate · 0 of 22

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 AirwaysJQ36% on time

Flights JQ34 06:25 daily · JQ942 12:20 daily · JQ948 varies daily · JQ946 20:05 daily

Qantas AirwaysQF

Flights QF702 08:25 daily · QF704 14:15 Mo

Virgin AustraliaVA57% on time

Flights VA1291 06:05 daily · VA1293 08:35 daily · VA1297 16:35 Mo Su

History

operated legs · board outcomes
10-26JQ34departed+87
10-26QF702departed+1
10-26VA1293departed+33
10-25JQ34departed+42
10-25JQ942departed+41
10-25JQ944departed+254
10-25JQ946departed+89
10-25QF702departed+0
10-25VA1293departed+16
10-25VA1297departed+70
10-24JQ34dep +8 → arr+0
10-24JQ942dep +19 → arr+0
10-24JQ946dep +21 → arr+0
10-24JQ948dep +18 → arr+0
10-24QF702dep +0 → arr+0
10-24VA1291dep +20 → arr+0
10-24VA1293dep +0 → arr+0
10-23JQ34dep +61 → arr+30
10-23JQ942dep +28 → arr+25
10-23QF702arrived−16
10-23VA1291arrived+8
10-23VA1293arrived+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
MELMelbourne +4 min smooth 🌤 mostly cloudy · SW 8 kt Full MEL delay board →
CNSCairns +7 min smooth 🌤 clear · N 8 kt Full CNS delay board →

Weather lens

Current conditions put the pressure at MEL: 38% odds of a 15+ minute delay and around +8 min expected when it bites, measured from this route's own weather-matched delay history. See live delays → · Weather risk by airport →

How the Melbourne to Cairns route actually runs

Pro Flight Search records official board updates for nonstop MEL 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 — Melbourne (MEL) to Cairns (CNS) route reliability, measured from operated flights on official airport boards.

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

MEL to CNS questions

Is MEL–CNS running on time right now?

Smooth skies ahead. The arrival side at CNS is the weaker end, route health score 90/100. The airports section above carries the live status and delay window at both ends.

Morning or evening flight on MEL–CNS?

Operators schedule morning departures around 06:05 and evening departures around 20:05 from MEL. 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 MEL to CNS?

Great-circle distance is 2,313 km. With typical jet cruise speed plus taxi, climb and descent, expect roughly 193–228 min gate-to-gate on this route.

How often does MEL–CNS fly?

3 carriers operate this route, around 52 flights a week between them. Compare carrier days and times in the airline list above.