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SYD - CNS

$113 Find cheap flights from Sydney 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 Sydney to Cairns departing on 12/11. 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
Sun 25/8
Sun 1/9

Search 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 Sydney 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 Sydney to Cairns, as well as popular online travel agencies
In the last 7 days, travellers have searched 50,552,696 times on KAYAK, and here's why:

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Cheap flight deals from Sydney to Cairns (SYD-CNS)

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Sydney 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 and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
15:10 - 18:15SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
18:55 - 21:50CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
$257Jetstar
Find Deal
Sat, 24 Aug - Wed, 28 Aug
06:10 - 09:15SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
06:35 - 09:35CNS-SYD
3h 00mdirect
$258Jetstar
Find Deal
Mon, 19 Aug - Sun, 25 Aug
06:10 - 08:15SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
18:15 - 22:10CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
Sun, 13 Oct - Sun, 20 Oct
19:45 - 22:50SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
18:55 - 21:50CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
$261Jetstar
Find Deal
Thu, 15 Aug - Mon, 19 Aug
06:10 - 09:15SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
06:35 - 09:35CNS-SYD
3h 00mdirect
$263Jetstar
Find Deal
Mon, 19 Aug - Sun, 25 Aug
08:10 - 11:25SYD-CNS
3h 15mdirect
18:55 - 21:50CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
Wed, 25 Sep - Thu, 26 Sep
08:10 - 11:25SYD-CNS
3h 15mdirect
16:50 - 22:20CNS-SYD
5h 30m1 stop
$312Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Sun, 8 Sep - Thu, 12 Sep
18:00 - 23:20SYD-CNS
6h 20m1 stop
18:15 - 22:10CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
$326Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Thu, 17 Oct - Sun, 20 Oct
09:15 - 15:00SYD-CNS
5h 45m1 stop
21:40 - 07:50CNS-SYD
10h 10m1 stop
$517Rex
Find Deal
Wed, 31 Jul - Mon, 5 Aug
17:20 - 22:35SYD-CNS
5h 15m1 stop
13:55 - 17:05CNS-SYD
3h 10mdirect
$529Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Wed, 25 Sep - Sun, 29 Sep

Flights from Sydney to Cairns - Travel Insights & Trends

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

The average price of all flights from Sydney to Cairns clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
When flying from Sydney to Cairns, you should consider leaving on a Wednesday and avoid Fridays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Sydney, you’ll find the best rates on Thursdays and the most expensive ones on Wednesdays.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from Sydney 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 Sydney to Cairns is May, where tickets cost $284 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, where the average cost of tickets is $432 and $403 respectively.

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

The average 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 $1,116, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from Sydney to Cairns, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each month.
To get a below average price on the flight from Sydney to Cairns, you should book around 3 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 70 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Sydney to Cairns?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
In the past 3 days, the cheapest one-way tickets to Cairns from Sydney were found on Virgin Australia ($113) and Jetstar ($118), and the lowest return tickets were found on Jetstar ($257) and Virgin Australia ($312).

Which airlines fly most frequently between Sydney and Cairns?

Sydney and Cairns are connected by different airlines. The airlines that fly that route the most regularly are Jetstar (28 flights per week), Virgin Australia (18 flights per week), and Qantas Airways (14 flights per week).

Which airlines fly direct between Sydney and Cairns?

Airline and price data is aggregated from results in KAYAK’s search results from the last 2 weeks for flights from Sydney to Cairns.
There are 3 airlines that fly direct from Sydney to Cairns. They are: Jetstar, Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia. The cheapest price of all airlines flying this route was found with Virgin Australia at $157 for a one-way flight. On average, the best prices for this route can be found at Jetstar.

How many flights are there between Sydney and Cairns per day?

Each day, there are between 8 and 9 nonstop flights that take off from Sydney and land in Cairns, with an average flight time of 3h 08m. The most common departure time is 15:00 and most flights take off in the morning. Each week, there are 60 flights. The most frequent day of departure is Monday, when 15% of all weekly flights depart. The fewest flights depart on a Tuesday.

