Nonstop flight route between Moline, Illinois, United States and Cairns, Queensland, Australia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Quad City International Airport (MLI), Moline, Illinois, United States and Cairns Airport (CNS), Cairns, Queensland, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,720 miles (or 14,033 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Quad City International Airport and Cairns Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Quad City International Airport and Cairns Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Quad City International Airport (MLI):

• Because of Quad City International Airport's relatively low elevation of 590 feet, planes can take off or land at Quad City International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• There are two hotels on the airport property across the parking lot from the terminal.
• The closest airport to Quad City International Airport (MLI) is Davenport Municipal Airport (DVN), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNW of MLI.
• The terminal features the full-service Air Host Restaurant.
• The airport set its passenger record in 2007 when 484,212 passengers boarded flights while 481,930 deplaned.
• The airport boasts the regional headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration, whose offices are located on the second floor of the passenger terminal.
• Quad City International Airport (MLI) has 3 runways.
• Quad City is the third-busiest commercial airport in Illinois – Chicago's O'Hare and Midway International Airports lead the state.
• The furthest airport from Quad City International Airport (MLI) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,950 miles (17,623 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about Cairns Airport (CNS):

• Cairns Airport (CNS) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Cairns Airport (CNS) is Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO), which is located 11,832 miles (19,041 kilometers) away in Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde.
• The closest airport to Cairns Airport (CNS) is Mareeba Airfield (MRG), which is located 26 miles (41 kilometers) WSW of CNS.
• Cairns Airport handled 3,848,728 passengers last year.
• Ranks are located near both the International and Domestic Terminals.
• Cairns Airport goes back to 1928 when Tom McDonald started flying his de Havilland Gipsy Moth off a sand ridge near the present airport.
• A$200 million redevelopment of the Domestic terminal started in August 2007 and was completed in 2010.
• Because of Cairns Airport's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Cairns Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• Airport shuttle bus services to hotels, city centre, Northern Beaches, Palm Cove, Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation are available.