Cairns is the most convenient gateway to the natural attractions of northern Queensland, which include the world-famous Great Barrier Reef and the 110 million-year-old Daintree Rainforest. Because of this, the relatively small airport is among the busiest in Australia, handling more than 3.5 million passengers per year from destinations all over Asia and the Pacific.
The airport has recently expanded the Domestic Terminal, although unfortunately queues are still long and areas like lounges and security are perpetually understaffed. This isn’t an ideal airport to be stuck in for hours at a time as food and shopping opportunities are limited and there never seems to be enough seating.
You won’t find direct flights to Cairns from Europe and the Americas, but regular flights from Sydney and Brisbane mean there are plenty of options to reach the sunny beach resorts and world-class natural attractions of this popular holiday town.
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The terminals are connected by a covered walkway. It’s roughly a five-minute walk from one to the other.
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Train: There are no trains or subways to Cairns Airport.
Bus: There are no public buses to Cairns Airport. There are private shuttle buses operated by Sun Palm Transport to a number of hotels and resorts in the area. The average fare to central Cairns is A$10 and bookings can be made online.
Taxi: Metered taxis are available outside both the International and Domestic Terminals. The average fare into Cairns is roughly A$25.
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There is parking available directly opposite the terminal. Short-term parking is A$5 for the first hour, A$6 for up to two hours, and A$2 for each hour after that. The maximum daily charge is A$15. Long-term parking is in a designated area of the Domestic Car Park and is A$12 for the first two hours. It’s less expensive than short-term if you park more than 24 hours. All lots have free parking for the first ten minutes.
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Money and communications: ATMs, currency exchange, public phones, post office.
Luggage: There are porter services, luggage lockers priced from A$7-15 depending on storage time and size, free trolleys for arriving passengers, and a lost property office.
Conference and business: There are no business facilities in the airport, however there are business services and conference rooms available in airport hotels like the Hilton Cairns, about 3km (2 miles) away.
Other facilities: Extra facilities and services the airport offers include showers, baby-care, accommodation guides,
Wi-Fi: There is Wi-Fi available in both terminals.
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