CNS

$197 Find Cheap Flights 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 to Cairns departing on 8/5. 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
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches 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 for flights to Cairns, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to Cairns, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Everything you should know

Cheapest return fare
$464
Overall average: $593
Jetstar
Wed 20/5Thu 21/5
CHC - CNS • Direct
Cheapest one-way flight
$197
Typical prices: $178-$251
Jetstar
Fri 8/5
CHC - CNS • Direct
Top airlines
Most flights • 3 per week
Best reviews • 8.1 score
Airline reviews
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Top routes
Cheapest
Most popular
Insights
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When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 13% compared to booking last minute.
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When to travel
Cheapest • 14% price drop
Most popular
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KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Cairns!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights to Cairns

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return flights 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 for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals to Cairns

Wed, 20 May - Thu, 21 May
Jetstar Logo
06:55 - 10:40
CHC
-
CNS
5h 45mdirect
Jetstar Logo
07:00 - 13:55
CNS
-
CHC
4h 55mdirect
$464Jetstar
Fri, 20 Mar - Tue, 7 Apr
Jetstar Logo
08:20 - 10:55
CHC
-
CNS
5h 35mdirect
Jetstar Logo
07:00 - 13:55
CNS
-
CHC
4h 55mdirect
$478Jetstar
Fri, 24 Apr - Sun, 3 May
Jetstar Logo
06:55 - 10:40
CHC
-
CNS
5h 45mdirect
Jetstar Logo
07:00 - 13:55
CNS
-
CHC
4h 55mdirect
$500Jetstar
Mon, 13 Apr - Thu, 16 Apr
Jetstar Logo
06:55 - 10:40
CHC
-
CNS
5h 45mdirect
Jetstar Logo
07:00 - 13:55
CNS
-
CHC
4h 55mdirect
$517Jetstar
Wed, 1 Apr - Tue, 7 Apr
Jetstar Logo
07:55 - 10:40
CHC
-
CNS
5h 45mdirect
Jetstar Logo
07:00 - 13:55
CNS
-
CHC
4h 55mdirect
$524Jetstar
Fri, 28 Aug - Thu, 3 Sep
Multiple Airlines Logo
09:55 - 10:45
WLG
-
CNS
26h 50m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
07:00 - 19:00
CNS
-
WLG
10h 00m
1 stop
$874Multiple Airlines
Sat, 29 Aug - Wed, 2 Sep
Virgin Australia Logo
17:40 - 09:50
ZQN
-
CNS
18h 10m
1 stop
Virgin Australia Logo
13:40 - 16:45
CNS
-
ZQN
25h 05m
1 stop
$878Virgin Australia
Sat, 29 Aug - Wed, 2 Sep
Virgin Australia Logo
17:40 - 18:25
ZQN
-
CNS
26h 45m
2 stops
Virgin Australia Logo
13:40 - 16:45
CNS
-
ZQN
25h 05m
1 stop
$903Virgin Australia
Mon, 20 Apr - Mon, 27 Apr
Air New Zealand Logo
10:05 - 10:45
WLG
-
CNS
26h 40m
1 stop
Air New Zealand Logo
15:45 - 07:10
CNS
-
WLG
13h 25m
2 stops
$945Air New Zealand
Wed, 22 Apr - Wed, 29 Apr
Multiple Airlines Logo
17:05 - 22:40
HLZ
-
CNS
31h 35m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
19:10 - 12:10
CNS
-
HLZ
15h 00m
1 stop
$956Multiple Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights to Cairns

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

What is the cheapest flight to Cairns?

These are the best round-trip prices found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.

In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Cairns was found on the route from Christchurch, at $464 return. The most popular connection is from Auckland to Cairns and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as $620 in the last 3 days.

How much is a flight to Cairns?

The average and cheapest price for all round-trip flights to Cairns from each origin found by users searching on KAYAK in the last month.

A flight to Cairns costs $528 on average. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost $202 and departed from Christchurch. The most popular routes on KAYAK are Christchurch to Cairns which costs $581 on average, and Auckland to Cairns, which costs $1,040 on average.

See prices from:

What is the cheapest day to fly to Cairns?

The average price of all round-trip flights to Cairns clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Cairns is Friday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $605. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where round-trip prices are $1,018 on average.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Cairns?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights 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 to Cairns is February, where tickets cost $783 on average for return flights. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and June, where the average cost of tickets from New Zealand is $1,066 and $1,030 respectively. For one-way flights, the best month to travel is February with an average price of $783.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Cairns?

The average price for all round-trip flights to Cairns depending on the time of departure, clicked by users on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

The cheapest time of day to fly to Cairns is generally in the morning, when round-trip flights cost $1,012 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Cairns is generally in the morning, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $1,012.

What is a good deal for flights to Cairns?

If you’re looking for cheap airfare to Cairns, 25% of our users found tickets to Cairns for the following prices or less: From Christchurch $480 return, from Auckland $789 return.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights to Cairns, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 13% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 6 weeks before departure.

