Find flights
Deals
Insights
When to book
FAQs & Tips
Direct Flights
Airlines

AKL - CNS

$296 Find cheap flights from Auckland to Cairns

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Auckland to Cairns departing on 18/10. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
Sun 25/8
Sun 1/9

Search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Cairns

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Auckland to Cairns, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Auckland to Cairns, as well as popular online travel agencies
In the last 7 days, travellers have searched 50,552,696 times on KAYAK, and here's why:

Save 14% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Free to useThere are no hidden charges or fees.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Cheap flight deals from Auckland to Cairns (AKL-CNS)

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Auckland to Cairns that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
22:30 - 08:25AKL-CNS
11h 55m1 stop
06:00 - 11:55CNS-AKL
27h 55m1 stop
$764Jetstar
Find Deal
Fri, 30 Aug - Sun, 8 Sep
06:35 - 17:20AKL-CNS
12h 45m1 stop
09:45 - 23:05CNS-AKL
11h 20m1 stop
Sat, 31 Aug - Tue, 10 Sep
07:00 - 17:40AKL-CNS
12h 40m1 stop
06:00 - 11:55CNS-AKL
27h 55m1 stop
$777Jetstar
Find Deal
Tue, 6 Aug - Tue, 20 Aug
07:00 - 17:40AKL-CNS
12h 40m1 stop
06:00 - 11:55CNS-AKL
27h 55m1 stop
$781Jetstar
Find Deal
Tue, 6 Aug - Tue, 27 Aug
08:10 - 11:50AKL-CNS
5h 40mdirect
12:45 - 00:50CNS-AKL
10h 05m1 stop
$793Air New Zealand
Find Deal
Mon, 26 Aug - Mon, 2 Sep
08:10 - 11:50AKL-CNS
5h 40mdirect
13:00 - 19:40CNS-AKL
4h 40mdirect
$1,058Air New Zealand
Find Deal
Mon, 26 Aug - Mon, 2 Sep
06:15 - 13:55AKL-CNS
9h 40m1 stop
18:40 - 14:20CNS-AKL
17h 40m1 stop
$1,130Emirates
Find Deal
Mon, 26 Aug - Mon, 2 Sep
06:00 - 12:50AKL-CNS
8h 50m1 stop
14:35 - 07:35CNS-AKL
15h 00m2 stops
$1,160Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Tue, 6 Aug - Tue, 27 Aug
07:00 - 18:30AKL-CNS
13h 30m1 stop
14:35 - 07:35CNS-AKL
15h 00m2 stops
$1,165Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Tue, 6 Aug - Tue, 27 Aug
21:25 - 13:55AKL-CNS
42h 30m2 stops
13:45 - 15:35CNS-AKL
47h 50m2 stops
$7,929China Southern
Find Deal
Tue, 6 Aug - Tue, 20 Aug

Flights from Auckland to Cairns - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Auckland to Cairns to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Auckland to Cairns?

The average price of all flights from Auckland to Cairns clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
If you are looking for a flight deal from Auckland to Cairns, look for departures on Wednesdays and avoid leaving on a Saturday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Cairns, Monday is the cheapest day to fly and Sunday is the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Auckland to Cairns?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from Auckland to Cairns, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.
The cheapest month for flights from Auckland to Cairns is May, where tickets cost $892 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and June, where the average cost of tickets is $1,182 and $1,077 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Auckland to Cairns?

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from Auckland to Cairns, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each month.
To get a below average price on the flight from Auckland to Cairns, you should book around 2 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 126 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Auckland to Cairns?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
In the past 3 days, the cheapest one-way tickets to Cairns from Auckland were found on Jetstar ($296) and Air New Zealand ($406), and the lowest return tickets were found on Jetstar ($764) and Air New Zealand ($793).

Which airlines fly direct between Auckland and Cairns?

Airline and price data is aggregated from results in KAYAK’s search results from the last 2 weeks for flights from Auckland to Cairns.
There is just one airline that flies from Auckland to Cairns direct and that is Air New Zealand. The best one-way deal found from Air New Zealand for the route is $877.

How many flights are there between Auckland and Cairns per day?

There is a maximum of 1 direct flight a day that takes off from Auckland and lands in Cairns, with an average flight time of 5h 40m. The most common departure time is 07:00 and most flights take off in the morning. Each week, there are 4 flights.

Which cabin class options are there for flights between Auckland and Cairns?

The average price of flights for each cabin class for the route found by users searching on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks.
There is only one cabin class option available for the route, which is Economy. Perform a search on KAYAK to find the latest prices and availability for all cabin fares, which differ across airlines.

How long does a flight from Auckland to Cairns take?

Direct flights take on average 5h 40m to travel the 5,820 km between Auckland and Cairns.

