$116+ Cheap flights to Cairns

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 28/4. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
— CNS
21 Feb — 28 Feb1
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

Flights to Cairns in 2026

Enter your travel dates to find the best prices.

Cheapest flights to Cairns
Explore the most affordable flight options available to Cairns. Find the lowest fares based on data from user searches, with prices last updated on 22 January 2026.

Sat 7/315:25
SYD
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 05m
Jetstar
Sat 14/318:05
CNS
-
SYD
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Deal found 20/1$219
Thu 23/406:10
SYD
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 10m
Jetstar
Sun 26/419:10
CNS
-
SYD
Nonstop2h 55m
Jetstar
Deal found 19/1$222
Wed 25/206:20
SYD
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Mon 2/318:05
CNS
-
SYD
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Deal found 20/1$224
Wed 22/406:10
SYD
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 10m
Jetstar
Sun 26/419:10
CNS
-
SYD
Nonstop2h 55m
Jetstar
Deal found 22/1$225
Fri 22/515:15
SYD
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 10m
Jetstar
Mon 25/519:10
CNS
-
SYD
Nonstop2h 55m
Jetstar
Deal found 21/1$231
Thu 29/106:20
SYD
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Mon 2/206:40
CNS
-
SYD
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Deal found 22/1$232
Thu 7/512:40
SYD
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 15m
Virgin Australia
Sun 10/519:15
CNS
-
SYD
Nonstop2h 55m
Virgin Australia
Deal found 19/1$234
Tue 24/206:20
SYD
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Wed 4/306:40
CNS
-
SYD
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Deal found 20/1$235
Thu 26/206:20
SYD
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Mon 2/318:05
CNS
-
SYD
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Deal found 20/1$237
Thu 26/206:20
SYD
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Sun 1/306:40
CNS
-
SYD
Nonstop3h 00m
Jetstar
Deal found 21/1$238

Find flight deals to Cairns

Find the latest flights to Cairns in 2026, with up-to-date prices and availability. In the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made a total of 647,157 searches and data was last updated on 22 January 2026.

Return from

$219

One-way from

$118

Popular in

April

Cheapest in

March

Average price

$310

Good round-trip deal

$239 or less

Good one-way deal

$127 or less
Jetstar
  • Jetstar
  • 7/3-14/3
  • Nonstop
  • 6h 05m total
  • Sydney to Cairns
Jetstar
  • Jetstar
  • 29/1
  • Nonstop
  • 3h 00m total
  • Sydney to Cairns
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 4% potential increase in price.
Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($10 potential savings vs. average return price).
Average for return flights in January 2026
Price to beat on a round-trip flight from Sydney Kingsford Smith to Cairns.
Price to beat on a one-way flight from Sydney Kingsford Smith to Cairns.

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Locate flights to Cairns that fit your budget, with regularly updated fares and availability. In the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made a total of 647,157 searches and data was last updated on 22 January 2026.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights to Cairns that are best for you.

Fly from

Sydney

Route

Depart

Return

Price

SydneyCairns

SYD - CNS

SYDCNS

Sydney Kingsford Smith

Thu 23/4

06:10-09:20

Nonstop3h 10m

Cairns

Sun 26/4

19:10-22:05

Nonstop2h 55m

$222

SydneyCairns

SYD - CNS

SYDCNS

Sydney Kingsford Smith

Wed 25/2

06:20-08:20

Nonstop3h 00m

Cairns

Mon 2/3

18:05-22:05

Nonstop3h 00m

$224

SydneyCairns

SYD - CNS

SYDCNS

Sydney Kingsford Smith

Wed 22/4

06:10-09:20

Nonstop3h 10m

Cairns

Sun 26/4

19:10-22:05

Nonstop2h 55m

$225

SydneyCairns

SYD - CNS

SYDCNS

Sydney Kingsford Smith

Sat 14/2

06:20-08:20

Nonstop3h 00m

Cairns

Thu 2/4

18:10-22:05

Nonstop2h 55m

$230

SydneyCairns

SYD - CNS

SYDCNS

Sydney Kingsford Smith

Wed 4/2

06:20-08:20

Nonstop3h 00m

Cairns

Thu 5/2

09:05-13:00

Nonstop2h 55m

$231

SydneyCairns

SYD - CNS

SYDCNS

Sydney Kingsford Smith

Fri 22/5

15:15-18:25

Nonstop3h 10m

Cairns

Mon 25/5

19:10-22:05

Nonstop2h 55m

$231

SydneyCairns

SYD - CNS

SYDCNS

Sydney Kingsford Smith

Fri 22/5

15:15-18:25

Nonstop3h 10m

Cairns

Sat 23/5

19:10-22:05

Nonstop2h 55m

$231

SydneyCairns

SYD - CNS

SYDCNS

Sydney Kingsford Smith

Fri 6/3

15:25-17:30

Nonstop3h 05m

Cairns

Tue 10/3

18:10-22:10

Nonstop3h 00m

$240

SydneyCairns

SYD - CNS

SYDCNS

Sydney Kingsford Smith

Fri 27/2

06:20-08:20

Nonstop3h 00m

Cairns

Mon 2/3

18:05-22:05

Nonstop3h 00m

$255

SydneyCairns

SYD - CNS

SYDCNS

Sydney Kingsford Smith

Mon 2/2

06:20-08:20

Nonstop3h 00m

Cairns

Sat 7/2

09:05-13:00

Nonstop2h 55m

$258

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 19/1

Showing 1-10 of 18 results
1
2

Best time to book a flight to Cairns

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Cairns with our price prediction graph.
Estimated return price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight to Cairns

When is the best time to book a flight to Cairns?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a return flight from Sydney to Cairns. Price data was last updated on 16 January 2026.

The best time to book flights to Cairns is 32 days before your desired departure date. The cost of your flight will likely increase significantly if you book two weeks in advance of your flight.

When is the cheapest time to fly to Cairns?

Use this chart to determine the cheapest time to fly return from Sydney to Cairns. Price data was last updated on 17 January 2026.

Users looking for the lowest fares to Cairns should consider flying on Saturday afternoons, when prices are typically cheapest. Budget-minded travellers will want to avoid Wednesday at midday, when prices are usually at their highest.

Reviews of airlines servicing Cairns

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Cairns. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to Cairns. Reviews last updated 22 January 2026.
Check out reviews from past customers who have flown Virgin Australia, Qantas Airways, andJetstar to Australia to help guide your decision. You can also see how each airline stacks up in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.

Entertainment

6.4

Food

6.4

Crew

8.2

Comfort

7.5

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Leanne,Dec 2025

MEL - LST

The crew were very welcoming and the landing was excellent

Entertainment

6.4

Food

6.4

Crew

8.2

Comfort

7.5

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Leanne,Dec 2025

MEL - LST

The crew were very welcoming and the landing was excellent

Entertainment

6.4

Food

6.4

Crew

8.2

Comfort

7.5

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Leanne,Dec 2025

MEL - LST

The crew were very welcoming and the landing was excellent

Entertainment

6.4

Food

6.4

Crew

8.2

Comfort

7.5

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Leanne,Dec 2025

MEL - LST

The crew were very welcoming and the landing was excellent

FAQs about flying to Cairns

  • What airport do you fly into for flights to Cairns?

    Most people fly into Cairns (CNS) if they book a flight to Cairns. Cairns is conveniently located just 4.4 km from Cairns’s city centre. There are 37 flights from Sydney to Cairns per day from 3 different airlines.

  • Can I find cheaper flights to Cairns if I am willing to have stopovers?

    Yes, flights with stopovers are often cheaper than direct flights. Keep an eye out for flight deals to Cairns on Cheapflights that require 1 or 2 stops for potential cost savings.

  • What is the best airline to fly to Cairns?

    Based on reviews from Cheapflights users, Jetstar is rated the highest out of the airlines that fly to Cairns.

  • What is the cheapest airport to fly to in Cairns?

    Cairns is currently the cheapest airport to fly to in Cairns. One-way flights to Cairns typically cost $86, while return flights cost around $110.

  • How much is a return flight to Cairns?

    A return flight to Cairns will typically cost around $314, however they can be found for as little as $110.

  • Where does the fastest flight to Cairns depart from?

    For those looking to save time traveling to Cairns, Townsville offers the quickest one-way flight (1 hour 0 minutes).

  • Does Cairns have car hire?

    Yes. Those touching down at Cairns can take advantage of the car hire services offered upon their arrival.

  • Are there hotels close to Cairns?

    Yes. Cairns has hotels nearby for those requiring accommodations. Hillside Hideaway: vibrant retreat surrounded by hiking trails - mins from city! is the closest property to Cairns (0.0 km away from Cairns).

See more FAQs

Travelling to a place near Cairns?

Book flights to Cairns if you plan to visit one of these locations
Mission Beach
Trinity Beach

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