Cheap flights from New Zealand to Cairns from $306

AKL — CNS
8 Dec — 15 Dec1
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

Cheap flight deals from New Zealand to Cairns

Enter your travel dates to find the best prices.

Cheapest flights from New Zealand to Cairns

Fri 27/1116:40 -
1 stop19h 25m
Sun 6/1206:00 -
1 stop21h 10m
Deal found 4/11$769
Wed 2/1214:50 -
1 stop23h 45m
Wed 9/1214:40 -
1 stop11h 50m
Deal found 3/11$818
Thu 17/1207:00 -
1 stop16h 50m
Sun 10/106:00 -
1 stop10h 10m
Deal found 4/11$834
Thu 17/1207:00 -
1 stop16h 50m
Sun 10/109:45 -
1 stop11h 30m
Deal found 7/11$836
Sun 6/1217:35 -
1 stop8h 30m
Sun 13/1206:00 -
1 stop9h 35m
Deal found 7/11$837
Thu 17/1207:00 -
1 stop16h 50m
Fri 8/109:45 -
1 stop11h 30m
Deal found 7/11$849
Mon 7/1217:20 -
1 stop18h 00m
Mon 14/1212:05 -
1 stop15h 05m
Deal found 4/11$865
Sat 28/1106:20 -
1 stop11h 35m
Sat 5/1215:40 -
1 stop29h 45m
Deal found 7/11$894
Thu 26/1116:10 -
1 stop19h 55m
Thu 3/1209:45 -
1 stop11h 20m
Deal found 7/11$895
Fri 4/1215:55 -
1 stop20h 05m
Mon 7/1213:50 -
1 stop7h 35m
Deal found 7/11$901
Mon 7/1216:10 -
1 stop19h 55m
Sun 13/1206:40 -
2 stops27h 00m
Deal found 6/11$924
Thu 3/1216:05 -
1 stop19h 30m
Mon 7/1218:05 -
2 stops34h 00m
Deal found 3/11$940

Find flight deals from New Zealand to Cairns

Round-trip from

$677

One-way from

$309

Popular in

December

Cheapest in

May

Average price

$1,009

Good one-way deal

$175 or less
Jetstar
  • Jetstar
  • 27/2-13/3
  • 2 total stops
  • 23h 45m total
  • New Zealand to Cairns
Jetstar
  • Jetstar
  • 11/12-31/12
  • 1 total stop
  • 19h 25m total
  • New Zealand to Cairns
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 7% potential increase in price ($103 potential increase over avg. return price).
Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease ($29 potential savings vs. average return price).
Average for round-trip flights in November 2026
Price to beat on a one-way flight from New Zealand to Cairns.

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from New Zealand to Cairns that are best for you.

Fly from

Fly to

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Cheapest return flight

AucklandCairns

AKL Auckland Intl - CNS Cairns

AKLCNS

Auckland Intl

Tue 30/3

07:00-18:45

1 stop14h 45m

Cairns

Wed 31/12

00:00-02:00

Nonstop0h 00m

$348

AucklandCairns

AKL Auckland Intl - CNS Cairns

AKLCNS

Auckland Intl

Sat 5/12

08:00-17:15

1 stop12h 15m

Cairns

Wed 31/12

00:00-02:00

Nonstop0h 00m

$358

ChristchurchCairns

CHC Christchurch - CNS Cairns

CHCCNS

Christchurch

Wed 28/4

09:10-18:25

1 stop11h 15m

Cairns

Wed 31/12

00:00-02:00

Nonstop0h 00m

$361

AucklandCairns

AKL Auckland Intl - CNS Cairns

AKLCNS

Auckland Intl

Mon 1/3

16:40-09:05

1 stop19h 25m

Cairns

Wed 31/12

00:00-02:00

Nonstop0h 00m

$364

AucklandCairns

AKL Auckland Intl - CNS Cairns

AKLCNS

Auckland Intl

Tue 15/12

19:40-09:00

1 stop16h 20m

Cairns

Wed 31/12

00:00-02:00

Nonstop0h 00m

$367

ChristchurchCairns

CHC Christchurch - CNS Cairns

CHCCNS

Christchurch

Sat 16/1

16:10-09:05

1 stop19h 55m

Cairns

Wed 31/12

00:00-02:00

Nonstop0h 00m

$373

QueenstownCairns

ZQN Queenstown Intl - CNS Cairns

ZQNCNS

Queenstown Intl

Fri 19/2

14:05-11:05

1 stop24h 00m

Cairns

Wed 31/12

00:00-02:00

Nonstop0h 00m

$405

ChristchurchCairns

CHC Christchurch - CNS Cairns

CHCCNS

Christchurch

Mon 22/2

06:20-14:55

1 stop11h 35m

Cairns

Wed 31/12

00:00-02:00

Nonstop0h 00m

$450

AucklandCairns

AKL Auckland Intl - CNS Cairns

AKLCNS

Auckland Intl

Mon 22/2

06:50-14:55

1 stop11h 05m

Cairns

Wed 31/12

00:00-02:00

Nonstop0h 00m

$454

AucklandCairns

AKL Auckland Intl - CNS Cairns

AKLCNS

Auckland Intl

Fri 26/2

16:40-08:20

2 stops18h 40m

Cairns

Wed 31/12

00:00-02:00

Nonstop0h 00m

$464

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 7/11

Showing 1-10 of 58 resultsSorted by cheapest first
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Best time to book a flight from New Zealand to Cairns

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Cairns from New Zealand with our price prediction graph.
Estimated return price

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from New Zealand to Cairns

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from New Zealand to Cairns?

Currently, May is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from New Zealand to Cairns (average of $751). Flying from New Zealand to Cairns in December is currently the most expensive (average of $1,052). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

How often are flights from New Zealand to Cairns delayed?

About 8% of weekly flights between New Zealand and Cairns have experienced delays in the past year, with the average delay time being 302 minutes.

What is the most punctual flight time for New Zealand to Cairns flights?

Historically, flights departing at night are less likely to be delayed, whereas flights leaving in the morning tend to experience delays more often.

What day of the week experiences the fewest flight delays on this route?

Monday tends to have the lowest number of delays on this route, whereas Sunday has historically faced a higher average of delays compared to other days of the week.

Which airline has the best punctuality record on New Zealand to Cairns flights?

Over the past year, China Eastern have had the lowest number of delays on this route, with just 5% of flights being delayed.

How far ahead should I book a flight from New Zealand to Cairns?

To ensure you get the cheapest price possible for a flight from New Zealand to Cairns, you should look to book at least 7 days in advance of your intended travel date. The price of your flight may increase if you delay and leave booking until a week or so before departure.

Reviews of airlines servicing Cairns

Check out reviews from past customers who have flown with Air New Zealand and Jetstar from New Zealand to Cairns 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.

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

7.9

Food

7.5

Boarding

8.2

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Blair,Oct 2026

WLG - AKL

The chicken dish was okay but kind of weird unlike the chicken penne on my trip home which was delicious.

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

7.9

Food

7.5

Boarding

8.2

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Blair,Oct 2026

WLG - AKL

The chicken dish was okay but kind of weird unlike the chicken penne on my trip home which was delicious.

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

7.9

Food

7.5

Boarding

8.2

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Blair,Oct 2026

WLG - AKL

The chicken dish was okay but kind of weird unlike the chicken penne on my trip home which was delicious.

Related info for your journey

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

    Cairns (CNS) is the airport you will fly into if you book a flight from New Zealand to Cairns. It is only a 4.4 km journey from Cairns (CNS) to Cairns’s city centre.

  • How popular is this New Zealand to Cairns flight route?

  • How long is the flight from New Zealand to Cairns?

    Departing from New Zealand to Cairns will take you 8h 30m. Airlines will cover a distance of 3788 km. This flight may include one or multiple stops.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from New Zealand to Cairns one-way?

    One-way options have recently been found by users for as low as $164 on Jetstar. Other airlines that offer cheap prices include Qantas Airways from $240 and Virgin Australia from $330 one-way.

  • What are the most popular routes from New Zealand to Cairns?

  • What are the most reliable airlines from New Zealand to Cairns?

    The top 3 most reliable airlines when flying from New Zealand to Cairns are Virgin Australia (93%), Air New Zealand (93%) and Singapore Airlines (93%).

  • What are the cheapest flights from New Zealand to Cairns?

    On average you can expect to pay $424 for a flight from New Zealand to Cairns. The cheapest flight overall is $353 while the most popular route, (Auckland Intl - Cairns) is currently priced at $758.

  • Can I find deals for flights from New Zealand to Cairns that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on New Zealand to Cairns flights, Cheapflights offers holiday packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from New Zealand to Cairns?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from New Zealand to Cairns.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from New Zealand to Cairns?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from New Zealand to Cairns by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from New Zealand to Cairns?

    Currently, May is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from New Zealand to Cairns (average of $751). Flying from New Zealand to Cairns in December is currently the most expensive (average of $1,052). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

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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Alternative routes for New Zealand to Cairns

Top 2 airlines flying from New Zealand to Cairns

AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
JetstarCheapest$163Average$427FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time74%
Search Jetstar flights
Air New ZealandCheapest$814Average$976FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time78%
Search Air New Zealand flights

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Yes, Cheapflights offers price alerts on New Zealand to Cairns flights so you can book your travel at the perfect time. Price Alerts can be enabled by clicking the bell icon next to the flight deals above and providing your email address where you want to receive the alerts.

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