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CNS - SYD

Find cheap flights from Cairns to Sydney from $127

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Cairns to Sydney departing on 9/4. 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
Sat 27/4
Sat 4/5

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

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Cairns to Sydney, 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 Cairns to Sydney, as well as popular online travel agencies
In the last 7 days, travellers have searched 46,342,885 times on KAYAK, and here's why:

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Cheap flight deals from Cairns to Sydney

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Cairns to Sydney 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
18:55 - 21:50CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
06:10 - 09:15SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
$256Jetstar
Find Deal
Thu, 25 Apr - Tue, 7 May
18:55 - 21:50CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
19:45 - 22:50SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
$265Jetstar
Find Deal
Tue, 16 Apr - Thu, 18 Apr
18:55 - 21:50CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
15:10 - 18:15SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
$267Jetstar
Find Deal
Thu, 25 Apr - Sun, 28 Apr
06:00 - 13:40CNS-SYD
7h 40m1 stop
19:45 - 22:50SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
Thu, 25 Apr - Sun, 28 Apr
18:55 - 21:50CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
19:00 - 23:55SYD-CNS
4h 55m1 stop
Thu, 25 Apr - Tue, 7 May
19:15 - 22:10CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
07:00 - 13:10SYD-CNS
6h 10m1 stop
$356Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Mon, 8 Apr - Thu, 11 Apr
06:00 - 10:40CNS-SYD
4h 40m1 stop
17:00 - 23:55SYD-CNS
6h 55m1 stop
$380Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Tue, 16 Apr - Thu, 18 Apr
19:15 - 22:10CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
15:20 - 18:35SYD-CNS
3h 15mdirect
$516Singapore Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, 18 Apr - Sun, 21 Apr
19:20 - 22:15CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
06:05 - 12:05SYD-CNS
6h 00m1 stop
$539Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Thu, 18 Apr - Sun, 21 Apr
09:10 - 17:45CNS-SYD
8h 35m2 stops
06:30 - 13:05SYD-CNS
6h 35m1 stop
$870Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Mon, 8 Apr - Thu, 11 Apr

Flights from Cairns to Sydney - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Cairns to Sydney 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 Cairns to Sydney?

The average price of all flights from Cairns to Sydney clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
For Cairns to Sydney, Thursday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Tuesday is the most expensive. Flying from Sydney back to Cairns, the best deals are generally found on Tuesday, with Friday being the most expensive.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from Cairns to Sydney, 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 Cairns to Sydney is August, where tickets cost $313 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and January, where the average cost of tickets is $501 and $457 respectively.

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

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from Cairns to Sydney, 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 Cairns to Sydney, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 75 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Cairns to Sydney?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
In the last 72 hours, the cheapest one-way ticket from Cairns to Sydney found on KAYAK was with Jetstar for $127. Jetstar proposed a return connection from $256 and Virgin Australia from $356.

Which airlines fly most frequently between Cairns and Sydney?

Jetstar connects Cairns to Sydney with up to 4 flights per day. Qantas Airways also offers 3 flights per day, while Virgin Australia follows with 3 flights per day.

Which airlines fly direct between Cairns and Sydney?

Airline and price data is aggregated from results in KAYAK’s search results from the last 2 weeks for flights from Cairns to Sydney.
There are 3 airlines that fly direct from Cairns to Sydney. They are: Jetstar, Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia. The cheapest price of all airlines flying this route was found with Virgin Australia at $151 for a one-way flight. On average, the best prices for this route can be found at Virgin Australia.

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

Each day, there are between 9 and 12 nonstop flights that take off from Cairns and land in Sydney, with an average flight time of 2h 55m. The most common departure time is 12:00 and most flights take off in the morning. Each week, there are 73 flights. The most frequent day of departure is Saturday, when 16% of all weekly flights depart. The fewest flights depart on a Wednesday.

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

The average price of flights for each cabin class for the route found by users searching on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks.
There are 3 cabin class options for the route. These are Business, Economy and Prem 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 Cairns to Sydney take?

Direct flights cover the 3,171 km separating Cairns and Sydney in about 2h 55m.

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

Early birds can take the earliest flight from Cairns at 06:35 and will be landing in Sydney at 10:35.

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

If you prefer to fly at night, the latest flight from Cairns to Sydney jets off at 19:20 and lands at 22:15.

