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PER destination photo
CNS destination photo

PERCNS

Our Recommendation
8.8

Right Side of the Plane

The right side offers the most iconic arrival experience, showcasing the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea as the plane descends over the tropical Queensland coast.

Right Side Highlights
8.8
🌊

Great Barrier Reef

The world's largest coral reef system, offering spectacular turquoise water views during the final approach into Cairns.

🚤

Trinity Inlet

The beautiful winding harbor and mangrove systems of Cairns as the plane nears the runway.

🌾

Barkly Tableland

Expansive, golden grasslands and massive cattle stations that dominate the landscape of the Northern Territory border.

🧂

Arid Salt Lakes

Stunning white and pink salt pans scattered across the central Australian desert, visible during the mid-flight cruise.

The right side is the premium choice for this route. Aim for an afternoon arrival when the sun is to the west, illuminating the turquoise waters of the reef and the emerald coastline without creating shadows. Keep your camera ready during the final 20 minutes of the flight for the best reef photos, as visibility is usually excellent in the dry season.

Left Side Highlights
7.2
🏜️

Great Sandy Desert

Vast red sand dunes and ancient geological formations stretching toward the horizon in Western Australia.

🏔️

Darling Scarp

The ancient granite escarpment visible shortly after takeoff from Perth, providing a clear divide between the coast and the interior.

🌿

Atherton Tablelands

The lush, green volcanic plateau and rainforest-clad mountains viewed during the final descent into Cairns.

🌦️

Gulf Savannah

The unique, seasonally flooded landscape of the northern Australian interior near the Queensland border.

Choose the left side for morning flights to avoid the glare of the northern sun. It provides an excellent perspective of the interior's vastness and the dense rainforest canopy of the Great Dividing Range just before landing. Be sure to look for the stark contrast between the red desert and the sudden onset of green tropics.

Top Activities in Cairns
Route Information

Distance: 3,432 km (2,133 miles)

Approximate Flight Time: 4 hrs 2 min

Departure: PER (-31.94029998779297, 115.96700286865234)

Arrival: CNS (-16.885799408, 145.755004883)

Route Type: Domestic

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