Good to know – Book Cheap Cairns Plane Tickets

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$197
Best time to beat the crowds (3% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (3% more expensive on average)
Flight from Christchurch to Cairns

When to book flights to Cairns

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel 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. The information is for flights to Cairns based on your location. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs - booking Cairns flights

  • What is the cheapest flight to Cairns?

    In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Cairns was found on the route from Christchurch, at $464 return. The most popular connection is from Auckland to Cairns and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as $620 in the last 3 days.

  • How far is Cairns Airport from central Cairns?

    You’ll need to travel 4 km to reach the Cairns city centre from Cairns Airport.

  • What is the name of Cairns’s airport?

    When flying to Cairns, you'll arrive at Cairns Airport (CNS). The airport is also known as Cairns or Cairns Intl.

  • How much is a flight to Cairns?

    On average, a flight to Cairns costs $528. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost $202 and departed from Christchurch Airport.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights 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 to Cairns.

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

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

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

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

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight 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 up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Cairns

  • Looking for cheap airfare to Cairns? 25% of our users found return tickets to Cairns for the following prices or less: From Christchurch $368, from Auckland $568
  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Cairns flight deals.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to Cairns

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying to Cairns. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline from New Zealand to Cairns. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with 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
EmiratesOverall score based on 3540 reviews
8.0Comfort
7.9Food
8.3Crew
8.1Boarding
8.2Entertainment
Airline reviews

Everything was great except the boarding experience. After the check in, they "packed us" in a small area, very hot there. It would be nice to be aware of this, I'd wait on the outside area

10.0 ExcellentDiego, Feb 2026
DXB - MAA
Read more Emirates reviews

Everything was great except the boarding experience. After the check in, they "packed us" in a small area, very hot there. It would be nice to be aware of this, I'd wait on the outside area

The crew were absolutely fantastic. They actively asked if passengers wanted refills and if they were comfortable. I was extremely impressed.

Emirates A380s are always wonderful to fly on. Their crews, food and service are always excellent. They are typically on time and the only thing I would change (maybe newer or upgraded aircraft have this) is bluetooth so I can pair my noise cancelling headphones without a cable.

Love that you can walk directly to your gate from the Emirates Business class lounge, very convenient

Premium economy was worth it-comfort was definitely better than economy class. The seats were more comfortable, blankets and pillows thicker

The journey was nice, all the crews were very good and services are excellent

Wonderful Premium Economy experience. Felt as good as Business Class for food and entertainment. Comfortable sleeping too

Crew were very good. Food service was a little slow and disappointing not having on demand dining and only 3 options. Amenity kits and pyjamas were excellent.

No kids provided. Instead we were told to have contacted the airline that we have kids and require kids meals. We were not the only ones who inquired about kids meals. It’s odd. Emirates and other airlines give kids meals as standard and before the adult food comes out. The rice in our meals was gluggy and under cooked. The chicken was also raw. Sadly not the best experience with Finn Air. The hostesses tried to compensate with the snacks and drinks but missed the mark by a long way. Especially when paying Emirates/Qantas prices

Can’t complain Only downside was the Kiosk passport check and customs clearance at Melbourne. When will they improve that service🤔

Wonderful trip. Everyone from checking in to the gate to the flight itself was amazing - kind, helpful, and has a beautiful smile.

This flight was the second leg of a trip that began in Auckland, New Zealand. I was unable to find a way to select seats in advance. The boarding passes we were given in Auckland did not have seat assignments for the second flight. There was no way to check on it until personnel showed up at the gate in Los Angeles, immediately before boarding time. The flight was overbooked by one, and since I was traveling with my sister, we needed two seats. We waited in considerable anxiety for everyone else to board and when one person did not show up, we had to take whatever was left. At least we finally got on the flight although we were the very last to board. We were not able to sit together, of course.

The Premium Economy seats were very comfortable and the food was quite tasty. I did not use the entertainment system, but I was able to charge my phone and tablet with the seatback connection.

The seats are feeling very hard to sit on. All the padding is flat, like sitting on a park bench for over an hour

Nothing better than Air New Zealand. Top scores in every category.

Space between seats on Air New Zealand is generally tight. The crew on this flight was excellent! Very attentive and nice. You get free wine or beer and chips and of course the Air New Zealand candies. 1 hour and 35 min flight approximately.

Your entertainment could be better. I flew on Air New Zealand in January so was expecting a better choice in February...but no luck. Same choices and also could have a better selection. Otherwise, lovely service, the purser came to our seats to welcome us. Overall, very nice. Direct flight from Auckland to YVR was fantastic!

Air New Zealand over sold our flight and tried to bump us to yesterday. After several calls we got booked to United about 6 hrs before our original flight. No apologies!

Please add more Bollywood movies and recent movies to the entertainment.

The disembarking steps in Wellington were precarious and I felt quite insecure. There was no one on the tarmac to greet us and help. The embarking ramp in Blenheim was much more satisfactory. The rest of the flight was fine.

