DRW - CNS

$339 Find Cheap Flights from Darwin to Cairns – Compare and Save

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 22/7. 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

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Everything you should know

Cheapest return fare
$680
Typical prices: $580-$975
Jetstar
Mon 24/8Thu 10/9
DRW - CNS • 1 stop
Cheapest direct flights
$805
Typical prices: $1,036-$1,261
Qantas Airways
Sat 1/8Sat 15/8
DRW - CNS • Direct
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $534 (return)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Direct flights
You can fly direct with Qantas Airways. Average duration is 2h 30m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top stopover airports
Cheapest • Avg $631 (return)
Shortest trip • 3h 30m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 19% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
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

Mon, 24 Aug - Thu, 10 Sep
Multiple Airlines Logo
01:15 - 11:15
DRW
-
CNS
9h 30m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
16:55 - 00:20
CNS
-
DRW
7h 55m
1 stop
$680Multiple Airlines
Fri, 28 Aug - Thu, 10 Sep
Multiple Airlines Logo
01:15 - 11:15
DRW
-
CNS
9h 30m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
16:55 - 00:20
CNS
-
DRW
7h 55m
1 stop
$689Multiple Airlines
Fri, 31 Jul - Sat, 15 Aug
Virgin Australia Logo
01:30 - 11:10
DRW
-
CNS
9h 10m
1 stop
Virgin Australia Logo
06:00 - 13:45
CNS
-
DRW
8h 15m
1 stop
$699Virgin Australia
Fri, 28 Aug - Thu, 10 Sep
Multiple Airlines Logo
14:35 - 23:20
DRW
-
CNS
8h 15m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
13:55 - 00:20
CNS
-
DRW
10h 55m
1 stop
$712Multiple Airlines
Wed, 26 Aug - Thu, 10 Sep
Multiple Airlines Logo
14:35 - 23:20
DRW
-
CNS
8h 15m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
13:55 - 00:20
CNS
-
DRW
10h 55m
1 stop
$713Multiple Airlines
Tue, 25 Aug - Wed, 9 Sep
Jetstar Logo
01:15 - 17:10
DRW
-
CNS
15h 25m
1 stop
Jetstar Logo
06:45 - 00:30
CNS
-
DRW
18h 15m
1 stop
$715Jetstar
Fri, 31 Jul - Thu, 13 Aug
Virgin Australia Logo
01:30 - 11:10
DRW
-
CNS
9h 10m
1 stop
Virgin Australia Logo
06:00 - 13:45
CNS
-
DRW
8h 15m
1 stop
$716Virgin Australia
Fri, 31 Jul - Thu, 13 Aug
Multiple Airlines Logo
01:30 - 11:10
DRW
-
CNS
9h 10m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
07:30 - 18:00
CNS
-
DRW
11h 00m
1 stop
$717Multiple Airlines
Mon, 24 Aug - Wed, 9 Sep
Multiple Airlines Logo
01:15 - 11:15
DRW
-
CNS
9h 30m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
06:00 - 13:45
CNS
-
DRW
8h 15m
1 stop
$726Multiple Airlines
Thu, 27 Aug - Thu, 10 Sep
Jetstar Logo
01:15 - 18:25
DRW
-
CNS
16h 40m
1 stop
Jetstar Logo
09:10 - 00:20
CNS
-
DRW
15h 40m
1 stop
$729Jetstar
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.

How much is a return flight from Darwin to Cairns?

This analysis is based on the cheapest return trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Darwin to Cairns departing in August.

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, Monday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Tuesday is the most expensive. Flying from Cairns back to Darwin, the best deals are generally found on Friday, with Sunday 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 January, where tickets cost $654 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and May, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,007 and $912 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.

Yes, flying with a stopover may cost you more time, but you can also save money on the route, with a 1 stop stopover the cheapest option at $737 on average.

Good to know

Low seasonMarch
Cheapest flight$339
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 5% 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 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from Darwin to Cairns was $268 for a one-way ticket and $534 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, Airnorth or Virgin Australia?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Darwin to Cairns are Airnorth and Virgin Australia. With an average price for the route of $622 and an overall rating of 8.0, Airnorth is the most popular choice. Virgin Australia is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $763 and an overall rating of 7.6.

  • 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 $282 or less one-way and $737 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

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

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 4 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.
8.0
AirnorthOverall score based on 3 reviews
8.0Comfort
6.6Food
8.6Crew
2.0Entertainment
8.6Boarding

Very good it will be my choice of airline while in Australia.

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

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 !!

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.

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.

For a red eye flight it is pretty uncomfortable. They provide nothing in the way of pillows, etc.

On time, lovely crew, economy-X seating worth the $ for the legroom. In flight entertainment not working, but I wasn’t going to use it anyway. Never had a bad Virgin experience.

I never flew with alliance. Kayak is a joke and none of the flights or times were correct. Won’t ever use kayak again

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.

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

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.

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.

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

It’s a very long flight and there are so many people on board. Perhaps a warm washcloth now and then to freshen up

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

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

I really appreciated the fact that when I checked my bags at the Quantas counter after arriving from an international flight an hour early, the agent noticed I had a very long layover. He then found an earlier flight that allowed me to get to Cairns several hours earlier than I planned. That was amazing because I had already traveled over 20 hours and wasn’t looking forward to such a long layover. It allowed me to see my daughter and grandchildren much earlier (it had been two years since I visited last).

Knees in back from passenger behind, limited seat pockets, no entertainment.

Horrible. The people that get this flights are very sick, dangerous and unhygienic

Great. Seats are a little cramped with only a very small recline. Service was great. Food was fine.

The smells on this plane were disgusting. So many sweaty and unhygienic people i couldn't stand it. I dream of being anywhere else in the world when I am on a JetStar flight they suck.

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.

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.

15kg allowance is outrageous. Change of time a few days before departure and more than 2 hours of delay in the end. The worse we’ve taken so far in Oceania.

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

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

We were seated right at the back of the plane along with young parents and small children. Very noisy and seats super uncomfortable.

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.