Cairns Airport becoming a north Australian international hub as its ownership group goes up for sale

When one thinks of Australia, the town of Cairns does not automatically spring to mind. This north-Queensland town is the busiest north-Australian airport, and much of that is down to nearby tourist attractions, including the Great Barrier Reef.

A recent flurry of new, or reinstated, route announcements have given a positive boost to an airport that had recovered rather more rapidly from the COVID-19 pandemic than did some of its peers. Moreover, some are more than your historical point-to-point services.

Fiji Airways will offer connections to the United States and Canada, for example, and a Jetstar service will connect Cairns directly with Christchurch, so that ecologically aware long-distance travellers might have the option of combining a visit to the Great Barrier with one to the pristine beauty of New Zealand's South Island.

All this is going on while offers are sought to sell 100% of the operating company that manages both Cairns and Mackay airports under concession.

All are matters that are bound to find their way onto the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific 2025 agenda, which will be held at the Cairns Convention Centre on 31-Jul-2025 and 01-Aug-2025.