Are you planning to an holiday and looking to fly out of Canberra International Airport. I’ve flown through Canberra International a couple of times and found it to be a super convenient way to travel. Here’s my guide on the flights and airport:
Canberra International Flights
Currently there is only one international flight to and from Canberra. This is the Fiji Airways Canberra (CBR) to Nadi (NAN) flight. It is flying twice and week and from October it will fly 3 times a week. If you’re planning a holiday to Fiji, this is a super convenient option as you don’t need to transit from a domestic flight. It takes around 4.5 hours to reach Fiji from Canberra.
Find Cheap Flights from Canberra to Fiji
Canberra to Fiji Flight Schedule
Here are the departures for flight FJ950 CBR-NAN:
| Day | Departure Time (CBR) | Arrival Time (NAN) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 2:35pm | 7:40pm |
| Friday | 2:35pm | 7:40pm |
| Sunday | 2:35pm | 7:40pm |
Note – please check with the airline for updated schedules. This information may change!
Fiji to Canberra Flight Schedule
Here are the departures for flight FJ951 NAN-CBR
| Day | Departure Time (CBR) | Arrival Time (NAN) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9:30am | 1:35pm |
| Friday | 9:30am | 1:35pm |
| Sunday | 9:30am | 1:35pm |
Note – please check with the airline for updated schedules. This information may change!
Canberra to North America Flights
If you’re planning on visiting the U.S, flying via Fiji Airways is a good option. You can fly from Canberra to Fiji and then onto Los Angeles, San Francisco or Vancouver. Prices are comparable to other flights to the U.S and you don’t need to worry about going through Sydney’s pretty terrible domestic/international experience.
Canberra International Airport Guide
Canberra’s International Airport is in the same building as the Domestic Airport. Unlike other international airports around Australia you don’t need to go to a seperate terminal.
To access the International Airport in Canberra, after checking in you go through Domestic Security and then you go through International Security and Customs. The international terminal can be reached by turning left after domestic security and heading up the escalators.
Because there is currently only 1 international flight in and out of Canberra, getting through security and customs doesn’t take very long at all. I previously flew out of Canberra Airport on Qatar flight and getting into the international terminal took just a few minutes. It’s much faster and easier than flying out through Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne!
Canberra International Airport Lounges
There are currently no International Lounges for Business or First Class passengers within the Canberra international terminal. However the whole terminal is setup to similar to a business lounge (albeit without the free food). There is plenty of comfortable seating and there is a bar/cafe for snacks while you wait.
When more international flights depart out of Canberra, I’m not sure the international departure lounge will be sufficient and the Airport could definitely use a proper OneWorld or StarAlliance lounge. When I flew on Qatar Airways in Business, you would get access to the domestic business lounge and would just need to depart earlier enough give yourself time to go through customs/security.
Canberra Duty Free
There is a small duty free shop located inside the international lounge at Canberra Airport. It has all the usual items you would expect from a duty free store.
Advantages of Flying Internationally out of Canberra
Having flown out of Canberra international airport a couple of times, here are some of the pros compared to transiting through Sydney or another Australian Airport.
The biggest advantage is convenience. Previously you would need to travel to Sydney or another airport. While the bus up to Sydney International Airport is fairly convenient it also takes 3 hours. And flying up to Sydney from Canberra means you do need to switch terminals (with no option to walk) which is always a hassle. Getting through customs and security in Canberra is super quick and easy and the entire airport still feels brand new. It’s easy to get around and there are decent food and beverage options.
The second advantage is price. Starting a trip from Canberra and flying internationally has always been way more expensive compared to just flying out of Sydney thanks to the Canberra tax. However Direct flights on Fiji Airways from Canberra are the same price as flights which include a stop in Sydney. If you’re travelling to the U.S on fiji airways this could be a really good deal.
Past International Flights from Canberra
Before Covid put a dent into international travel, there were a couple of International Flights operating out of Canberra:
Qatar Airways – Canberra to Doha
Qatar used to operate international flights from Canberra. The flight would have a pitstop in Sydney, but you didn’t need to get off the plane. This was a convenient way to fly into Europe.
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines used to fly a Singapore-Canberra-Wellington-Canberra-Singapore route. This was another convenient way to fly into Asia and Europe via Singapore. Singapore
Future International Flights from Canberra
I’m keeping this page updated with any updates on potential plans that airlines have as well as some speculation on what we might see.
Qantas A220 Fleet
Qantas is expecting delivery on new Airbus A220 aircraft from late 2023. The first flight using these aircraft will most likely be Canberra-Melbourne. This aircraft will also be used to replace B717 on the Canberra-Hobart flights. What’s interesting about this aircraft is it has a small capacity, low operating costs but long range. This aircraft could easily service New Zealand routes to and from Canberra and even potentially (although very unlikely) Bali flights. I have no doubt Qantas will use this Aircraft on some international routes and it’s perfectly suited for Canberra based international flights.
I would love to see Jetstar fly some of their international routes out of Canberra, but I can’t see that happening anytime soon.
Singapore Airlines
There are rumours that Singapore Airlines plans a return to Canberra Airport. I doubt they would go back to doing the Singapore-Canberra-Wellington route and instead just offer CBR-SIN flights. Singapore Airlines says they have no plans currently to bring back Canberra flights.
Qatar Airways
Qatar recently got denied the ability to operate more international flights in Australia. They have no plans to come back to Canberra.
