Flights Sydney → Cairns
SYD → CNS
Route overview
The flight route from Sydney to Cairns is served by a variety of aircraft including the Boeing 767-300, Boeing 737, Airbus A321, Airbus A320, and Embraer 190. Cairns Airport handles approximately 3,807,889 passengers annually, reflecting its significance as a travel hub for tourists heading to the Great Barrier Reef and other attractions in the region.
Your rights on this US flight (DOT)
US flights have no statutory cash compensation for delays. Under the US DOT rules, if your flight is cancelled or significantly changed and you decline rebooking, you're owed an automatic refund of the unused ticket. The tarmac-delay limit is 3 hours (domestic) / 4 hours (international). Amenities for controllable delays depend on each airline's contract of carriage.
US flight refund rules & checker →General information, not legal advice.
The Sydney (SYD) → Cairns (CNS) route is operated by American Airlines. FlightGuard's average computed risk is 10.5/100 (low), updated in real time from weather, ATC delays, strikes, NOTAMs, fuel and flight history. At Cairns the average ATFM delay is 2.0 minutes (main cause: atfm). Departing from Sydney the average ATFM delay is 2.0 minutes.
Heading to Cairns: what to expect in this direction
Flying from Sydney (SYD) to Cairns (CNS) heads north for about 1,974 km, a flight time of roughly 2h 53m.
Air-traffic congestion: departing Sydney the average ATFM delay is 2.0 min (atfm); arriving into Cairns it is 2.0 min (atfm).
Route facts
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Airline punctuality on this route
| Airline | On-time | Average delay | Cancellations |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines (AA) | 74% | 16 min | 3.0% |
Airlines operating SYD-CNS
Airports
Frequently asked questions about SYD-CNS
Route-specific punctuality data isn't available yet. Check your flight on FlightGuard for a real-time analysis.
The cancellation rate varies by airline and season. Check your flight risk for an up-to-date estimate.
The route is operated by 1 airline: American Airlines.
Enter your flight number on FlightGuard for a real-time analysis based on 9 factors: weather at Cairns, ATC delays, strikes, NOTAMs, fuel, airline punctuality and recent trends.
US flights have no statutory cash compensation for delays. Under US DOT rules, if the airline cancels or significantly changes your flight and you decline rebooking, you're owed an automatic refund of the unused ticket. The tarmac-delay limit is 3 hours (domestic) / 4 hours (international). Meals or hotels for controllable delays depend on each airline's contract of carriage.
