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.