CNS

$242 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 13/6. 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.
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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 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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Cheap Flight Deals 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.

Recent return flight deals to Cairns

Recommended return deals departing in the coming months from the most popular airlines that fly to Cairns.
Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
08:05 - 10:40CHC-CNS
5h 35mdirect
22:55 - 05:50CNS-CHC
4h 55mdirect
$516Jetstar
Find Deal
Fri, 4 Apr - Tue, 15 Apr
07:05 - 10:40CHC-CNS
5h 35mdirect
22:55 - 05:50CNS-CHC
4h 55mdirect
$539Jetstar
Find Deal
Fri, 11 Apr - Sun, 20 Apr
08:05 - 10:40CHC-CNS
5h 35mdirect
22:55 - 05:50CNS-CHC
4h 55mdirect
$577Jetstar
Find Deal
Wed, 2 Apr - Sun, 13 Apr
08:05 - 10:40CHC-CNS
5h 35mdirect
22:55 - 05:50CNS-CHC
4h 55mdirect
$579Jetstar
Find Deal
Wed, 2 Apr - Tue, 8 Apr
16:30 - 23:35ZQN-CNS
9h 05m1 stop
19:15 - 16:45CNS-ZQN
19h 30m2 stops
$919Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Sun, 6 Apr - Sun, 13 Apr
07:10 - 09:45AKL-CNS
5h 35mdirect
11:55 - 18:35CNS-AKL
4h 40mdirect
$953Air New Zealand
Find Deal
Sat, 5 Apr - Sat, 12 Apr
07:10 - 10:45AKL-CNS
5h 35mdirect
11:55 - 18:35CNS-AKL
4h 40mdirect
$974Air New Zealand
Find Deal
Tue, 15 Jul - Tue, 22 Jul
16:35 - 22:45AKL-CNS
9h 10m1 stop
09:05 - 00:25CNS-AKL
12h 20m1 stop
$1,006Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Fri, 21 Mar - Fri, 28 Mar
16:35 - 22:45AKL-CNS
9h 10m1 stop
06:00 - 00:45CNS-AKL
15h 45m1 stop
$1,018Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Tue, 18 Mar - Tue, 25 Mar
06:15 - 20:55AKL-CNS
16h 40m1 stop
11:45 - 13:45CNS-AKL
24h 00m1 stop
$1,084Emirates
Find Deal
Mon, 7 Apr - Mon, 14 Apr

Flights to Cairns - Travel Insights & Trends

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 $898 return. The most popular connection is from Auckland to Cairns and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as $629 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 $703 on average. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost $238 and departed from Christchurch. The most popular routes on KAYAK are Christchurch to Cairns which costs $813 on average, and Auckland to Cairns, which costs $998 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 Wednesday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $825. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Tuesday, where round-trip prices are $1,373 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 $805 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 $1,170 and $1,088 respectively. For one-way flights, the best month to travel is February with an average price of $805.

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 at night, when round-trip flights cost $836 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 $1,105.

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 $609 return, from Auckland $962 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 3 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 3 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

January

High season

July

Cheapest flight

$242
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 12% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly (9% 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 $898 return. The most popular connection is from Auckland to Cairns and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as $629 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 $703. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost $238 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.

See more FAQs

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 $558, from Auckland $702
  • Book at least 1 week before departure in order to get a below-average price.
  • High season is considered to be January, November and December. The cheapest month to fly from New Zealand is February.
  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Cairns flight deals.
See more tips

Prefer to fly direct to Cairns?

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

Direct departures

New Zealand to Cairns

Monday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +28 more

ANA, Air Canada, +29 more

Tuesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +29 more

ANA, Air Canada, +30 more

Wednesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +29 more

ANA, Air Canada, +30 more

Thursday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +29 more

ANA, Air Canada, +30 more

Friday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +29 more

ANA, Air Canada, +30 more

Saturday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +28 more

ANA, Air Canada, +29 more

Sunday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +29 more

ANA, Air Canada, +30 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Cairns to New Zealand

Monday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +28 more

ANA, Air Canada, +29 more

Tuesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +29 more

ANA, Air Canada, +30 more

Wednesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +29 more

ANA, Air Canada, +30 more

Thursday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +29 more

ANA, Air Canada, +30 more

Friday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +29 more

ANA, Air Canada, +30 more

Saturday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +28 more

ANA, Air Canada, +29 more

Sunday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +29 more

ANA, Air Canada, +30 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

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 3276 reviews
8.3Crew
8.2Entertainment
8.1Boarding
8.0Comfort
7.9Food
Airline reviews

no problem with Emirates it was the underpricer subcontractor Who was ridiculous

8.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Feb 2025COK - DXB
Read more Emirates reviews

no problem with Emirates it was the underpricer subcontractor Who was ridiculous

Except for the uncleaned tray, and the delay in serving food for our section (which may have been due to the location of our row) everything else was good. The crew were very professional and responded to our requests promptly throughout the flight. We as a family were not disappointed by Emirates.