Good to know

Low season

October

High season

March

Cheapest flight

$127
Best time to beat the crowds (11% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 4% lower on average.
Flight from Cairns to Sydney

When to book flights from Cairns to Sydney

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Cairns to Sydney 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 Cairns to Sydney

  • Which budget airlines fly from Cairns to Sydney?

    Several budget airlines fly from Cairns to Sydney. Jetstar, for example, offers a number of daily flights. Jetstar is owned by Qantas, so Qantas Frequent Flyers can earn points on their Jetstar flights. Virgin Australia is another budget-friendly option offering frequent flights.

  • What airlines let me bring more luggage on board?

    Most airlines allow you to bring up to 7 kg of carry-on luggage. Jetstar's economy flex fare allows you to bring up to 14 kg of luggage across your carry-on luggage and your personal item. No individual bag can weigh more than 10 kg. These are perfect for those who want to bring a little bit of extra luggage but don't need enough to book checked luggage.

  • Which major airlines fly from Cairns to Sydney?

    Qantas is a major airline that runs flights from Cairns to Sydney. Most flights are direct but a few have a stopover at Brisbane Airport (BNE). If you're flying business class or are a lounge member, you can visit the Qantas Lounge during your stopover, spread across three levels.

  • How can I get special assistance at the airport?

    If you need assistance moving through the airport or on your flight, you can book mobility assistance through your airline. Make sure to book it at least 48 hours in advance. You can usually access your assistance from the check-in desk. At Cairns Airport, there's a disability drop-off area, right next to the other drop-off area.

  • Does Cairns Airport offer free Wi-Fi?

    Whether you need to make a last-minute booking, get some more information on your destination or finish up some work, you can stay connected with the free Wi-Fi offered in all areas of both Cairns Airport terminals. Access is unlimited and granted after a short and simple registration process.

  • Does Cairns Airport have parents’ facilities?

    If you’re travelling with infants, you can take care of changing, feeding and the rest of your parental responsibilities in one of the several parenting rooms at Cairns Airport. Parents’ facilities are conveniently located both before and after security control in T1 International and T2 Domestic.

  • How much is a taxi fare to Sydney city centre from the airport?

    Taxis can be easily hired at the taxi ranks outside the arrivals area on Level 1 of the terminal building for travellers who prefer a private transfer to their final destination. The duration of the trip between Sydney Airport and the city centre can be anywhere from 20 to 25 minutes, with fares at around $45-55.

  • Does Sydney Airport have an on-site hotel?

    For travellers with early return flights, or those that simply wish to stick close to the terminal, the Mantra Hotel and Ibis Hotel are a short walk from Sydney Airport’s Domestic Terminals 2 & 3. Ibis offers both standard and budget accommodation to serve travellers on any budget. Rates can fluctuate depending on the season, so try to book early for a good price.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Cairns to Sydney?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Cairns to Sydney was $83 for a one-way ticket and $167 for a return.

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

    The Boeing 737-800 Passenger/BBJ2 (winglets) is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Cairns to Sydney flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Cairns to Sydney?

    oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam are the airline alliances operating flights between Cairns and Sydney, with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

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

    There are direct flights from Cairns to Sydney on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Cairns to Sydney, Virgin Australia or Qantas Airways?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Cairns to Sydney are Virgin Australia and Qantas Airways. With an average price for the route of $341 and an overall rating of 7.7, Virgin Australia is the most popular choice. Qantas Airways is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $707 and an overall rating of 7.7.

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

    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 Cairns to Sydney.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Sydney from Cairns 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 Cairns to Sydney?

    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 Sydney with an airline and back to Cairns with another airline.

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

    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 Sydney from 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 a cheap flight from Cairns to Sydney

