Price for your party

Skydive Cairns beach landing or field: your day in order

The quick version

A Cairns skydive day runs check-in, weigh-in, briefing, harness, a climb of about 15 minutes, freefall and a canopy ride, with a beach landing only at Mission Beach.

The day in short

  • No experience is needed3
  • Allow at least half a day9
  • Bookings give a check-in time, not a jump time11

Side-by-side: 3 options

What the jump day costs for your group

Choose a jump and the number of jumpers to see the total from-price.

2 people
  1. Cairns morningField landing · for each guest from $249

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    View
  2. Mission Beach dayBeach landing · for each guest from $270

    ≈

    View
  3. Mundoo half dayBeach option · for each guest from $231

    ≈

    View

Figures are GetYourGuide from-prices, translated at the ECB reference rate. The booking step shows what you pay exactly.

A tandem is a short flight inside a careful routine. Here is each step from check-in to the photos, and how a field landing in Cairns differs from a skydive Cairns beach landing further south.

Editorial team, cairnsskydive.top · Updated November 8, 2026 · 7 min reading time

Summary view

  • Check-inReef Fleet Terminal, Spence Street, in central Cairns.1,2
  • TrainingNo experience needed; tandem training is generally under 30 minutes.3,4
  • In the airAbout 15 minutes climbing, up to 60 seconds of freefall.5,6
  • LandingA field at Edmonton from Cairns; the sand at Mission Beach.7,8
  • How longMany finish in about 1.5 hours; allow at least half a day.9

Before you leave your hotel

The day starts the evening before. Skydive Australia sends a text message the day before to confirm any time changes, so keep your phone switched on and check it after dinner.10 What your booking shows is the hour you arrive and check in, never the hour you leave the plane, which is the single most useful thing to understand about the day.11 The minute you leave the plane depends on the weather, the loads ahead of you and the instructors on shift, so the check-in time is when the clock starts, not when it ends.

Paperwork comes first, ideally from home. The operator's terms ask every customer to complete an online check-in form, including pre-registration with the Australian Parachute Federation, and anyone who decides not to sign the APF form cannot jump.12 Each person in your party also needs current photo identification issued by a government.13 If you have a medical condition, the time to mention it is before the jump date, not at the counter.14

Getting there is simple if you plan a skydive from Cairns itself. A free pickup and drop-off runs daily from Cairns hotels and hostels, though it only serves the opening check-in session and has to be booked.15 If you make your own way, the check-in sits a short 5 minute drive from the CBD.16 Arrive at your booked time: Skydive Australia says there is no need to come earlier, but definitely do not arrive late.17

Three days compared

How the day runs at each drop zone

JumpCheck-inTakeoffLandingListed length
CairnsReef Fleet Terminal1Near central Cairns26Field at Edmonton73 hours
Mission BeachPorter Promenade27Tully Airport25On the beach85 hours to 1 day
MundooPer option bookedMundooBeach option4 to 6 hours

Listed lengths come from each GetYourGuide listing; check-in and landing details from the operators' pages.

Check-in, weigh-in and the briefing

At the counter you check in and complete a quick weight check, which the operator uses to match you with the right instructor and equipment.18 Everyone is weighed, clothes and shoes included, and surcharges apply from 94 kg.21 It is routine and quick, and the staff have seen every reaction to the scales, so there is nothing to be embarrassed about, since the figure only decides which instructor and harness suit you.

Then comes the safety briefing. Skydive Australia says it walks you through what will happen during the jump, your body position during freefall and the landing instructions.19 Its terms make the briefing and the gear-up compulsory on arrival.22 Listen hardest to the landing part, because that is the moment when your own position matters most, and ask the briefer to show it again if anything is unclear.

So, do you need training to go skydiving? For a tandem, no. Skydive Australia says beginners need no prior experience, since the professional instructor harnessed to you handles all the technical work.3 USPA, the American body, puts tandem training at generally less than 30 minutes.4 Solo methods are a different commitment: accelerated freefall, where you wear your own parachute beside 2 instructors, starts with several hours of ground school.23,24

Minutes that shape the day

Short hops between the steps

  • Check-in from CBD5
  • Climb to altitude15
  • Drop zone from city20
  • Shuttle to Tully25

The check-in office is 5 min from the CBD, the climb takes about 15 minutes, the listing places the drop zone some 20 minutes out of town, and the Tully shuttle takes about 25 minutes.16,5,25

Harness, instructor and the walk to the plane

Next you meet the instructor who will be attached to you for the whole experience, and you are fitted with a harness and safety gear.31 This is the moment to ask anything you are unsure about. If the nerves are building, Skydive Australia's advice is simply to tell your instructor so they can help ease them.32 Ask your instructor to talk you through each buckle and strap as it is checked if that helps you settle.