Excellent comfort and entertainment. Service poor..Food average with little choice.

Comfort poor, little leg room, cabin temperature too hot. No free entertainment. No complementary drinks. Overal experience poor and would not travel with them again.

Comfort good. Service as usual poor. Cabin temperature as usual too cold, about 15 degrees

The plane seemed pretty old and the food was not good

The service on board was excellent, the flight wasn’t overbooked and we departed and arrived on time.

Very bad groud crew taking bags less than 7kg Bad food Old plane

Flight was on time. Seats (economy) were very comfortable and food was excellent. The bad thing was that after landing it took an hour to reach arrivals. We had to wait 15mins to get off the plane and then had to board a bus which moved very slowly and took almost 30 minutes.

The service was excellent. We flew coach on this leg of our trip and it was still very pleasant.

Everything was fine. Wish the wifi was free and included in the ticket price.

Nothing special short flight - all good - difference between 1 fudge and 2 fudge is obligation and thankfulness

The flight we had booked was cancelled due to bad weather conditions, but we were lucky to arrive at the airport quite early and got a seat on an earlier flight. The flight was mostly nice, but there were some hefty turbulences towards Queenstown. One of the passengers behaved hysterically. It would have been great if the crew had done something to calm her.

Sitting in an aisle seat equals getting hit by food cart and spilled on multiple times Food: gross and minimalistic Crew: frumpy and kurt Sound on multiple entertainment platforms poor Not an earplug problem, system soundboard poor

Major hassle with the weight of carryon luggage Having to repack bags at airport Not an issue in most of world Ridiculous issue considering the 400 pound gentleman sitting behind us

Overall experience was poor. In general crew was polite in speaking but that was all about it. I am vegetarian so I always carry a cup noodle box with me just in case. So I pressed "CALL" button for hot water for my cup noodle on my seat and waited for 10-15 minutes but nobody came. I personally took the box and went all the way to back of the plane. When I requested stewardess to put hot water in my cup noodle she refused as it was a "safety" hazard. I told her that you always serve coffee and tea these are also hot. But she still refused. I went back to my seat and from the seat I ordered hot water and it was brought to me without any problem. I poured THAT hot water in my cup noodle and ate. I was sitting in seat 36A, which was 2nd row in economy class. After eating my noodle I took the box and went 2 rows in the front where there was a kitchen to throw it. Again the stewardess there told me she didn't have a waste bin there and asked me to go back of the plane and throw it there. Tell me if above experiences are 'ok' for your airline??

Everything very good except the sofa couch not as comfortable as expected.

Liked the non-stop option, can always use more leg room!

Wonderful Airlines…our American Airlines could learn from ANZ. From boarding to landing everyone was professional and gracious. Kiwi’s really are the nicest of all people! Thank you

typical long haul economy flight. Food was mediocre, inflight service was average. Offered in flight snacks but in seat ordering didn't work. Entertainment was good.

Crew was great but flight was delayed almost three hours due to a technical issue and we had to go back to the terminal and wait for another one.

Being told why we delayed three hours and not even given an apology by someone. Not a word. Not my airline of choice ever.

Checked Baggage line up was long but moved quickly, rest of the process, boarding, crew was excellent

Virgin has always provided a smooth and comfortable flight. This one was no different. Seats are comfortable. Staff are great. This is my favourite airline.

Virgin changed the flight to an Alliance flight. Smaller plane, tea coffee and water the only refreshments available and not sure what happened to the extra money I paid to sit in a selected seat with extra leg room. This is obviously a regular switch as it happened on our flight there and back. Do not recommend.

Late boarding, late departure due to weather and slow boarding, packed 5+hour flight, only 2 toilets for main cabin, tight leg room, no free food except tea, coffee, and water, arrived 75 minutes late.

Cramped, crowded flight, with no complimentary food except coffee, tea, or water.

Check-in was good and efficient, Boarding was quick and easy. Didn't like the entertainment side of things requiring your phone to connect for a screen, my eyes are bad enough to use my phone more than I already do. Trip was comfortable and baggage claim was good. If coffee and tea were free, then why not a soda or juice as well, its not like its an alcoholic drink.

Check-in was good and efficient, Boarding was quick and easy. Didn't like the entertainment side of things requiring your phone to connect for a screen, my eyes are bad enough to use my phone more than I already do. Trip was comfortable and baggage claim was good.

The flight was delayed by 45 minutes, but boarding, actual flight, and crew were great. However, there was Zero free food and only water, tea, or coffee to drink. Everything else was for sale. No onboard entertainment but it was a short flight.