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $139 or less one-way and $256 or less round-trip.
  • If you're hoping to relax in a lounge before your flight from Cairns (CNS) to Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD), consider booking a flight with Qantas. Their Qantas Club Lounge in the domestic terminal is usually open to business class passengers and Qantas Club members. You can find it on Level 1 of the T2 Terminal.
  • For this domestic route, most airlines ask that you arrive at least 45 minutes before your flight is scheduled to depart. Of course, arriving earlier is a good idea, particularly during school holidays.
  • Non-stop flights from Cairns to Sydney are quick and easy to find with domestic airlines like TigerAir Australia and Jetstar. Flights between the two cities are generally affordable and will arrive at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. Sydney Airport serves the entire Sydney area and is located approximately 8 km from the city centre.
  • Once your flight lands, you can easily reach hotels and destinations in central Sydney by using public transport. One of the most popular ways to reach the city centre is to take the train. Trains leave from the northern end of the terminal approximately every ten minutes and cost around $19.
  • Renting a car is a good alternative if your travels around Sydney involve areas not served by public transport routes. There is a long list of different rental car agencies that operate at Sydney Airport, including Hertz, Budget and Avis. The car rental kiosks are located on the Arrivals level in Terminal 1.
  • Parking at Cairns Airport is affordable and accessible compared to other busy Australian airports. All car parks are located a short walk away from the terminals, and can be conveniently booked ahead of time via the Cairns Airport online booking system. Fees for parking start at approximately $7 per day.
  • If you’re booking a return or transit flight from Cairns to Sydney, you can grab a bite to eat and relax in one of the many airport lounges located at Sydney Airport. There are varying entrance requirements for the seven different lounges, but six of them can be accessed with single-entry passes starting at approximately $50.
See more tips

Prefer to fly direct from Cairns to Sydney Kingsford Smith?

Find which airlines fly direct from Cairns to Kingsford Smith, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Cairns to Sydney Kingsford Smith

Monday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +13 more

ANA, Air Canada, +14 more

Tuesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +13 more

ANA, Air Canada, +14 more

Wednesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +12 more

ANA, Air Canada, +13 more

Thursday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +13 more

ANA, Air Canada, +14 more

Friday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +13 more

ANA, Air Canada, +14 more

Saturday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +12 more

ANA, Air Canada, +13 more

Sunday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +12 more

ANA, Air Canada, +13 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Sydney Kingsford Smith to Cairns

Monday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Tuesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Wednesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Thursday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Friday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Saturday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Sunday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 3 airlines serving from Cairns to Sydney

Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Cairns to Sydney? 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 KAYAK reviews.
7.7
Virgin AustraliaOverall score based on 729 reviews
80boarding
76comfort
68food
79overall
84crew
69entertainment
Airline reviews

X class seats in row 3 with the new configuration are very poor in fact I feel 3B and 3E should no longer be considered as X class seat as there is no forward seat pocket available to these seats and greatly reduced leg room due the intrusion of the business class armrests/table module

Read more about Virgin Australia

X class seats in row 3 with the new configuration are very poor in fact I feel 3B and 3E should no longer be considered as X class seat as there is no forward seat pocket available to these seats and greatly reduced leg room due the intrusion of the business class armrests/table module

It was pretty good. Everyone friendly. Like all airlines, the draconian limitations on baggage and weight and not giving even a free soda kind of drags down the experience a bit.

Estheticly the plane looks great, although the seats are way too upright. If the seats were just slightly more reclined then the comfort level would increase tenfold. I had the stiffest neck after just a short flight due to this. A nap was almost out of the question.

Flight was cancelled due to a mechanical fault - Virgin rebooked me on a flight 6 hours later so I cancelled and flew with another carrier

There is no not applicable button to tick. Due to turbulence there was no food/drink offered. That’s expected and was fine 👌🏻

Plane was cancelled apparently no seat available on any flight so late in the day I would have missed my connecting flight

The flight was canceled. And I had to book on Jetstar to get home

Easy process and no delays. Economy-X seats could do with some lumbar support and the padding in the seat pan was compressed so a little uncomfortable, but LOVE the legroom.

Flight was cancelled 3 hours prior to departure and rebooked for 10 hours later. Had to cancel rebooked flight and was lucky enough that work could book with QANTAS around the same time.

If it wasn’t delayed over 2 hours and then asked people to volunteer to go tomorrow.

The crew were amazing - A great job. They made me feel special and valued.

The flight met my expectations. It left and landed on time

My bag didn’t make it but otherwise it was a great experience.

Experience was great. My only advice is to have a pasta dish on the menu. Otherwise everything was excellent.

Flights delayed multiple times, travellers requests for updates ignored. Qantas continues to desatisfy travelling basics.

I find the food in business class is just old and boring, it was once good but now just trying to hard to be "on Trend" with plant based for the minority of people, while those people can order a special meal anyway, while the majority have to suffer and loose a choice. only 2 choices for entree one boring plant based and 4 for main which two were seafood, one was plant based and one meat dish.

