Are there any flights to Airlie Beach?

There are no direct flights to Airlie Beach, Queensland. The closest airports are Whitsunday Coast Airport in Proserpine and Hamilton Island Airport. But transfers from both to Airlie Beach are relatively simple.

Given it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Queensland, many visitors expect there to be direct flights to Airlie Beach. After all, not everyone wants to visit as part of an east coast road trip.

Get the best Whitsundays cruise deals

Airlie Beach brings Whitsunday Islands sailing and snorkelling cruises, coral and marine life viewing from a glass-bottom boat and day cruises to the staggering white sands of Whitehaven Beach. To explore the full range of Airlie Beach tours and experiences, investigate here. For Airlie Beach accommodation bargains, look here.

The Brisbane to Airlie Beach drive is 1,114km long, and even coming from other regional Queensland hubs, it’s a fair old trek. It’s nearly a two hour drive from Mackay to Airlie Beach. From Rockhampton to Airlie Beach, budget more than five hours. And from Townsville to Airlie Beach, it’s three-and-a-half hours.

9 memory-making Airlie Beach experiences to add to your visit

Whitehaven Beach day cruise – with plenty of snorkelling thrown in.
Glass bottom boat tour – see coral and marine life without getting wet.
Heart Reef flight – see the islands and Great Barrier Reef from above before flying over Australia’s famous heart-shaped island.
Proserpine River crocodile safari – see the big crocs from a boat.
Whitsundays sunset cruise – with free snacks and sparkling wine.
Sailing on the Camira – glide around the Whitsunday Islands under sail.
Whizz around the islands on a guided jetski tour.
Waterfall explorer day tour – with swimming in Hinterland rock pools.
Enjoy high speed thrills on a jet boat ride.

Flights to Airlie Beach: Nearest airport

But there aren’t any flights to Airlie Beach because Airlie Beach doesn’t have an airport. On the mainland, the closest airport to Airlie Beach is the Whitsunday Coast Airport in Proserpine.

Luckily, Proserpine Airport (as it is also known), is fairly easy to fly into. If you want flights to Airlie Beach, you can fly from Brisbane to Proserpine with Qantas, Jetstar, Alliance Airlines or Virgin Australia. Jetstar also offers direct flights from Melbourne and Sydney, while Skytrans Airlines flies direct to Proserpine from Cairns and Rockhampton.

Which Whitsundays cruise should I choose?

For those with limited time: Whitehaven Beach half day tour.
For the highlights reel: Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island day trip.
To see the reef two ways: High speed Whitsundays cruise plus scenic reef flight combo.
For romance, sparkling wine and sunset under sail: Multi-beach and reef Lady Enid cruise.
To see several islands: Sailing and snorkelling adventure.
For an overnight sailing adventure: Matador two day yacht cruise.

Proserpine Airport to Airlie Beach transfers

The drive from Whitsunday Coast Airport to Airlie Beach is 39km long and takes about 33 minutes. You can either rent a car at Proserpine Airport, or book a transfer to Airlie Beach.

Airlie Beach Transfers charges $22 one way for an airport shuttle bus, or $160 for up to seven people for a private transfer.

Flights to Airlie Beach via Hamilton Island

The other option for flights to Airlie Beach is flying into Hamilton Island. Qantas and Virgin Australia offer Brisbane to Hamilton Island flights. Obviously, if your target is Hamilton Island in the first place, this is the ideal solution. But if you want to get to Airlie Beach, you’ll need to take the hour-long Hamilton Island ferry transfer.

Top of the list of things to do in Airlie Beach are the Whitsunday Islands cruises. Other options include Whitsundays kayaking tours, helicopter flights and swimming in the Airlie Beach Lagoon.