$148 Find Cheap Flights from Sydney to Cairns – Compare and Save

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from Sydney to Cairns:

• Earliest: departs at 06:10 and lands at 09:15
• Latest: departs at 20:30 and lands at 23:35.

The flight takes about 3h 05m.

Two cabin classes are available on flights from Sydney to Cairns:

• Economy class
• Business Class

A direct flight from Sydney to Cairns takes 3h 05m, covering 3,171 km.

No, a passport is not required for this domestic route, but you will need another form of identification, such as a driving licence.

Return flights from Sydney to Cairns range from $288 to $485, with an average of $364 over the past 12 months. Anything below $288 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 29% above the $364 route average. Book 9 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, direct flights are cheaper than stopover options on average. Direct fares average $357 return, compared with $530 via a stopover through Brisbane (BNE).

Virgin Australia is slightly above the route average for timely arrivals, while Jetstar has a lower on-time arrival rate. On-time arrival rates on Sydney to Cairns flights are:

• Virgin Australia: 89% on time
• Jetstar: 83% on time
• Qantas Airways: 82% on time

On average, flights on this route are punctual 85% of the time.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge $29–$145 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Boeing 737-800 Passenger/BBJ2 (winglets) family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by Virgin Australia and Qantas Airways. Other aircraft seen on the route include Airbus A320-100/200 variants.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Sydney to Cairns flights, with 72% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 28%, Evening flights for 0%, and Night flights for 0%.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, return flight prices on this route showed a wide range, from about $262 to $1,839. That means the highest observed fare was about 7x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from Sydney to Cairns are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $174, which is 19% below the typical average for this route.

Cairns Airport (CNS) hosts 5 major car hire companies, with daily rates averaging $71 for economy cars. Top options include:

• Bargain Car Rentals
• East Coast Car Rentals
• Simba Car Hire
• Europcar
• Ace Rental Cars

Flights from Sydney to Cairns usually depart from Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD) and arrive at Cairns (CNS).

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route, while evening departures tend to have the most.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the Sydney to Cairns route, 15% of flights were delayed in the past three months, with delays averaging 2h 13m.

Most connecting flights from Sydney to Cairns pass through Brisbane (BNE), which handles 100% of one-stop traffic on this route.

Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 9% on flights from Sydney to Cairns. Sunday is the cheapest departure day at $350 return on average, while Thursday is the most expensive at $381, a difference of $31.

Cheaper weekend fares like these are typical of routes dominated by weekday business travel.

3 airlines operate flights between Sydney and Cairns. The airlines offering direct flights on this route include:

• Jetstar
• Virgin Australia
• Qantas Airways

Cairns is 1 hour behind Sydney (Eastern Australia Time vs Eastern Australia Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Some of the most popular sights in Cairns are Esplanade Lagoon, Reef Hotel Casino, and Cairns Convention Centre. These are among the most viewed places in Cairns on KAYAK.

Among airlines operating Sydney to Cairns flights:

• Virgin Australia: offers free seat selection
• Qantas Airways: offers extra legroom

Extra legroom and free seat selection availability depends on fare class and route.

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• Jetstar: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Virgin Australia: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Qantas Airways: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class

Baggage allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route, and airline, so always check the fare details before booking.

If you’d like to relax in comfort before your flight, there are various lounge options in the domestic terminals of Sydney Airport. Terminal 3 has Qantas Business Lounge and The Qantas Club Lounge, which are both located in the departures area, opposite Gates 4 and 5. Terminal 2 has Virgin Australia Lounge, located after security near the main security checkpoint. Please check with your airline for your eligibility to use their lounge.

There are many options to get from Sydney centre to Sydney Airport. The metro will get you to the airport from Central Station in about 15min. Be sure to get use your Opal card, if you have one, for discounted fares. You can also take a taxi or rideshare service; the cost depends on what part of Sydney you are heading to.

The airport has accessible toilets and public phones. It also has a number of hearing loops that reduce distortion and background noise for those using hearing aids. You can also request a disability-friendly taxi through the taxi concierge staff in the taxi area.

Smoking areas at this airport are located outside the terminal buildings. There is a no smoking policy inside the terminal buildings, so if you are a smoker, make a note of the location of the designated spaces (marked on terminal maps) and take advantage of them before going through security.

Sydney Airport offers free Wi-Fi – select ‘-FREE SYD WiFi-’, follow the registration instructions, click proceed and you can start surfing. Cairns Airport also has a Wi-Fi service in all terminals – it is free for 30 minutes in T2 and for 60 minutes in T1 – thereafter you will need to pay.

The terminals at Cairns Airport are within walking distance of each other and you can get from one to the other via a covered walkway. From T2 Arrivals to T1 Departures, follow the Green line and from T1 Arrivals to T2 Departures follow the Blue line. The walk takes between 5 and 7minutes.

If you wish to use public transport from Cairns Airport ,you will need to catch the Airport Connect bus service which, for around AUD6 one way and AUD8 return, will take you from the airport to the Sheridan Street bus stops, where you can continue your journey north towards beaches or southwards towards Cairns.