DRW - CNS

$257 Find Cheap Flights from Darwin 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 Darwin to Cairns departing on 2/2. 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 in flight searches from Darwin 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 Darwin to Cairns, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Everything you should know

Cheapest return fare
$507
Overall average: $634
Airnorth
Fri 16/1Fri 23/1
DRW - CNS • 1 stop
Cheapest direct flights
$561
Typical prices: $585-$735
Airnorth
Sat 17/1Sat 24/1
DRW - CNS • Direct
When to book
4 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 26% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
February
Cheapest • 20% price drop
May
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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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 from Darwin to Cairns (DRW-CNS)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return flights from Darwin 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 from Darwin to Cairns

Fri, 16 Jan - Fri, 23 Jan
Airnorth Logo
08:00 - 12:00
DRW
-
CNS
3h 30m1 stop
Airnorth Logo
16:00 - 19:00
CNS
-
DRW
3h 30m1 stop
$507Airnorth
Sat, 17 Jan - Sat, 24 Jan
Airnorth Logo
07:20 - 11:20
DRW
-
CNS
3h 30m1 stop
Airnorth Logo
12:20 - 15:20
CNS
-
DRW
3h 30m1 stop
$510Airnorth
Sat, 17 Jan - Sat, 24 Jan
Airnorth Logo
07:20 - 11:20
DRW
-
CNS
3h 30m1 stop
Airnorth Logo
12:20 - 15:20
CNS
-
DRW
3h 30m1 stop
$511Airnorth
Sat, 17 Jan - Sat, 24 Jan
Airnorth Logo
07:20 - 11:20
DRW
-
CNS
3h 30mdirect
Airnorth Logo
12:20 - 15:20
CNS
-
DRW
3h 30mdirect
$561Airnorth
Sat, 28 Mar - Wed, 1 Apr
Airnorth Logo
07:20 - 11:20
DRW
-
CNS
3h 30m1 stop
Airnorth Logo
16:00 - 19:00
CNS
-
DRW
3h 30m1 stop
$593Airnorth
Sat, 28 Mar - Wed, 1 Apr
Airnorth Logo
07:20 - 11:20
DRW
-
CNS
3h 30m1 stop
Airnorth Logo
16:00 - 19:00
CNS
-
DRW
3h 30m1 stop
$594Airnorth
Sun, 18 Jan - Sun, 25 Jan
Multiple Airlines Logo
07:20 - 11:20
DRW
-
CNS
3h 30m1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
06:00 - 13:35
CNS
-
DRW
8h 05m1 stop
$661Multiple Airlines
Mon, 2 Feb - Mon, 2 Feb
Multiple Airlines Logo
06:00 - 09:05
DRW
-
CNS
2h 35mdirect
Multiple Airlines Logo
16:00 - 19:00
CNS
-
DRW
3h 30m1 stop
$664Multiple Airlines
Sat, 17 Jan - Sat, 24 Jan
Multiple Airlines Logo
06:00 - 09:05
DRW
-
CNS
2h 35mdirect
Multiple Airlines Logo
12:20 - 15:20
CNS
-
DRW
3h 30m1 stop
$673Multiple Airlines
Sat, 17 Jan - Sat, 24 Jan
Multiple Airlines Logo
06:00 - 09:05
DRW
-
CNS
2h 35mdirect
Multiple Airlines Logo
12:20 - 15:20
CNS
-
DRW
3h 30m1 stop
$675Multiple Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Darwin to Cairns flights

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

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

For Darwin to Cairns, Sunday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Thursday is the most expensive. Flying from Cairns back to Darwin, the best deals are generally found on Thursday, with Saturday being the most expensive.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Darwin 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 Darwin to Cairns is February, where tickets cost $620 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are July and August, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $939 and $895 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a stopover from Darwin to Cairns?

The average return price for all direct flights, flights with one stopover, and flights with two stopovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of $769, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Darwin 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 on the flight from Darwin to Cairns, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 26% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 10 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonOctober
Cheapest flight$257
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 12% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 6% lower on average.
Flight from Darwin to Cairns

When to book flights from Darwin to Cairns

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

  • What is the cheapest flight from Darwin to Cairns?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Darwin to Cairns was $257 for a one-way ticket and $507 for a return.

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

    Darwin airport is called Darwin and the only airport in Cairns is Cairns.

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

    The Embraer 190 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Darwin to Cairns flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Darwin to Cairns?

    oneworld is the only airline alliance operating flights between Darwin and Cairns.