Which cabin class options are there for flights between Sydney and Cairns?

The average price of flights for each cabin class for the route found by users searching on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks.
There are 3 cabin class options for the route. These are Business, Economy and Prem Economy. Perform a search on KAYAK to find the latest prices and availability for all cabin fares, which differ across airlines.

How long does a flight from Sydney to Cairns take?

The average direct flight takes 3h 05m, covering a distance of 3,171 km.

What’s the earliest departure time from Sydney to Cairns?

Early birds can take the earliest flight from Sydney at 06:10 and will be landing in Cairns at 09:15.

What’s the latest departure time from Sydney to Cairns?

If you prefer to fly at night, the latest flight from Sydney to Cairns jets off at 19:50 and lands at 23:05.

Good to know

Low season

May

High season

December

Cheapest flight

$113
Best time to beat the crowds (18% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (25% more expensive on average)
Flight from Sydney to Cairns

When to book flights from Sydney to Cairns

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

  • What lounges are available in the domestic terminals of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport?

    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.

  • How do you get to Sydney Airport from the Sydney centre?

    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.

  • How is Cairns Airport accessible for people with disabilities?

    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.

  • Are there smoking areas at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport?

    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.

  • Is there free Wi-Fi at both Sydney Kingsford Smith and Cairns Airport?

    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.

  • How do I transfer between terminals at Cairns Airport?

    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.

  • Can I use public transport to get from Cairns Airport to Cairns city centre?

    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.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Sydney to Cairns?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Sydney to Cairns was $74 for a one-way ticket and $168 for a return.

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

    When flying out of Sydney you will be using Sydney Kingsford Smith. You will be landing at Cairns, also known as Cairns.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Sydney to Cairns?

    Japan Airlines, and Scoot offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Sydney to Cairns flight route.

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

    The Boeing 737-800 Passenger/BBJ2 (winglets) is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Sydney to Cairns flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Sydney to Cairns?

    oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam are the airline alliances operating flights between Sydney and Cairns, with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Sydney to Cairns are Virgin Australia and Qantas Airways. With an average price for the route of $361 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 $598 and an overall rating of 7.6.

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

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

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

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

See more FAQs

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

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $155 or less one-way and $283 or less round-trip.
  • If you are travelling with infants or young children, there are parents rooms and baby changing facilities in both Domestic Terminals 2 and 3 of Sydney Airport (SYD).
  • If you’re craving a coffee on arrival in Cairns, there is a Macchinetta in the arrival area of Cairns Airport (CNS) serving coffees as well as focaccias and paninis.
  • A great initiative at Sydney Airport is the Airport Ambassador Program. They are volunteers who give of their time each week to give passengers a warm welcome and assist anyone needing help with finding accommodation, facilities, transport or attractions. Look out for them in their bright blue shirts.
  • Direct flights from Sydney to Cairns operate daily throughout the week. These flights are operated by four domestic carriers – Qantas, Virgin Australia, and the budget airlines Jetstar and Tiger Airways Australia. All these airlines fly into T2 in Cairns, which is the domestic terminal. If you have onward international flights, you will need to switch terminals.
  • Hungry travellers waiting to catch flights from Sydney to Cairns can take advantage of a number of restaurant options at the domestic terminals of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. From coffee shops, such as Toby’s Estate at T3 domestic terminal and burger bars – Chur Burger and Bistro 2020 in the T2 domestic terminal – there is something to suit every appetite.
  • If you are travelling to Cairns Airport to explore further afield, a good way to do this is to hire a car and collect it upon arrival. There are a number of car hire companies that have desks in the arrivals halls of both terminals. Avis, Budget, Hertz and Europcar are among the car hire companies represented at Cairns Airport.
  • For travellers with babies on flights from Sydney to Cairns, you will be happy to know that Cairns Airport has parents’ facilities in both terminals both before and after security. These are situated close to shops and places to eat and will allow you to change your baby’s nappy in peace and quiet away from the airport before any onward travels.
  • If you only have a limited amount of time in Cairns before moving on elsewhere and would like to explore the city and surrounds without carrying your luggage, there are luggage storage lockers next to the T2 Car Park Service Kiosk at Cairns Airport. The costs range between AUD6 and AUD14 depending on the locker size and the amount of time you need it for.
See more tips

