Cairns to Gold Coast
2h 16mgate to gate
The flight from Cairns International Airport (CNS) to Gold Coast Airport (OOL) covers 1,486 km (923 miles) and takes approximately 2h 16m gate to gate for a typical jet.
The route heads south-east on an initial great-circle bearing of 149°, passing near 22.6° S, 149.5° E at its midpoint.
Bearing 149° south-east Midpoint 22.6° S, 149.5° E Model 805 km/h + 25 min
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
How this is worked out
- Take both airports' published coordinates from OurAirports — nothing here is scraped from another flight site.
- Great-circle distance by haversine on a mean earth radius of 6,371.0088 km: 1,486 km.
- Airborne time = that distance ÷ 805 km/h, a representative jet cruise speed: 1h 51m.
- Add a flat 25 minutes for pushback, taxi, climb, descent and taxi-in — the reason a 400 km hop is never half an hour: 2h 16m gate to gate.
- Winds, aircraft type and airline schedule padding are not modelled. The cruise-speed table shows how much that assumption is worth.
1,486 km / 805 km/h = 1h 51m airborne
+ 25 min ground = 2h 16m gate to gate
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
The same route, plotted on a world grid
The strip above gives the route its length and its shape. This gives it a position: latitude and longitude only, no coastlines, because a hand-drawn coastline would be decoration pretending to be data. On a flat grid the shortest path looks bent; on a globe it is straight.
Flight time at different cruise speeds
Aircraft type, winds and routing all move the real number. This is the same distance flown at different speeds, plus the 25-minute ground and climb allowance.
| Typical of | Cruise speed | Airborne | Gate to gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turboprop / regional | 550 km/h | 2h 42m | 3h 07m |
| Narrowbody jet (A320, 737) | 780 km/h | 1h 54m | 2h 19m |
| Widebody jet (777, 787, A350) | 900 km/h | 1h 39m | 2h 04m |
| Private jet (Gulfstream) | 850 km/h | 1h 45m | 2h 10m |
Headwinds on an eastbound long-haul routinely add 30–60 minutes; the same route westbound can be quicker. Airlines publish schedules with padding built in.
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Both airports
| CNS | OOL | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | Cairns International Airport | Gold Coast Airport |
| City | Cairns | Gold Coast |
| Country | Australia | Australia |
| ICAO | YBCS | YBCG |
| Coordinates | -16.8789, 145.7495 | -28.166, 153.5066 |
| Elevation | 10 ft | 21 ft |
Every figure on this plate is geometry. The shape of the earth is knowable; the airline's schedule is not.
Questions this plate answers
How long is the flight from Cairns to Gold Coast?
A non-stop flight from Cairns (CNS) to Gold Coast (OOL) takes about 2h 16m. The great-circle distance is 1,486 km (923 miles, 802 nautical miles), flying south-east on an initial bearing of 149°.
How far is Cairns from Gold Coast?
1,486 kilometres in a straight line over the earth's surface — 923 miles or 802 nautical miles. Actual flown distance is usually 2–5% longer because aircraft follow airways, avoid weather and route around restricted airspace.
Is there a non-stop flight between CNS and OOL?
This page calculates the direct-line time and distance; it does not track airline schedules. At 1,486 km the route is comfortably within range of a non-stop service if an airline chooses to fly it. Check an airline or booking site for what is actually scheduled.
Airport coordinates from OurAirports (public domain). Distance is a great-circle calculation; flight time uses the model described on the method page. Flight times are great-circle estimates for planning only — always check the airline's published schedule.