Very friendly staff. No food service and no entertainment. Only 1hr 20min flight

High fees for excess checked baggage and somehow ridiculous rules for carry on bags.

Flight was late, food and drink an extra charge, my carry on is five rows behind me, and the seats are too narrow. Don’t ask me to be happy about it

I bought flights in August and there wasn’t a flight in the system

Our 6.30am flight was boarded then cancelled to fly at 10.55am . We were flying to Brisbane to attend a funeral at 12 noon an hour away . This means missing the funeral due to unreliability of Virgin . Unimpressed !!

It was with Link Airways and the Saab 340 jet was noisy and little comfort.

They didn’t sent my luggage I got it 24 hours later

Plane was late and they wouldn’t check our bags through to Tokyo

Overall experience was good but what really impressed me the most was the care the flight attendants took of a sick passenger who was sitting in front of me. The flight attendants would come and check on her quite regularly providing her support and comfort. Brilliant service!

Only answered OK and poor as there was no entertainment and I didnt have any food

My experience was great overall. Tanya was particularly friendly and helpful the entire trip. I was very pleased with her customer service skills. The plane was an older aircraft but the entire way was comfortable with barely any turbulence at all. Qantas should speed up its fleet renovation. Totally recommend using this airline.

Qantas is always subpar beyond comfy chairs for a domestic flight

I liked boarding the plane. The staff were rude, the food was appalling and the chairs the most uncomfortable I have ever experienced

an hour late, then had to disembark on back stairs and take 4 flights up to get to main airport. No warning, and difficulty for those with canes and poor knees.

Well my expórtenle with Qantas it wasn’t that good KLM from Bs Aires was delay Santiago Chile Qantas QF 028 was still in the airport but the crew didn’t opened the door for me soo I lost my fly And I stuck in the airport 13 hrs waiting for next fly by Latam Arline My question is can I have my money back for business class

It was ok, the additional baggage charges were a bit excessive given winter is a time for skiing. To have to pay $600 extra for skis was tantamount to robbery. Airlines should consider sporting goods as baggage. Likewise, they should consider increasing the number of bags allowed on international flights to known ski destinations.

Flight was canceled. I was not alerted. It was only kayak that alerted me

Flight was 2.5 hours late leaving. We spent 50 minutes of that sitting on the plane with no explanation. They did reduce the time in the air so we arrived a little less late which was something. The cheese and crackers were okay but the wine was terrible.

Couldn't access entertainment on app as said in an email

Excellent as always, I won't fly to Australia, and back to the US on any other airline. The flight crew is always top notch, and have a way to make one feel extra special. Thank you for your service, I would rate Qantas Airways a 10+.

One of the better flights I’ve had w Jetstar. Smooth boarding, early take off, on time landing, very courteous crew, clean plane.

local frequent travellers know that Jetstar’s flights between MEL and LST are turnaround flights so those in the morning tend to run on time and become delayed increasingly through the day. We observed how the staff at check in and boarding try to assist, guide and facilitate travellers - they were courteous, efficient, amiable while enforcing Jetstar’s baggage requirements. They try to speed up boarding by having passengers board from both front and back. We would take Jetstar again.

The issue was a 4 hour delay to takeoff with very sketchy information provided about the available of the flights delay. Passengers were not informed of gate changes and how long the delay might be. It ended with a late night 2 hour drive to our home which was not ideal for elderly people.

Flight was fine with boarding starting a few minutes early. Not a fan of the crew pushing political messaging regarding indigenous naming of Brisbane city… really pushed it like I haven’t heard on Jetstar before.

Improved experience over our last years flight when also we flew local but on an international scheduled flight. The double processing is still unwelcome i.e. by security and then by border force having to produce a licence and boarding pass repeatedly on departure and return. Obviously suits the airline rather than the local traveller. The flight and crew were good though a helper on return was offhand having to push the wheel chair did the bare minimum we felt.

Flight was delayed both directions but once in the air was ok. Boarding out of Melbourne is just a mess.

Although a local trip via international flight it was fairly straight forward albeit more checks than desirable for local travel. On arrival Perth collecting luggage the trollies were hidden in one end of the long hall.

80 minute delay on departure based on two no show pax; removal of checked bags. Boarding very awkward, and waiting in terminal until specific rows called (not zones). Overhead not used for boarding, but specific staff member notifying people at the top of the stairs. Numerous people noted "this is confusing" on boarding. Seats ok, but entertainment (and food, and seat selection) all at extra cost. Smooth flight, and friendly neighbours.

Over four hours late. No entertainment without paying and same for food. Asked to check in at original time even though we were told it was going to be very late leaving. Way too long time to hang around the airport. Arriving to Sydney luggage did not arrive for an hour. Had to get staff to go and find out what was going on. All this made for a very long day and night for a eight hour flight.

I was disappointed to find that the QR code for purchasing in-flight entertainment did not function, leaving me without access to the amenities I had anticipated. (both flights)

Travelling to a place near Cairns?

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

Everything you need to know for your flight to Cairns

Information on the airport you'll fly into in Cairns