$1,060 Find Cheap Flights from South Africa 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 15/1. 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

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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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from South Africa to Cairns

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

Wed, 29 Oct - Wed, 5 Nov
Cathay Pacific Logo
11:05 - 08:35JNB-CNS
37h 30m2 stops
Cathay Pacific Logo
12:35 - 07:40CNS-JNB
51h 05m2 stops
$1,411Cathay Pacific
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Wed, 5 Nov - Sat, 8 Nov
Cathay Pacific Logo
11:05 - 08:35JNB-CNS
61h 30m2 stops
Cathay Pacific Logo
17:00 - 07:40CNS-JNB
46h 40m2 stops
$1,448Cathay Pacific
Find Deal
Wed, 29 Oct - Wed, 5 Nov
Logo
11:05 - 08:35JNB-CNS
37h 30m2 stops
Logo
19:15 - 08:20CNS-JNB
45h 05m3 stops
$2,039
Find Deal
Wed, 29 Oct - Wed, 5 Nov
Singapore Airlines Logo
19:50 - 17:20JNB-CNS
37h 30m1 stop
Singapore Airlines Logo
18:35 - 06:10CNS-JNB
19h 35m1 stop
$2,095Singapore Airlines
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Wed, 29 Oct - Wed, 5 Nov
Logo
11:05 - 08:35JNB-CNS
37h 30m2 stops
Logo
18:35 - 06:10CNS-JNB
19h 35m1 stop
$2,143
Find Deal
Wed, 29 Oct - Wed, 5 Nov
Logo
19:05 - 08:20JNB-CNS
53h 15m3 stops
Logo
09:00 - 10:50CNS-JNB
57h 50m3 stops
$2,170
Find Deal
Mon, 15 Dec - Thu, 15 Jan
Logo
19:05 - 08:30JNB-CNS
53h 25m3 stops
Logo
09:00 - 10:50CNS-JNB
57h 50m3 stops
$2,172
Find Deal
Wed, 5 Nov - Sat, 8 Nov
Singapore Airlines Logo
19:50 - 17:20JNB-CNS
37h 30m1 stop
Singapore Airlines Logo
19:50 - 18:35CNS-JNB
54h 45m2 stops
$2,412Singapore Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, 15 Dec - Thu, 15 Jan
Qatar Airways Logo
13:45 - 11:05JNB-CNS
37h 20m2 stops
Qatar Airways Logo
09:15 - 08:40CNS-JNB
31h 25m2 stops
$2,422Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Mon, 15 Dec - Thu, 15 Jan
Cathay Pacific Logo
11:05 - 10:45JNB-CNS
39h 40m2 stops
Cathay Pacific Logo
12:00 - 07:40CNS-JNB
27h 40m1 stop
$2,694Cathay Pacific
Find Deal

Everything you should know

When to book
3 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 3 weeks in advance save around 19% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
May
Cheapest • 22% price drop
October
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Cheapest return fare
$1,411
Overall average: $2,042
Cathay Pacific
Wed 29/10Wed 5/11
JNB - CNS • 2 stops
Cheapest one-way flight
$1,060
Typical prices: $1,304-1870
Cathay Pacific
Thu 15/1
JNB - CNS • 1 stop
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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!
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 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 May, where tickets cost $1,307 on average for return flights. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and October, where the average cost of tickets from South Africa is $2,284 and $2,042 respectively. For one-way flights, the best month to travel is May with an average price of $1,307.

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, which saves you about 19% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 19 weeks before departure.

Find deals

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 11% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly (27% more expensive on average)

FAQs - booking Cairns flights

  • 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.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to Cairns?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Cairns is Sunday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $1,864. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Friday, where round-trip prices are $2,599 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.

  • What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Cairns?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to Cairns is generally at night, when round-trip flights cost $1,157 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Cairns is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $1,298.

  • How many direct flights to Cairns are there each week?

    Each week there are around 486 direct flights from within South Africa to Cairns. The most common day for departures is Thursday, with 16% of flights taking off on this day.

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 South Africa 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 South Africa 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
Singapore AirlinesOverall score based on 1365 reviews
8.0Comfort
7.7Food
8.2Boarding
8.6Crew
8.0Entertainment
Airline reviews

I was in a middle seat where I felt a bit too cramped otherwise the trip was good

8.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Sept 2025SIN - BLR
Read more Singapore Airlines reviews

I was in a middle seat where I felt a bit too cramped otherwise the trip was good

The business class seats were very uncomfortable. When in lie flat position my legs were very restricted.

Lounge a access was excellent as was the attentiveness and service from the crew as always. The food and drink supplied were of good quality. The entertainment system had a good selection and I liked the mapping system supplied. However the screen wild have been bigger and the operation a little smoother to navigate. The seats were barely comfortable, but adequate.

So happy I flew with Singapore Airlines. The customer service is top notch. I am terrified of flying and the staff made me feel so at ease. Will only fly Singapore internationally moving forward.

It was very good experience on board to Sydney with SQ.

Everything was great keep up the good work 😁, can't ask for more.

Flight from SFO did not include entertainment as it was not working the entire duration of the flight. Was informed that there would be a $350 voucher for the inconvenience. Uncertain how the voucher will be provided.

It was an average flight. I would have expected more from this airline. Food, seats, service, etc was just average. I just give them some extra points for offering free WiFi on board with just a Krisflyer account.

I very much liked and appreciated the service on board. The seating arrangement in Business feels uncomfortable. It's not made for tall people, in any case.

Great airline. Excellent service, good food & lots of TV movies/shows to choose from.

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

Cairns (CNS)

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