Packed flight. Urged to check carry-on before boarding only to discover numerous empty overhead bins after boarding. Challenging entertainment screen. After almost 20 minutes to arrive at baggage claim, waited over 30 mins before luggage was loaded on baggage claim carousel.

First flight on Quantas. High marks all around. Plus it appears as if the have a comparatively new flight. Excellent airline!

Flight LA to Sydney was first moved earlier by 2 hrs from 10:25 pm to 8:25pm roughly a week before departure. Then on actual departure date, it was delayed 2x, and needed up leaving close to 10 pm. Then entertainment for the whole flight wasn’t working for most of the seats including ours. The baby crib at the middle isle was being taped to the wall to keep it tacked in using a packing tape while passengers were walking by looking for their seats. Not projecting good confidence. After a few minutes after take off the whole crib fell off. Good the people seating next to it wast hit or got scared. At arrival at Sydney, crew handed the customs forms as we were getting out of the plane. So passengers had to scramble to find a place to fill up the forms along the corridor going to immigration. So no one is available to help from Qantas to fill up the entry forms. Not a very good experience for a flagship carrier.

flight delays seems to be the norm these days. pies with soggy pastry.

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.

It was a super crowded time to travel out of Melbourne, but the flight was OK

Worst experience ever flying Melbourne to Phuket. 5 hours delayed! Didn’t land till 1am in the morning. Staff were rude and unhelpful

Plane was late leaving darwin so we didn’t get home till 1130pm 2nd time in a fortnight that has happened. Hard when you have to work the next day

It may have been a result of earlier issues with a previous plane, causing delays, but the staff were not nearly as smiley as the previous Jetstar flight I was on. Also, they started boarding before the plane was empty...so we moved from one line into another line. They should have just waited until the plane was empty to avoid waiting in two lines.

Book cheap flights from Cairns to Sydney

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Cairns to Sydney found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
9/4Tue
directJetstar
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$127
11/5Sat
directJetstar
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$129
25/4Thu
directJetstar
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$130
8/4Mon
directVirgin Australia
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$167
15/4Mon
1 stopVirgin Australia
5h 50mCNS-SYD
$190
9/4Tue
1 stop
11h 45mCNS-SYD
$215
15/4Mon
1 stop
11h 45mCNS-SYD
$222
18/4Thu
directQantas Airways
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$283
16/4Tue
directQantas Airways
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$326
8/4Mon
2 stopsRex
18h 50mCNS-SYD
$449

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Last minute flights from Cairns to Sydney

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from Cairns to Sydney that are departing in the next 10 days.
31/3Sun
directJetstar
3h 00mCNS-SYD
3/4Wed
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$343
31/3Sun
multi-stop
4h 20mCNS-SYD
3/4Wed
direct
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$360
2/4Tue
multi-stop
4h 50mCNS-SYD
5/4Fri
direct
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$392
1/4Mon
multi-stop
4h 40mCNS-SYD
4/4Thu
direct
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$406
2/4Tue
multi-stopVirgin Australia
4h 50mCNS-SYD
5/4Fri
multi-stopVirgin Australia
7h 10mSYD-CNS
$454
31/3Sun
multi-stopVirgin Australia
7h 20mCNS-SYD
3/4Wed
multi-stopVirgin Australia
7h 55mSYD-CNS
$472
31/3Sun
multi-stopQantas Airways
7h 35mCNS-SYD
3/4Wed
multi-stopQantas Airways
5h 50mSYD-CNS
$884
31/3Sun
multi-stopQantas Airways
10h 45mCNS-SYD
3/4Wed
multi-stopQantas Airways
6h 45mSYD-CNS
$895
29/3Fri
multi-stopAir New Zealand
26h 15mCNS-SYD
1/4Mon
multi-stopAir New Zealand
29h 25mSYD-CNS
$2,485
29/3Fri
multi-stopAir New Zealand
22h 35mCNS-SYD
1/4Mon
multi-stopAir New Zealand
26h 40mSYD-CNS
$2,496

Search by stops

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Cairns - Sydney Flights

Departure:

Cairns (CNS)Australia

Destination:

Sydney (SYD)Australia

Return flight deals:

Sydney - Cairns

Cabin classes:

$1,166
$2,487
$161

Browse destinations: