DRW → CNSDarwin to Cairns

live

Direct flights from Darwin (DRW) to Cairns (CNS): 7 nonstop departures observed each week across 1 airline. The median arrival is 2 minutes early. No cancellations were recorded across the 4 tracked flights. The nonstop covers 1,675 km, an estimated 2 hours 39 minutes in the air. Measured by Pro Flight Search from live flight boards at Darwin and Cairns. Updated 7 September 2026 at 11:38 UTC.

DRW Darwin smooth · +0
CNS Cairns smooth · +0
1,675 km · ~2h 39m est.
dep bank 07:05–17:357x weekly
Running clean · 1 airline · 7x weekly · nonstop
100 / 100

route health from live DRW and CNS delay boards

Median arrival delay is −2 min. 0 of 4 tracked legs cancelled in the sample. Will a delayed flight be cancelled? →

Median arrival−2 minacross the last 4 operated legs
Flight time~2h 39mestimated from route distance
Weekly departures7x1 direct airline on the leg

The week

scheduled departures · origin local time
06121824
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Sunstate Airlines

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
Sunstate AirlinesQF

Flights QF1889 07:05 daily · QF1853 17:35 Mo Fr

History

operated legs · board outcomes
09-07QF1853dep −2 → arr+0
09-07QF1889dep −2 → arr−2
09-06QF1889dep −7 → arr−10
09-05QF1889arrived−10

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
DRWDarwin +0 min smooth 🌤 clear · WSW 5 kt Full DRW delay board →
CNSCairns +0 min smooth 🌤 overcast · SE 6 kt Full CNS delay board →

Weather lens

Current conditions put the pressure at DRW and CNS: 28% odds of a 15+ minute delay and around +3 min expected when it bites, measured from this route's own weather-matched delay history. See live delays → · Weather risk by airport →

How the Darwin to Cairns route actually runs

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

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

DRW to CNS questions

Is DRW–CNS running on time right now?

Smooth skies ahead. Both endpoints currently score the same, route health score 100/100. The airports section above carries the live status and delay window at both ends.

Morning or evening flight on DRW–CNS?

Operators schedule morning departures around 07:05 and evening departures around 17:35 from DRW. 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 DRW to CNS?

Great-circle distance is 1,675 km. With typical jet cruise speed plus taxi, climb and descent, expect roughly 148–174 min gate-to-gate on this route.

How often does DRW–CNS fly?

Sunstate Airlines runs the route with about 9 flights a week (daily). Since one carrier owns the route, a single disruption tends to ripple through the day.