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Cheap flights from Cairns to Darwin from $280

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 11/12. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
CNS — DRW
18 Oct — 25 Oct1
1 adult
1 adult, Economy

Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Cairns to Darwin are usually found in October or March, booked 43 days in advance, depart on a Thursday or Wednesday and return on a Wednesday

Cheap flight deals from Cairns to Darwin

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Cairns (CNS) to Darwin (DRW). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated 18 September 2025.

Round-trip from

$511

One-way from

$280

Popular in

January

Cheapest in

October

Average price

$833

Good round-trip deal

$953 or less

Good one-way deal

$365 or less
Airnorth
  • Airnorth
  • 1/11-8/11
  • 2 total stops
  • 7h 00m total
  • Cairns to Darwin
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Virgin Australia
  • Virgin Australia
  • 11/12
  • 1 total stop
  • 8h 05m total
  • Cairns to Darwin
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Highest demand for flights based on searches. 5% potential increase in price ($63 potential increase over avg. return price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease ($34 potential savings vs. average return price).
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Average for round-trip flights in September 2025
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Price to beat on a round-trip flight from Cairns to Darwin.
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Price to beat on a one-way flight from Cairns to Darwin.
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Find flight deals from Cairns to Darwin

Cheapest flights from Cairns to Darwin
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Cairns to Darwin. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on 18 September 2025.

Sat 1/1112:20CNS - DRW
1 stop3h 30mAirnorth
Sat 8/1107:20DRW - CNS
1 stop3h 30mAirnorth
Deal found 17/9$511
Thu 9/1006:00CNS - DRW
1 stop19h 05mJetstar
Tue 14/1001:50DRW - CNS
1 stop30h 50mJetstar
Deal found 17/9$591
Mon 13/1006:00CNS - DRW
1 stop19h 05mJetstar
Thu 23/1001:50DRW - CNS
1 stop30h 50mJetstar
Deal found 17/9$616
Wed 8/1006:00CNS - DRW
1 stop19h 05mJetstar
Thu 23/1001:50DRW - CNS
1 stop30h 50mJetstar
Deal found 17/9$634
Wed 8/1006:00CNS - DRW
1 stop19h 05mJetstar
Thu 16/1001:50DRW - CNS
1 stop30h 50mJetstar
Deal found 17/9$637
Sat 1/1112:20CNS - DRW
1 stop3h 30mMultiple Airlines
Fri 7/1101:05DRW - CNS
1 stop7h 45mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 17/9$639
Fri 31/1006:00CNS - DRW
1 stop8h 05mMultiple Airlines
Fri 7/1108:00DRW - CNS
1 stop3h 30mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 16/9$658
Wed 22/1012:00CNS - DRW
1 stop13h 05mJetstar
Thu 23/1001:30DRW - CNS
1 stop9h 15mJetstar
Deal found 17/9$684

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customise your flight search to find flights from Cairns to Darwin that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 647,157 searches. Data last updated 18 September 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Cairns to Darwin that are best for you.

Fly from

Cairns

Fly to

Darwin

Route

Depart

Return

Price

CairnsDarwin

CNS - DRW

CNSDRW

Cairns

Fri 31/10

06:00-13:35

1 stop8h 05m

Darwin

Fri 7/11

08:00-12:00

1 stop3h 30m

$658

CairnsDarwin

CNS - DRW

CNSDRW

Cairns

Sat 1/11

12:20-15:20

1 stop3h 30m

Darwin

Sat 8/11

06:00-09:05

Nonstop2h 35m

$681

CairnsDarwin

CNS - DRW

CNSDRW

Cairns

Wed 22/10

12:00-00:35

1 stop13h 05m

Darwin

Thu 23/10

01:30-11:15

1 stop9h 15m

$684

CairnsDarwin

CNS - DRW

CNSDRW

Cairns

Tue 7/10

09:45-00:50

1 stop15h 35m

Darwin

Thu 23/10

01:50-09:10

1 stop30h 50m

$693

CairnsDarwin

CNS - DRW

CNSDRW

Cairns

Tue 7/10

09:45-00:50

1 stop15h 35m

Darwin

Thu 16/10

01:50-09:10

1 stop30h 50m

$696

CairnsDarwin

CNS - DRW

CNSDRW

Cairns

Fri 24/10

06:00-13:15

1 stop7h 45m

Darwin

Mon 27/10

06:00-09:05

Nonstop2h 35m

$764

CairnsDarwin

CNS - DRW

CNSDRW

Cairns

Fri 24/10

17:45-19:55

Nonstop2h 40m

Darwin

Mon 27/10

06:00-09:05

Nonstop2h 35m

$778

CairnsDarwin

CNS - DRW

CNSDRW

Cairns

Sat 1/11

09:45-11:50

Nonstop2h 35m

Darwin

Sat 8/11

06:00-09:05

Nonstop2h 35m

$784

CairnsDarwin

CNS - DRW

CNSDRW

Cairns

Mon 6/10

06:00-00:35

1 stop19h 05m

Darwin

Fri 17/10

01:30-20:55

1 stop18h 55m

$787

CairnsDarwin

CNS - DRW

CNSDRW

Cairns

Thu 11/12

06:00-13:35

1 stop8h 05m

$280

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 17/9

Showing 1-10 of 19 results
1
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Best time to book a flight from Cairns to Darwin

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Darwin from 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 from Cairns to Darwin

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

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a return flight from Cairns to Darwin. Price data was last updated on 12 September 2025.

Booking 43 days in advance of your planned departure date is, on average, the best time to get cheap flights from Cairns to Darwin. The general trend is that the closer you book to the departure date, the more expensive your flight will be.

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

Currently, November is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Cairns to Darwin (average of $312). Flying from Cairns to Darwin in July is currently the most expensive (average of $436). 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.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from CNS to DRW?

Find hourly flight availability from Cairns to Darwin. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated 18 September 2025.

One of the essential ways to save on airfare from Cairns to Darwin is to remain as flexible as possible. Flights that are in the morning tend to be the most expensive. A flight at midday could potentially save you up to 21% on airfare.

How much does it cost for a return flight from Cairns to Darwin?

Reviews of airlines servicing Darwin

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Darwin. 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 Darwin. Reviews last updated 18 September 2025.
Check out reviews from past customers who have flown with Virgin Australia, Qantas Airways, andJetstar from Cairns to Darwin 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.
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
416 reviews
Check prices

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.7

Food

6.4

Comfort

7.5

Crew

8.2

Entertainment

6.4

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Andrew,June 2025

MEL - CNS

We didn’t eat or drink, but feel like a sardine. No room at all.
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
416 reviews
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
416 reviews
Check prices

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.7

Food

6.4

Comfort

7.5

Crew

8.2

Entertainment

6.4

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Andrew,June 2025

MEL - CNS

We didn’t eat or drink, but feel like a sardine. No room at all.
Qantas Airways
7.5
Good
907 reviews
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
416 reviews
Check prices

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.7

Food

6.4

Comfort

7.5

Crew

8.2

Entertainment

6.4

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Andrew,June 2025

MEL - CNS

We didn’t eat or drink, but feel like a sardine. No room at all.
Jetstar
6.5
Okay
474 reviews
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
416 reviews
Check prices

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.7

Food

6.4

Comfort

7.5

Crew

8.2

Entertainment

6.4

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Andrew,June 2025

MEL - CNS

We didn’t eat or drink, but feel like a sardine. No room at all.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from Cairns to Darwin. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.

  • What airports do I use to fly from Cairns to Darwin?

    To fly from Cairns to Darwin, you need to book a flight from Cairns (CNS) to Darwin (DRW). Nonstop flights to Darwin from Cairns take 2h 35m on average. When it comes time to book airfare, you have a few options: there are 3 outbound flights from Cairns to Darwin offered by 4 different airlines.

  • How popular is this Cairns to Darwin flight route?

    Within the past month, 388 users have taken a look at flights from Cairns to Darwin.

  • How long is the flight from Cairns to Darwin?

    Departing from Cairns to Darwin will take you 13h 05m. There are 1674 km between Cairns and Darwin.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from Cairns to Darwin round-trip?

    Our cheapest airline available from Cairns to Darwin is Jetstar. Our recent data shows that you can find tickets from as low as $298 on this airline. Additional options worth looking into are Virgin Australia and Airnorth, starting at $309 and $353 round-trip. Jetstar is priced at 61% lower than the current average price of a flight leaving 3 months from now.

  • What are the cheapest flights from Cairns to Darwin?

    While on average a flight from Cairns to Darwin is generally $856, our data shows the cheapest flight currently is $302. When looking at the most popular route, (Cairns - Darwin), you can expect to pay $658 for that flight.

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

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

  • How can I find direct flights from Cairns to Darwin?

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

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

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Cairns to Darwin 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 Cairns to Darwin?

    Currently, November is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Cairns to Darwin (average of $312). Flying from Cairns to Darwin in July is currently the most expensive (average of $436). 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

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Top 4 airlines flying from Cairns to Darwin

Discover the top 4 airlines that operate flights from Cairns to Darwin. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 647,157 searches. Data last updated 18 September 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
JetstarCheapest$298Average$714FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time74%
Search Jetstar flights
Virgin AustraliaCheapest$309Average$585FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time80%
Search Virgin Australia flights
AirnorthCheapest$353Average$748FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
Search Airnorth flights
Qantas AirwaysCheapest$446Average$793FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time74%
Search Qantas Airways flights

Fly with Cheapflights

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How does Cheapflights help users find flights from Cairns to Darwin?

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Why should you use Cheapflights to find cheap flight tickets from Cairns to Darwin?

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Yes! Cheapflights helps users easily find flights from Cairns to Darwin with no change fees.

Can Cheapflights notify me if prices for flights from Cairns to Darwin become cheaper?

Of course! You can now track prices for flights from Cairns to Darwin and get an alert from Cheapflights when they change. Have a valid email address ready and click the bell icon next to the flight deals above to set up your price alerts.

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