Prefer to fly direct from Sydney Kingsford Smith to Cairns?

Find which airlines fly direct from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport to Cairns Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Sydney Kingsford Smith to Cairns

Monday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Tuesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Wednesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Thursday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Friday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Saturday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

Sunday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +15 more

ANA, Air Canada, +16 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Cairns to Sydney Kingsford Smith

Monday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +13 more

ANA, Air Canada, +14 more

Tuesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +12 more

ANA, Air Canada, +13 more

Wednesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +12 more

ANA, Air Canada, +13 more

Thursday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +12 more

ANA, Air Canada, +13 more

Friday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +13 more

ANA, Air Canada, +14 more

Saturday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +12 more

ANA, Air Canada, +13 more

Sunday

ANA, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +12 more

ANA, Air Canada, +13 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 3 airlines serving from Sydney to Cairns

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Sydney 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 Sydney 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 551 reviews
6.6Food
8.3Crew
7.5Comfort
6.6Entertainment
7.8Boarding
Airline reviews

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

4.0 OkayChristopher, July 2024DRW - MEL
Read more about Virgin Australia reviews

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

2 hrs + delay! Times kept changing, Onboard menu was half depleted, Entertainment wifi was N/A Overall very frustrating flight and I never slate Virgin.

Virgin Australia passed this flight onto Alliance, so my rating and comments are based on my experience with crew, aircraft and available options. Alliance only offers drinks which consisted of tea, coffee and water, free of charge. There was no on board entertainment. The aircraft seating although narrow accommodated my 6 foot 2 body with little discomfort.

When the flight is full out would be good to allow the use of the front toilet as well as the rear. Otherwise it was an uneventful flight.

When I made the booking I was not aware I had to book our checked baggage separately. As we had no checked luggage booking, I had to pay A$120 per bag (total 2 bags) so you can imagine I was not pleased. I am an experienced traveller so something needs to be done to improve the booking app,

Toasties not available (only GF option). Hot drinks not able to be served No usb charging port

Flight departed in time and arrived on time, no issues at all.

Boarding took place at the front and back. Weight of luggage was unclear and cost an arm and a leg.

The flight between Canberra and Coolongatta passed very quickly and was comfortable. The crew were very efficient and helpful. The boarding process is a bit slow and not done by rows. Overall, Virgin does a fairly good job.

The seats are so uncomfortable. The food doesn't exist unless you pay. Disappointed

The flight was delayed over 2 hours. We had to wait on the plane and the air conditioning was turned off. The food was average and the cutlery was wooden!

Perfect. The flight was on time and the crew were very friendly and helpful.

Plane a little late departing, but not an issue. The pilots humour when he said “I will try to make up some time…. I know a few short cuts to Adelaide” made the passengers chuckle. This is what makes Qantas “Australian”.

I have never had a problem with flying Qantas, so this flight was the same as any other.

After British Airways cancelled my London to Sydney and Virgin Australia refused to refund, there was no ways I would try Virgin Australia again, so it was Qantas - what a good flight experience. So much easier to get off an international flight and get a local flight without having to add extra amounts for baggage

The flight was delayed by 1.5 hours and most of the flights bags were not on the flight. Have also had no communication from QANTAS

Food was great. Customer Service not so much! Flight Delays.

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

It was so hot on the plane mixed with being quite turbulent and a rough landing. We all felt very nauseous for hours afterwards. Crew were lovely though.