It’s a two prop flight so I had problems with my ears on re- entering ! But otherwise fine

I love flying with Qantas. There was no onscreen entertaining on this flight, and only a snack provided (not a meal) but still better than Jetstar or Virgin (in my opinion) so still happy.

The food was terrible. And the flight attendants were very rude. One flight attendant wouldn’t help a passenger lift their carry-on. Another flight attendant wouldn’t give a man an extra blanket. And they walked by not even looking at the passengers to see if they needed a glass of water.

Wheelchair assistance to move through the terminals and to/from the plane door was excellent. No vegan snack on the flight, only something with salami and cheese in it.

I have flown Qantas multiple times in the past it seemed this flight the plane had less seat room or the seats were way less comfortable than before. Everything else was about the same. Thanks

The old Plane had not been cleaned properly in a long time.

I got upgraded from economy to business, and the experience was outstanding

Boarding was over 3 hrs late and we didn’t land until almost 1:30am

I disliked the fact that they forced people to put up their seats during meal service

Headphone jacks worked poorly, seat recline was broken. Planes were rundown.

The crew were great. The seat was older than an old Holden with a big metal bar sticking right into my back. The passenger next to me complained that hers was the same. The pre purchase system for food was disappointing as the pie/quiche took 20 mins to warm up, arrived too hot and with no utensils. It was one of the most uncomfortable flights I've ever been on.

Not very good, no food and not drink ( caffe or tea). Never ever fly with jet star.

Fabulous I have no issues with JetStar great service always use them to fly

Flight was as expected - we got what we paid for which was a base fare

Hardly we had overweight and we were asked to pay $75. We were checked by a female and weight was alright

Unaware of charge for carry on until i got to gate

I got what I paid for - flight was clean, staff were friendly

I like that fare is cheap but because there's no amenities whatsoever. You get what you paid for.

There's a reason why fare is cheap, no amenities.

It is what it is - nothing more, nothing less. No entertainment onboard but one kinda knows that when buying a ticket on a no frills airline. I choose Jetstar only because of price.

Book Cheap Cairns Plane Tickets

Recent return flight deals

 
These are the cheapest return flights to Cairns found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
4/4Fri
directJetstar
5h 35mCHC-CNS
15/4Tue
directJetstar
4h 55mCNS-CHC
$516
11/4Fri
directJetstar
5h 35mCHC-CNS
20/4Sun
directJetstar
4h 55mCNS-CHC
$539
2/4Wed
directJetstar
5h 35mCHC-CNS
13/4Sun
directJetstar
4h 55mCNS-CHC
$577
2/4Wed
directJetstar
5h 35mCHC-CNS
8/4Tue
directJetstar
4h 55mCNS-CHC
$579
6/4Sun
1 stopVirgin Australia
9h 05mZQN-CNS
13/4Sun
2 stopsVirgin Australia
19h 30mCNS-ZQN
$919
5/4Sat
directAir New Zealand
5h 35mAKL-CNS
12/4Sat
directAir New Zealand
4h 40mCNS-AKL
$953
15/7Tue
directAir New Zealand
5h 35mAKL-CNS
22/7Tue
directAir New Zealand
4h 40mCNS-AKL
$974
21/3Fri
1 stopQantas Airways
9h 10mAKL-CNS
28/3Fri
1 stopQantas Airways
12h 20mCNS-AKL
$1,006
18/3Tue
1 stopQantas Airways
9h 10mAKL-CNS
25/3Tue
1 stopQantas Airways
15h 45mCNS-AKL
$1,018
7/4Mon
1 stopEmirates
16h 40mAKL-CNS
14/4Mon
1 stopEmirates
24h 00mCNS-AKL
$1,084

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Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best deals for one-way flights to Cairns found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
13/6Fri
directJetstar
5h 35mCHC-CNS
$242
2/4Wed
directJetstar
5h 35mCHC-CNS
$248
10/3Mon
1 stop
27h 25mAKL-CNS
$357
11/3Tue
2 stops
16h 45mAKL-CNS
$406
19/6Thu
1 stopVirgin Australia
29h 50mZQN-CNS
$434
13/6Fri
1 stopAir New Zealand
15h 35mWLG-CNS
$436
23/7Wed
1 stopAir New Zealand
16h 45mCHC-CNS
$453
25/4Fri
1 stopQantas Airways
16h 40mAKL-CNS
$492
10/4Thu
2 stopsVirgin Australia
26h 35mZQN-CNS
$542
1/3Sat
1 stopQantas Airways
9h 00mCHC-CNS
$560

Search by stops

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Search by price

Travelling to a place near Cairns?

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

Everything you need to know for your flight to Cairns

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