If it is cool, ask for a layer. The operator keeps fleece jumpers and gloves to borrow on the day.33 Take off anything loose: Skydive Australia recommends removing loose items before the jump, including dentures or false teeth, and its terms say it takes no responsibility for belongings lost on a skydive, glasses and clothing included.34,35 Phones and cameras stay behind, because personal devices are not allowed on the aircraft.36

Getting to the aircraft depends on the location. Skydive Australia says that at some drop zones you simply walk out to the plane, while at others a short bus ride takes you there.37 On the Mission Beach jump that ride is longer, because every skydive there takes off from Tully Airport, about 25 minutes from the drop zone by shuttle.25 A plane carries anywhere from 5 to 9 tandems, so you board with other pairs and their instructors.38

Plan around it

Fit the jump into your trip

Find the line that sounds like your week and the plan beside it.

  • If I have a reef trip the same afternoon

    Book the first Cairns session

    Free transfers run for the first check-in session, and many finish within about 1.5 hours.15,9

  • If I fly out of Cairns tomorrow

    Jump early today

    Weather can delay a jump; the operator aims to finish within 4 hours of arrival.28

  • If I want my feet in the sand at the end

    Mission Beach

    A beach landing is guaranteed every time.8

  • If My friends want to watch

    Tell them the landing area

    Onlookers may drive to the field or take a spare bus seat.29

  • If I scuba dived yesterday

    Wait a day

    A 24-hour gap after any scuba dive is compulsory.30

Pick your day

Three ways to spend the jump day

Sold on this site

Cairns morning

Back in town fast

  • LandingField at Edmonton
  • Length3 hours
  • PickupIncluded
See this jump

Full day out

Mission Beach day

Beach landing

  • LandingOn the beach
  • Length5 hours to 1 day
  • TransfersFrom Cairns
See this jump

Middle ground

Mundoo half day

Beach option

  • LandingField or beach
  • Length4 to 6 hours
  • TransfersOptional
See this jump

Climb, door, freefall and canopy

The plane ride up takes about 15 minutes, and the coastline, the city and the countryside open out under the window as you climb.5 It is a good time to look properly at the reef side of the view and to breathe slowly. Near the top the door opens, the cabin fills with wind and engine noise, and the pairs ahead of you start to move towards the edge, one pair at a time, with the instructors calling the order.

At the door, you move to the edge with your instructor, who takes over control of the jump.40 On the Cairns jump the fall then runs for as long as 60 seconds, close to 200 km/h at its fastest.6 At approximately 4,000 ft the instructor opens the parachute, and the noise stops almost at once.41 What follows is about 5 to 6 minutes of gliding, and the instructor may even let you help steer the canopy through a turn above the landing area.20,42

The landing is where the main products differ. From Cairns you touch down on the operator's field on Page Road, Edmonton, and a bus returns you to its city office.7 At Mission Beach a beach landing is promised on every jump, with the exact stretch of sand chosen on the day to suit wind and weather.8 Either way, you stay with your instructor afterwards, because landing areas can hide hazards such as dunes, tides or wildlife.43

Step by step

From the counter to the landing field

  1. Arrival

    Check-in and forms

    The clock starts at check-in; forms are done online first.11,12

  2. At the counter

    Weigh-in

    A quick weight check matches you with instructor and gear.18

  3. Under 30 min

    Briefing and harness

    The jump, body position and landing, then your gear.4,19

  4. About 15 min

    The climb

    Coast and city open out below the window.5

  5. Up to 60 sec

    Freefall

    Around 200 km/h, then the parachute opens.6

  6. About 5 to 6 min

    Canopy and landing

    A glide down to the field or the sand.20,8

After landing: the bus, the photos, the rest of the day

The Cairns listing runs to 3 hours in total, ending with a transfer back to the Esplanade. Plenty of guests are done in roughly 1.5 hours, Skydive Australia says, yet it urges you to keep at least half a day free, as weather and operations can slow things down.9 Its terms say it aims to complete a tandem within 4 hours of arrival, so a lunch booking straight after a morning check-in is optimistic.28

If you bought a photo or video package, the media arrives digitally. The download link usually lands soon after you do, though the full set can take 24 to 48 hours to finish processing.44 At Mission Beach the link goes to your email and mobile, or to WhatsApp if you have no Australian number.45 Check the spam folder before you decide nothing has arrived, and download the files before you leave a good connection.

Friends who are not jumping can come along. Onlookers are welcome: they can drive themselves to the landing field or take a spare seat on the bus, where jumpers come first and riders must be at least 12.29 For anyone filming from the ground, the landing is the moment to catch, as the pair comes in under a bright canopy and touches down close by. Agree on a meeting point before you board, because the bus back and the spectators' route may differ.

Video

Skydiving basics from the pre-jump to the landing

Sportology on YouTube · Nothing is fetched until you hit play.

A safety briefing and gear-up must be completed by the Guest on arrival.
Skydive Australia22

Packing list

What to have with you on the day

Bring4

  • Valid government-issued photo ID13
  • Your completed online check-in form12
  • A warm layer, or borrow a fleece and gloves33
  • Swimmers and sunscreen for the Mission Beach wait39

Leave behind3

  • Phones and cameras: not allowed on the aircraft36
  • Loose items such as dentures or false teeth34
  • Any plan that needs you back within the hour

Cairns, Mission Beach or Mundoo: how the day changes

The Cairns day is the compact one. Check-in is in the city, the landing field is at Edmonton, and the listing runs to 3 hours with pickup included.1,7 It suits a traveller with a reef trip or a flight later in the day, and it is the jump sold on this site. If time in Cairns is tight, this is the version that leaves the afternoon free for the Esplanade lagoon, a late lunch by the water or a long nap.

The Mission Beach day is built around the drive and the beach. Mission Beach is a relaxed 2-hour drive south of Cairns, free return transfers run from the city, and the listing runs from 5 hours to 1 day.46,47 The operator aims for about one hour per plane load and suggests bringing swimmers and sunscreen for the wait.48,39 It suits someone for whom the landing on the sand is the whole point.

The Mundoo listing sits between them. It lists 4 to 6 hours, an up to 14,000 feet tandem with instruction before the jump, optional transfers from Cairns and an option over the reef with a beach landing. Whichever you choose, read the meeting point on your confirmation carefully, because the options within one listing can start in different places, and transfers are sometimes a separate choice at booking.

FAQ

The short answers to your questions.

Do I need any training before a tandem jump?
No experience needed.

A professional instructor is clipped to you throughout, and the morning briefing covers the jump, body position and landing.3,19

How long does the whole skydive day take?
Allow half a day.

Roughly 1.5 hours for many people, but keep at least half a day free in case of weather holds.9

Does the Cairns jump land on the beach?
No, on a field.

On the operator's field at Page Road, Edmonton; a bus then runs you back to town.7

Where can I land on a beach?
Mission Beach.

The Mission Beach drop zone guarantees a beach landing every time; the Mundoo listing sells a beach landing option.8

Is my booking time my jump time?
No.

It is an arrival and check-in time; the exit itself is not scheduled.11

What do I need to bring on the day?
Photo ID.

Bring a valid government-issued photo ID, and leave phones and cameras behind.13,36

When do I get my photos and video?
Usually soon after landing.

The media link usually comes shortly after landing, with up to 24 to 48 hours for full upload.44

Can friends watch my landing?
Yes.

Yes, onlookers can drive to the landing field or use a spare bus seat.29

Sources

  1. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Cairns ↩
  2. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Cairns ↩
  3. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Tandem Skydiving FAQ ↩
  4. United States Parachute Association · Tandem and first jump FAQs ↩
  5. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · What to Expect on Your First Skydive ↩
  6. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · What to Expect on Your First Skydive ↩
  7. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Cairns ↩
  8. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Mission Beach ↩
  9. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Cairns ↩
  10. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Tandem Skydiving FAQ ↩
  11. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Terms & Conditions ↩
  12. Skydive Australia · Terms and Conditions ↩
  13. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Terms & Conditions ↩
  14. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Terms & Conditions ↩
  15. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Cairns ↩
  16. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Cairns ↩
  17. Skydive Australia · Tandem Skydive FAQs ↩
  18. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · What to Expect on Your First Skydive ↩
  19. Skydive Australia · Your First Tandem Skydive ↩
  20. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · What to Expect on Your First Skydive ↩
  21. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Tandem Skydiving FAQ ↩
  22. Skydive Australia · Terms and Conditions ↩
  23. United States Parachute Association · Tandem and first jump FAQs ↩
  24. United States Parachute Association · Tandem and first jump FAQs ↩
  25. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Mission Beach ↩
  26. Skydive Australia · Skydive Cairns ↩
  27. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Mission Beach ↩
  28. Skydive Australia · Terms and Conditions ↩
  29. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Cairns ↩
  30. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Tandem Skydiving FAQ ↩
  31. Skydive Australia · Your First Tandem Skydive ↩
  32. Skydive Australia · Tandem Skydive FAQs ↩
  33. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · What to Expect on Your First Skydive ↩
  34. Skydive Australia · Tandem Skydive FAQs ↩
  35. Skydive Australia · Terms and Conditions ↩
  36. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Terms & Conditions ↩
  37. Skydive Australia · Your First Tandem Skydive ↩
  38. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Tandem Skydiving FAQ ↩
  39. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Mission Beach ↩
  40. Skydive Australia · Your First Tandem Skydive ↩
  41. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Tandem Skydiving FAQ ↩
  42. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · What to Expect on Your First Skydive ↩
  43. Skydive Australia · Terms and Conditions ↩
  44. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Cairns ↩
  45. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Mission Beach ↩
  46. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Mission Beach ↩
  47. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Mission Beach ↩
  48. Skydive Australia (operator official site) · Skydive Mission Beach ↩

Related guides

More to read before the jump

GuideCairns skydive pricesGuideCairns or Mission Beach skydiveGuideSkydive weight and age limitsGuideRain, cloud and weather cancellations

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