For a long haul, the flight was good. We left an hour late due to a seat in business class not working. But they made up time and we still got in on time or even early thanks to tailwinds. The crew was friendly. The meals were okay, nothing special.

This was the most horrific experience we have ever had. I would advise people to steer clear of this airline at all costs.

Online checkin was a nightmare. They kept popping me into Chinese language site which I can't understand.

The flight take-off was delayed which was fine but the staff seemed pretty over their jobs. The seats are very uncomfortable and the food was pretty average. Overall is was okay.

a constant reminder that you need to work harder so you can avoid this airline

Note that food has to be purchased in flight. No free food. And no entertainment in flight. So I’ve treated these two items as okay which, in this case, means neutral/not applicable.

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

No food taken so can't rate also no entertainment so can't rate.

Boarding was easy and unstressful, though the early "final call" was a bit off-putting. The crew were pleasant, and the seats were comfortable. The prices for food and drink were reasonable, apart from tea and coffee, where simple percolated coffee was charged at espresso prices. Deboarding was OK, though some Jetstar passengers appear to have a bad habit of pushing forward from their assigned rows, making it more difficult to get out for passengers that have paid a premium to sit up-front. Jetstar might want to look to address this to stop it from spreading.

I got to the airport earlier than I expected, and they let me change to an earlier flight with no trouble.

It was a super crowded time to travel out of Melbourne, but the flight was OK

Book cheap flights from Sydney to Cairns

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Sydney to Cairns found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
12/11Tue
directVirgin Australia
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$113
29/10Tue
directVirgin Australia
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$116
20/10Sun
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$118
19/11Tue
directJetstar
3h 00mSYD-CNS
$119
7/8Wed
1 stop
10h 50mSYD-CNS
$217
22/8Thu
directQantas Airways
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$263
21/10Mon
1 stop
6h 20mSYD-CNS
$264
20/10Sun
1 stopQantas Airways
8h 50mSYD-CNS
$281
25/9Wed
1 stopRex
5h 45mSYD-CNS
$283
23/9Mon
1 stopRex
9h 45mSYD-CNS
$303

Search by stops

Search by airline

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Last minute flights from Sydney to Cairns

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from Sydney to Cairns that are departing in the next 10 days.
30/7Tue
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
1/8Thu
directJetstar
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$267
29/7Mon
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
2/8Fri
directJetstar
3h 00mCNS-SYD
$281
29/7Mon
direct
3h 05mSYD-CNS
31/7Wed
multi-stop
11h 10mCNS-SYD
$371
30/7Tue
direct
3h 05mSYD-CNS
5/8Mon
direct
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$379
30/7Tue
multi-stopVirgin Australia
5h 10mSYD-CNS
5/8Mon
multi-stopVirgin Australia
5h 20mCNS-SYD
$437
30/7Tue
multi-stopVirgin Australia
7h 10mSYD-CNS
2/8Fri
multi-stopVirgin Australia
4h 40mCNS-SYD
$445
30/7Tue
multi-stopRex
21h 45mSYD-CNS
8/8Thu
multi-stopRex
5h 20mCNS-SYD
$607
30/7Tue
multi-stopRex
21h 30mSYD-CNS
8/8Thu
multi-stopRex
5h 20mCNS-SYD
$749
26/7Fri
multi-stopQantas Airways
5h 30mSYD-CNS
30/7Tue
multi-stopQantas Airways
7h 40mCNS-SYD
$1,525
29/7Mon
multi-stopQantas Airways
9h 15mSYD-CNS
8/8Thu
multi-stopQantas Airways
24h 00mCNS-SYD
$3,206

Search by stops

Search by airline

Search by price

Sydney - Cairns Flights

Departure:

Sydney (SYD)Australia

Destination:

Cairns (CNS)Australia

Return flight deals:

Cairns - Sydney

Cabin classes:

$1,363
$2,769
$232

Browse destinations: