SYD - CNS
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SYD — CNS
18 Jan — 25 Jan1
Return
1 adult
Economy
From?
To?
Tue 18/1
Tue 25/1
Good to know
When to book flights from Sydney to Cairns
Estimated return price
Average price per month
Flight prices as travel date approaches
Top tips for finding a cheap flight
- Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $142 or less one-way and $262 or less round-trip.
- The cheapest flight from Sydney to Cairns was found, on average, 89 days before departure.
- Book at least 4 weeks before departure in order to get a below-average price.
- High season is considered to be November, December and January. The cheapest month to fly is March.
- Morning departure is around 4% cheaper than an evening flight, on average*.
- 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.
FAQs for booking flights from Sydney to Cairns
Top 3 airlines serving Sydney Kingsford Smith to Cairns
Scores according to KAYAK customer reviews7.9
Qantas AirwaysOverall score based on 4882 reviews
8.1Boarding
7.7Comfort
8.4Crew
7.9Entertainment
7.6Food
Airline reviews
Pros: "Boarding through two doors made the process faster."
Cons: "A better explanation of the lunch choices would be helpful"
Pros: "Boarding through two doors made the process faster."
Cons: "A better explanation of the lunch choices would be helpful"
Pros: "Flight attendants super sweet and really paid attention to any needs. Comfy seats, lots of movies to choose from and a tasty breakfast."
Pros: "It was our first time flying on Qantas. everything was above expectations."
Cons: "Crew was not friendly. Also - who thought putting call buttons in the armrest was a good idea? We had 10 accidental calls from the people around us alone."
Pros: "Normal standard for that kind of trip"
Pros: "Tge flight and landing were uneventful"
Cons: "One hour delay taking off. Departure gate change. Cramped seating. When plane totally loaded, further wait for ground crew to load baggage. No refreshments until way late due to delay. Water should have been offered during the delay due to loading."
Cons: "Delays due to storms slowed our departure and made the boarding process a little confusing"
Pros: "It is always a good flight with Qantas,great staff are friendly and helpful for me and all passengers.like watching the movies,meals are good quality.You are updated with what is going on as you fly."
Cons: "A twenty minute delay on landing and was raining in Bangkok but that is ok."
Cons: "Qantas left our luggage in Sydney. Once we were in Koh Samui it was up to Bangkok Airways to sort it out. The file reference we were given wasn't recognised by the Qantas website, the three phone numbers in Bangkok just gave a 'number disconnected' message and one was no answer. We had to cancel a planned event on day two and shop for clothes for a specific activity on day three. The only way to make contact with Qantas was via Instagram, Luggage did appear but so far no contact or apology from Qantas. We will not fly with Qantas again. Virgin Australia is our carrier of choice who outperform Qantas in every respect. This flight was gifted so we had no choice."
Pros: "Great crew, nice clean aircraft with lots to watch via their streaming service Flight left ontime and arrived early"
Cons: "Food was good but not great"
Pros: "staff were very friendly"
Cons: "the entertainment equipment had a glitch and not function properly"
Pros: "Lunch served was good."
Cons: "The flight was delayed a bit."
Pros: "Could not fault"
Cons: "Flight was nearly an hour late leaving."
Cons: "Flight was late departing."
Pros: "Watched movies to pass the time. Trip uneventful but 2 hours late"
Cons: "The announcements by cabin crew on board were hard to understand as English not first language"
Cons: "Qantas mucked up my seating and then tried to tell me maybe it was just my use of the booking system."
Pros: "Food was a improvement luggage transfer to connecting flight great a"
Cons: "All good"
Pros: "Mostly everything great."
Cons: "Leg room for me a bit small. Dinner a bit mushy."
Pros: "good"
Pros: "As before great assist with wheel-chair support"
Cons: "entertainment screen on the back of the headrest was smaller than an ipad screen"
Pros: "Had problems with check in because of china eastern mishandling our baggage, the Quantas staff got everything sorted for us. Plenty of leg room on the flight and the cabin staff were fantastic, only thing that let it down was the food choice, but, as it was only a 3 hour flight this wasn;t really a problem. Would gladly fly with them again any time."
Pros: "Excellent"
Cons: "none"
Pros: "Excellent flight - great from start to finish. Free wifi was a bonus! delicious afternoon tea"
Pros: "Great service"
Cons: "The boarding process with qantas domestic is always chaotic. No one is policed on their seat numbers, status or fare class. this creates a chaotic process for boarding and securing overhead luggage space for higher fare paying customers"
Pros: "Fantastic service"
Cons: "Boarding gate was like queuing for a sporting event"
Pros: "Seat so small , lack of back support and cushioning"
Cons: "Seat is so uncomfortable. For the 6 hr trip need a back adjustment for such a cramped environment. Need review my future travel on Qantas"
Pros: "The flight itself was fine. Point a to point b with no hiccups."
Cons: "The cabin crew was rude and had no self awareness. 2 times where I wasn't finished with my drink and they grabbed it right out of my hands. I was grabbing it so they could clear everything else but they took it as me trying to hand it to them. Both times I told them I was still drinking that and they disregarded it and threw it in the trash without hesitation. It's like they were robots on autopilot. Also, the male attendant in my row would always bump me pretty severely with his bum while grabbing things from the cart."
Pros: "I loved the first meal and the choices all seemed amazing. Staff were friendly during boarding. Seats were really comfortable and good movie and song choices."
Cons: "The second meal, a small noodle box was dry, overcooked, and bland even with the dressing. The crew was not very friendly during the flight (I understand maybe they had a cranky passenger before and it was a long flight but smiling isnt that hard!). Inflight service was inconsistent as one side came down to serve 15minutes after the first side. The headphones looked quite dirty so I used my own. Boarding was quite slow and then takeoff was late but it was nice that the captain explained it."
Pros: "Excellent service. Comfortable seats in economy with good leg room"
Cons: "Poor screen & audio quality on movie system."
Pros: "In flight entertainment had a good selection"
Cons: "Delayed and missed connecting flight. As a result had to pay for a new one. Placed in the last row of economy so I could sit with my partner. Lied to by the check in counter. Disappointed by qantas yet again!"
Pros: "Took off and landed safely"
Cons: "Entertainment is old compared to other airlines. Screen is low resolution."
Pros: "Dinner meal"
Cons: "Nil"
Pros: "Snack and Qantas Entertainment app"
Cons: "Nil"
Pros: "Crew on the plane was a group of wonderful ladies. Always smiling & pleasant, even when they had to move people around. Great service with a smile."
Cons: "No info ahead of time about checking in. Once we got to the airport, I was told that I should have known better & checked in 24 hours prior. initially, the agent said that all seats are appropriated randomly. At the gate, I'm told different. I had to fight tooth & nail to get a seat next to my wife (who often gets airsick). It didn't feel good to have to argue & make a scene to accomplish this."
Pros: "The food and service were excellent!"
Pros: "Nothing to be honest.."
Cons: "food was pathetic, served late, i have always found the Qantas crew to be rude. No change to that. Somethings dont change. this is one of them. I first flew w Qantas in 2005 in business class, and since then i have downgraded. But the attitude hasn't changed. It's as if we are doing service by choosing Qantas...."
Pros: "Customer service was outstanding"
Cons: "There was no Sauvignon blanc on the wine list"
Pros: "Aircraft"
Cons: "Compares very unfavourably to Emirates who we used on the outward leg. Food very poor and choices limited by the time we were served."
Pros: "Flying to Qantas always enjoyable - staff always make for pleasant journey. Always happy to fly Qantas."
Cons: "One negative experience was that there was only 1hr 30mins between connecting flights. Between departing international flight - picking up luggage/toilet stop and clearing Immigration/Customs then catching bus between Qantas international domestic terminals we were racing to catch flight. As we arrived Qantas domestic terminal our names were being called over along with info the plane was awaiting our arrival. In my experience 2hrs is minimum time between connecting flights - otherwise good experience."
Pros: "Friendly service"
Pros: "Appologises for the delay and the pilots attempt to make up time. The care taken during the turbulent period."
Pros: "It seemed that being in seat 33, the crew kept forgetting to come back and get our rubbish. It seemed when they collected the rubbish, they were full at seat 32 row, come back and start at seat 34"
Pros: "Getting there in one piece."
Cons: "Very small selection of movies and shows. Breakfast meal horrible. Heartburn within half hour."
Pros: "Service was too notch. Despite software issues and timtams out of stock, crew were lighthearted and joked around with passengers. V refreshing."
Cons: "Comfort still has room to improve, a foot rest would be a step in the right direction. Particularly for us shorter types or those who like to curl up and sleep. Also random upgrades (eg. Exit rows) is always appreciated. Online dinner special was excellent. Breakfast was terrible, maybe because it was the last meal so not as fresh?"
Pros: "It was a Qantas flight not an Emirates flight for your correct information."
Cons: "I was hoping to be on board an Emirates plane notQantas msybe another time"
Pros: "Crew were good & Gold ( Emerald) FFlyer so boarded well"
Cons: "Small seats (narrow) isle seat, being knocked on the shoulder by passing people"
Pros: "Got away on time"
Cons: "No wifi on board or entertainment"
Pros: "In-flight entertainment system (on-demand), on-time arrival, decent food."
Cons: "Announcements at boarding gate were impossible to understand -- very muffled."
Pros: "Good crew, clean."
Cons: "Food both free and purchased. Seat most uncomfortable after and hour and a half."
Pros: "Snack was good"
Cons: "Seats very uncomfortable and msny headrests would not stay in position making back of neck very uncomfortable. Also. Making passengers board via rear plane door and stairs where ramp to front plane door was used makes it much more difficult for seniors with carry on bag. Should use of front entra"
Cons: "Not very comforting seats"
Cons: "Delays from Sydney to Cairns were disappointing and VA did nothing to make up for it. (The flight was pretty empty so that was a plus!"
Pros: "Check in staff did the best to accommodate, however it later turned out that their knowledge of the aircraft seat plan was incorrect"
Cons: "A330 was too small for this distance. Seat pitch felt worse than newer domestic aircraft. Left the whole exit row free. I know you have to pay for this but as a gold member you might have thought they could accommodate if vacant and me being unable to fit my legs behind the chair. Only 3 working toilets for all of economy wasn’t enough either. Entertainment didn’t seem to be as good as previous American flights."
Pros: "Plane was pretty empty in economy so I was able to lie down to sleep a little"
Cons: "Vegetarian dishes very spicy especially for breakfast"
Pros: "Service helpful"
Pros: "clean planes, easy security, good boarding."
Cons: "flight was delayed - we sat on tarmac with doors"
Pros: "Information on departure delays was forthcoming"
Cons: "The checkin machine kept giving me my fellow travelor boarding pass and not one for me."
Pros: "everything"
Pros: "Nice staff, entertainment system quite good , wide rage of films and music."
Cons: "Range of snacks and drinks served. Only water and juice covered in the air fare."
Pros: "Very friendly"
Pros: "NA"
Cons: "Despite multiple confirmation emails from Kayak (including this survey). But I found out last minute from the airline that the flight never actually got booked, so I needed to book a different flight last minute."
Cons: "I usually buy Eco X seats but this time forgot."
Cons: "There was an extremely long line at check-in with only a couple of Virgin Australia attendants working. Despite the line (of several hundred people), the staff appeared to have no urgency about moving customers through the check-in process, and at one point two of the the three workers quit working, packed up and left. Replacements arrived five minutes later and took another five to ten minutes to set-up before helping customers - leaving one agent for the overflowing line. Total wait time for check-in alone was over 1 hour."
Cons: "Boarding made half passengers drag their carryon luggage down stairs, then drag them up the plane. Not acceptable! Almost pulled my back out."
Pros: "Nice crew."
Cons: "This flight was full with many families with small children. The parents exercised almost no control over their rambunctious children. A gentlemen in my row turned around to request that the children seated behind him not bang and bump the back of his seat. After 3 such requests a fight almost broke out between adults. I’ve never experienced anything quite like this on a flight. I myself got no rest on the 3 hr flight to Cairns."
Pros: "Very helpful"
Cons: "Pleasant"
Pros: "On time. Friendly crew. Smooth landing. All you can ask."
Cons: "Checking in took a while longer than expected. But I was still very happy with the service."
Pros: "Lovely plane, good entertainment, great refreshments!"
Cons: "Nothing was bad!"
Pros: "Flight was comfortable and ran smoothly"
Cons: "It left 50 mins so I got into Brisbane half an hour late"
Cons: "30 minutes delayed due to errors in paperwork."
Pros: "Not much"
Cons: "Check in was terrible. The kiosks were not working and there was NO staff available to instruction or to ask questions. The check-in and bag drop off lines elevate terrible. I believe a big problem is they only allow one bag including carry-on and there were no signs indicating this!"
Pros: "Can watch movies by phone"
Cons: "The food, the service are very normal"
Pros: "I missed the connection in Sydney to get to Cairns… So, still waiting to board the last leg of the flight. The airport in Sydney was really busy and it just took a while to go through customs, and baggage claims etc.."
Cons: "Nice people but the seats are close so very tight fit for anyone over 5"5'"
Cons: "45 minutes queuing for a bag drop is not good enough - plenty of spare check-in desks just not enough staff"
Pros: "Mostly everything"
Cons: "The seats were a bit cramped."
Cons: "Our flight was cancelled and as we were overseas and did not know we had been put on a flight 4hrs earlier and as we got to the airport to later than that earlier flight had to buy new tickets with another airline. We are very disappointed as it cost up extra money."
Pros: "No significant problem"
Pros: "First class was dirt"
Cons: "Flight was cancelled, no compensation, had to find somewhere to stay, travel to and from airport for a flight the next day instead."
Pros: "Enormous leg room"
Cons: "Fly Virgin Australia every time if possible"
Pros: "Service"
Pros: "Good service"
Cons: "Had to pay extra $70 because I couldnt take some spare parts as cabin luggage which should have been accepted."
Pros: "Coffee"
Cons: "Flight was delayed over two hours"
Pros: "friendly staff smooth trip"
Cons: "it got abit stuffy the aircon wasnt great but it was a nice flight"
Pros: "Baggage price"
Cons: "Nothing"
Pros: "Very little, again delayed in leaving resulting in arrival quite late"
Cons: "Unknowlingly dropped teeth which went under the seat and Virgin has no means of contacting airport to put mind at rest after flight and phone contact almost impossible as staff unable or unwilling to assist. No phone number in directory, no phones at airport. and in an emergency no way of contact and no one willing to do anything to assist. