When is the best time to fly to Canberra?
Peak season
Australia’s capital city of Canberra is popular place to visit for its national institutions, festivals, food and nightlife. The busiest tourist time is over the Christmas and the New Year period when cheap flights to Canberra are harder to find. Summer school holidays also boost the prices of flight tickets. Festivals, such the Summernats Car Festival held over four days in January and the Canberra Multicultural Festival in February, attract thousands of visitors, and also make it more difficult to find cheap flights to Canberra.
Off Season
Cold Canberra winters mean less tourists but affordable flights and accommodation if you’re seeking a weekend break.
When is the best time to book a flight to Canberra?
Autumn (March to May) and spring (September to November) are pleasant seasons to visit Canberra weatherwise with temps averaging the mid-teens to mid-20s. Festivals to note that could see cheap flights to Canberra snapped up include: Celebrate Canberra Festival (March), National Folk Festival (April) and Stonefest (October). Ski trips to the Snowy Mountains are popular from Canberra and you can get some great flight deals for June and July. Be aware that fog forecasts can disrupt flights.
How long is the flight to Canberra?
Flights from Sydney to Canberra – 51 mins
Flights from Melbourne to Canberra - 1 hr 7 mins
Flights from Brisbane to Canberra – 1 hr 53 mins
Flights from Adelaide to Canberra – 1 hr 35 mins
Flights from Perth to Canberra – 3 hrs 40 mins
Which airlines operate flights to Canberra?
Virgin Australia and Qantas are the main carriers operating direct flights to Canberra from major Australian cities. There are around 380 weekly flights from Sydney, 200 from Melbourne and 120 from Brisbane. Small Australian regional airline Fly Pelican based in Newcastle operates approximately 10 weekly flights to Canberra.
How to get from the Canberra airport to the city centre?
Canberra International Airport (CBR) is around a 10 minute drive north of the city centre and there are several options for transport.
Bus services: the cheapest is to catch the Airport Express Shuttle which runs every 30 minutes during weekdays and hourly on weekends. Tickets cost $12 one way and $20 return.
Taxi: ranks are situated out the front of the terminal and there is an indoor waiting area. If you’re interested in exploring the countryside around Canberra then hiring a car from the airport is a good idea. Rental cars are located in the arrivals hall.