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Darwin to Cairns are Virgin Australia and Qantas Airways. With an average price for the route of $734 and an overall rating of 7.6, Virgin Australia is the most popular choice. Qantas Airways is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $783 and an overall rating of 7.5.

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

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Cairns from Darwin 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 Darwin 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 Darwin with another airline.

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

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

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $409 or less one-way and $641 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Darwin to Cairns?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Darwin to Cairns.
Find which airlines fly direct from Darwin Airport to Cairns Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Darwin to Cairns

Monday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Tuesday

Airnorth, Qantas Airways

Airnorth, Qantas Airways

Wednesday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Thursday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Friday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Saturday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Sunday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Cairns to Darwin

Monday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Tuesday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Wednesday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Thursday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Friday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Saturday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Sunday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 3 airlines flying from Darwin to Cairns

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Darwin 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 Darwin 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.
7.6
Virgin AustraliaOverall score based on 426 reviews
7.5Comfort
8.2Crew
7.7Boarding
6.4Food
6.4Entertainment
Airline reviews

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

2.0 MediocreStephen, Dec 2025
PER - SYD
Read more Virgin Australia reviews

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

4.5 hr international flight. We got a glass of water. Ranks up there with Ryan Air, Easy Jet, Spirit and Frontier. Expected better.

Gluten free options less explicit on business class, but great service

Very good… seems the virgin staff particularly in the lounge and in flight exceeded expectations.

I liked everything about the experience but would have liked some free snacks!

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.

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.

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+.

After already paying for excess luggage prior to flight, i was advised AT check in that i had to pay $816 or forfeit my flight! The lady at the counter was SO rude and had already started offboarding me when i said i would pay it after asking her three times for the exact amount! Have lodged a formal complaint yet heard nothing. Will not ever travel via Qantas again

A few more inches of legroom is all i ask

Business class points redemption - good value for points paid, dubious value if out of your own pocket, domestic class business product okay for this length of flight. The flight left and arrived on time, crew were good, aircraft was a bit old and tired, but still miles ahead of their competitors in Virgin and Jetstar.

Airline running better than post Covid, proper boarding process now implemented, some aircraft feeling a bit old and tired, crew fine, online experience better.

Five hour flight instead of four hours due to westerly headwinds which wasn’t the fault of Qantas !

The wifi was out. Otherwise it was great flight. Richard, as CSM, was excellent.

Was bumped to a later flight because of inefficiency on part of the airline.

Jet star delayed both trips with poor communication. Passengers were made to change gates often and then left to stand with no seating. As someone getting over surgery this was very trying.

Delayed twice. Poor communication and people made to change gates too often.

Very disappointed with my recent Jetstar experience. Firstly, it was extremely frustrating that we had to pay extra for basic things like in-flight entertainment and meals. Other airlines provide these essentials even with standard tickets, but Jetstar offered no comfort or amenities without additional charges. For a long international journey, this made the experience very uncomfortable. On top of that, there was a delay on our flight from Melbourne to Bangkok due to parts replacement, which was already inconvenient. But the biggest issue was the massive 5 hours and 15 minutes delay on our return flight, which completely disrupted our plans, caused unnecessary stress, and impacted both our time and health. Jetstar provided vouchers, but they were not nearly sufficient to cover proper meals or any meaningful service at Bangkok Airport. After such a long delay, this felt extremely inadequate and did not compensate for the inconvenience we faced. Overall, this has been one of my worst travel experiences. I am extremely disappointed and will not be booking with Jetstar in the future. I strongly request Jetstar to provide additional compensation for the significant delays and the discomfort we had to go through.

Excellent help with Wife needing disability access at Brisbane airport

The flight was delayed by 2 hours but the Jetstar crew were fantastic.

Late leaving and desintuon board showed ‘gate closed’ when they hadn’t even commenced boarding!

Flight was delayed more than 1.5 hours. Gate changed multiple times

The good thing is that the flight got us from Darwin to Brisbane. However, it would have to be the most uncomfortable flight I have ever taken and if I can possibly avoid flying Jetstar again, I will.

no announcement about why we where delayed which is very poor

It was better than I expected. Thought $5 for a small cup of tea was a bit much!

Everything you need to know for your flight from Darwin to Cairns

Other airlines flying from Darwin to Cairns

Flights from the other most popular airlines that fly from Darwin to Cairns according to KAYAK users. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability are not guaranteed.