What’s the earliest departure time from Auckland to Cairns?

Early birds can take the earliest flight from Auckland at 07:05 and will be landing in Cairns at 10:45.

What’s the latest departure time from Auckland to Cairns?

If you prefer to fly at night, the latest flight from Auckland to Cairns jets off at 08:10 and lands at 11:50.

Good to know

Low season

April

High season

September

Cheapest flight

$296
Best time to beat the crowds (4% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (5% more expensive on average)
Flight from Auckland to Cairns

When to book flights from Auckland to Cairns

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Auckland to Cairns based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or returns with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from Auckland to Cairns

  • What is the cheapest flight from Auckland to Cairns?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Auckland to Cairns was $175 for a one-way ticket and $451 for a return.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Auckland to Cairns?

    Auckland airport is called Auckland Intl and the only airport in Cairns is Cairns.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Auckland to Cairns?

    The Airbus A321neo is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Auckland to Cairns flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Auckland to Cairns?

    Star Alliance is the only airline alliance operating flights between Auckland and Cairns.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Auckland to Cairns?

    You can catch a direct flight from Auckland to Cairns on on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Auckland to Cairns, Air New Zealand or Qantas Airways?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Auckland to Cairns are Air New Zealand and Qantas Airways. With an average price for the route of $1,111 and an overall rating of 8.1, Air New Zealand is the most popular choice. Qantas Airways is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $1,049 and an overall rating of 7.6.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Auckland to Cairns?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Auckland to Cairns.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Auckland to Cairns?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Cairns from Auckland is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Auckland to Cairns?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional return ticket. You could then fly to Cairns with an airline and back to Auckland with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Auckland to Cairns?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Cairns from Auckland up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Auckland to Cairns

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $649 or less one-way and $1,153 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Auckland Intl to Cairns?

Find which airlines fly direct from Auckland Intl Airport to Cairns Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Auckland Intl to Cairns

Monday

Air China, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines

Air China, Air New Zealand, +1 more

Tuesday

Air China, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines

Air China, Air New Zealand, +1 more

Thursday

Air China, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines

Air China, Air New Zealand, +1 more

Saturday

Air China, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines

Air China, Air New Zealand, +1 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Cairns to Auckland Intl

Monday

Air China, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines

Air China, Air New Zealand, +1 more

Tuesday

Air China, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines

Air China, Air New Zealand, +1 more

Thursday

Air China, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines

Air China, Air New Zealand, +1 more

Saturday

Air China, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines

Air China, Air New Zealand, +1 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 3 airlines serving from Auckland to Cairns

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Auckland to Cairns. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Auckland to Cairns? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.1
Air New ZealandOverall score based on 564 reviews
7.8Entertainment
7.6Food
8.1Comfort
8.4Boarding
8.7Crew
Airline reviews

Gate agent was fantastic in Auckland. They wanted to charge me for my two bags even though I was gold member with United in Tonga. So I had to pay for an upgrade. The meals on both flights had no vegetarian option. The only one item the salad was not tasty at all. Good thing I had brought my own snacks. The bread was white roll which is so not healthy. I think New Zealand air can definitely improve their food offering.

6.0 GoodSteve, Jul 2024TBU - AKL
Read more about Air New Zealand reviews

Gate agent was fantastic in Auckland. They wanted to charge me for my two bags even though I was gold member with United in Tonga. So I had to pay for an upgrade. The meals on both flights had no vegetarian option. The only one item the salad was not tasty at all. Good thing I had brought my own snacks. The bread was white roll which is so not healthy. I think New Zealand air can definitely improve their food offering.

The entire process was excellent! The economy sits are a bit snug so I'll have to be sure to purchase premier or business class next time but, other than that, food, service, attendants were exceptional. Gate agents and ticket agents too!

Can you please process refund. Mum died and dad went to Pakistan to bury her after cancelling flight.

Short flight so no entertainment, turbulence so no food service - overall flight as expected

All was good, the only thing was it didn't run on time.

Great meal. Best seats ever! They need to teach other airlines how to do that.

Overall excellent but the Captain kept the seat belt sign on for far too long, especially at the beginning and end of the flight. It was 2 hours after take-off before the crew were able to start the service (on an 11 hour night flight, reducing our sleeping time) and the seat belt sign on went on during breakfast (90 mins before landing) and was not turned off again until we landed. This made for an uncomfortable journey of trying to limit fluid intake because it was unclear when the toilets would be available for use.

The staff and crew on board were excellent. Business class however, was very weird. I thought we would have individual pods, but the way it was set up was unexpected. Not very private and If you wanted to lay down, you had to have an entire bed made up for you by the crew, rather than how Delta one works where you could just lie down whenever you feel like it. It was a 16 hour flight. I chose not to have my bed made, and that turned out to be a good idea because everybody who had their bed made had to wait for the crew to roll up their mattresses. So strange!

Crew were pleasant, happy to be there and were a joy to be around. Entire operation was professional, well thought out and ran like a Swiss clock.

United flight from SFO to PDX was cancelled. I will ask for a refund. Had to book on Alaska

The flight was delayed over 2 hours. We had to wait on the plane and the air conditioning was turned off. The food was average and the cutlery was wooden!

Perfect. The flight was on time and the crew were very friendly and helpful.

Plane a little late departing, but not an issue. The pilots humour when he said “I will try to make up some time…. I know a few short cuts to Adelaide” made the passengers chuckle. This is what makes Qantas “Australian”.

I have never had a problem with flying Qantas, so this flight was the same as any other.

After British Airways cancelled my London to Sydney and Virgin Australia refused to refund, there was no ways I would try Virgin Australia again, so it was Qantas - what a good flight experience. So much easier to get off an international flight and get a local flight without having to add extra amounts for baggage

The plane was delayed about 3 hours so anything else is immaterial

It was so hot on the plane mixed with being quite turbulent and a rough landing. We all felt very nauseous for hours afterwards. Crew were lovely though.

For a long haul, the flight was good. We left an hour late due to a seat in business class not working. But they made up time and we still got in on time or even early thanks to tailwinds. The crew was friendly. The meals were okay, nothing special.

No internet on international flights in this dsy and age is bad.

Good. BUT the Kayak app kept sending me wrong messages saying that there was a Gate change. That same thing is happening today.

This was the most horrific experience we have ever had. I would advise people to steer clear of this airline at all costs.

Online checkin was a nightmare. They kept popping me into Chinese language site which I can't understand.

a constant reminder that you need to work harder so you can avoid this airline

For some reason the cabin was kept very cold. Unlike my flight over which i would say was excellent this was a long, cold flight home.

Note that food has to be purchased in flight. No free food. And no entertainment in flight. So I’ve treated these two items as okay which, in this case, means neutral/not applicable.

My Dad needed assistance to board the plane. The Jetstar staff were excellent with him and made the experience a lot easier😁

No food taken so can't rate also no entertainment so can't rate.

Boarding was easy and unstressful, though the early "final call" was a bit off-putting. The crew were pleasant, and the seats were comfortable. The prices for food and drink were reasonable, apart from tea and coffee, where simple percolated coffee was charged at espresso prices. Deboarding was OK, though some Jetstar passengers appear to have a bad habit of pushing forward from their assigned rows, making it more difficult to get out for passengers that have paid a premium to sit up-front. Jetstar might want to look to address this to stop it from spreading.

I got to the airport earlier than I expected, and they let me change to an earlier flight with no trouble.

The price difference/saving isn't sufficient to compensate the experience difference, don't recommend unless flight is under 3 hours. Huge queues for check in and the priority lane of other ailines blocked checked in Jetstar passengers from proceeding through to screening. Gate change to a "dungeon gate" that didn't have toilets in the vicinity. 45minute delay in boarding, no updates or explaination, let alone apology for any inconvenience. 1 scanner working for a full fight to board, no coordination. Loaded on to crowded buses to get on the plane in the middle of the tarmac, up stairs with no explaination. 4 bus trips. No system for boarding in sections. Over an hour late departing. Nothing complimentary, not even water or in-flight music. Pay wave not available and no cash sales. Staff onboard were friendly and professional.

Book cheap flights from Auckland to Cairns

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Auckland to Cairns found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
18/10Fri
1 stopJetstar
11h 55mAKL-CNS
$296
18/10Fri
1 stop
12h 10mAKL-CNS
$298
16/9Mon
1 stopJetstar
11h 55mAKL-CNS
$313
17/8Sat
1 stopJetstar
21h 20mAKL-CNS
$347
16/9Mon
1 stopAir New Zealand
18h 00mAKL-CNS
$406
19/10Sat
directAir New Zealand
5h 40mAKL-CNS
$471
16/9Mon
2 stopsQantas Airways
13h 30mAKL-CNS
$576
16/9Mon
2 stopsQantas Airways
13h 30mAKL-CNS
$579
17/10Thu
1 stopSingapore Airlines
19h 05mAKL-CNS
$4,669
17/10Thu
1 stopSingapore Airlines
19h 05mAKL-CNS
$4,691

Search by stops

Search by airline

Search by price

Auckland - Cairns Flights

Departure:

Auckland (AKL)New Zealand

Destination:

Cairns (CNS)Australia

Return flight deals:

Cairns - Auckland

Cabin classes:

$1,058

Browse destinations: