$159 Find Cheap Flights from New Zealand 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 18/2. 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 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
$510
Overall average: $795
Jetstar
Mon 16/3Thu 19/3
CHC - CNS • Direct
Cheapest one-way flight
$159
Typical prices: $183-$347
Jetstar
Wed 18/2
CHC - CNS • Direct
Top routes
CHC
-
CNS
Cheapest
AKL
-
CNS
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
October
Cheapest • 13% price drop
June
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 New Zealand to Cairns

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

Mon, 16 Mar - Thu, 19 Mar
Jetstar Logo
08:20 - 10:55
CHC
-
CNS
5h 35mdirect
Jetstar Logo
07:15 - 15:10
CNS
-
CHC
4h 55mdirect
$510Jetstar
Thu, 5 Mar - Mon, 23 Mar
Jetstar Logo
20:55 - 10:55
AKL
-
CNS
17h 00m
1 stop
Jetstar Logo
09:45 - 00:15
CNS
-
AKL
11h 30m
1 stop
$552Jetstar
Mon, 16 Mar - Mon, 23 Mar
Jetstar Logo
08:20 - 10:55
CHC
-
CNS
5h 35mdirect
Jetstar Logo
09:45 - 00:05
CNS
-
CHC
11h 20m
1 stop
$616Jetstar
Sun, 8 Mar - Sat, 14 Mar
Jetstar Logo
20:55 - 10:55
AKL
-
CNS
17h 00m
1 stop
Jetstar Logo
09:45 - 00:15
CNS
-
AKL
11h 30m
1 stop
$632Jetstar
Tue, 17 Mar - Tue, 24 Mar
Multiple Airlines Logo
06:20 - 17:15
CHC
-
CNS
13h 55m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
07:15 - 15:10
CNS
-
CHC
4h 55mdirect
$636Multiple Airlines
Mon, 16 Mar - Mon, 23 Mar
Virgin Australia Logo
17:30 - 23:05
ZQN
-
CNS
8h 35m
1 stop
Virgin Australia Logo
17:20 - 13:10
CNS
-
ZQN
16h 50m
2 stops
$775Virgin Australia
Wed, 25 Feb - Wed, 4 Mar
Multiple Airlines Logo
06:00 - 11:20
WLG
-
CNS
8h 20m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
06:00 - 20:30
CNS
-
WLG
11h 30m
2 stops
$808Multiple Airlines
Sun, 17 May - Wed, 20 May
Qantas Airways Logo
11:05 - 20:50
HLZ
-
CNS
35h 45m
2 stops
Qantas Airways Logo
21:40 - 10:30
CNS
-
HLZ
34h 50m
2 stops
$1,151Qantas Airways
Sun, 17 May - Wed, 20 May
Qantas Airways Logo
11:05 - 20:50
HLZ
-
CNS
35h 45m
2 stops
Qantas Airways Logo
21:40 - 10:30
CNS
-
HLZ
34h 50m
2 stops
$1,154Qantas Airways
Fri, 20 Mar - Tue, 31 Mar
Air New Zealand Logo
10:25 - 21:00
ZQN
-
CNS
13h 35m
3 stops
Air New Zealand Logo
10:55 - 09:40
CNS
-
ZQN
19h 45m
2 stops
$1,505Air New Zealand
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.

Based on KAYAK searches from the last 72 hours, if you fly from Christchurch, you should have a good chance of getting the best deal to Cairns as it was the cheapest place to fly from. Prices were found for as low as $159 one-way and $510 for a return flight. Also in the last 72 hours, the most popular connection to Cairns was from Auckland and the lowest price for a return flight was $552.

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 October, where tickets cost $688 on average for one-way flights. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and January, where the average cost of tickets from New Zealand is $899 and $873 respectively. For return trips, the best month to travel is October with an average price of $688.

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 0 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 84 days before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$159
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 25% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly (7% more expensive on average)
Flight from Christchurch to Cairns

FAQs - booking Cairns flights

  • What is the cheapest flight to Cairns?

    Based on KAYAK searches from the last 72 hours, if you fly from Christchurch, you should have a good chance of getting the best deal to Cairns as it was the cheapest place to fly from. Prices were found for as low as $159 one-way and $510 for a return flight. Also in the last 72 hours, the most popular connection to Cairns was from Auckland and the lowest price for a return flight was $552.

  • How far is Cairns Airport from central Cairns?

    Central Cairns is 4 km away from Cairns Airport.

  • What is the name of Cairns’s airport?

    Cairns is served by Cairns Airport, also commonly referred to as Cairns or Cairns Intl. The airport code is CNS.

  • How much is a flight to Cairns?

    On average, a flight to Cairns costs $420. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost $357 and departed from Christchurch Airport.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to Cairns?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Cairns is Friday where tickets can be as cheap as $420. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Wednesday, where prices are $604 on average.

  • 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

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Cairns flight deals.

Reviews of the top airline flying from New Zealand 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.
6.5
JetstarOverall score based on 514 reviews
6.4Comfort
7.3Crew
6.8Boarding
5.6Food
5.0Entertainment
Airline reviews

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.

8.0 ExcellentMrD, Jan 2026
PER - ADL
Read more Jetstar reviews

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)

I had opted to pay extra for a ticket on Jetstar A321-Neo in the first row, believing it would enhance my travel experience. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The constant line-up for the toilet resulted in people frequently standing next to me, causing significant discomfort throughout the flight. It was difficult to relax with the persistent disturbance from passengers bumping into my seat. Furthermore, 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. Given these circumstances, I will not be purchasing seats in the first two rows in the future, nor will I choose to fly with your airline again.

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.

Travelling to a place near Cairns?

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

Everything you need to know for your flight to Cairns

Information on the airport you'll fly into in Cairns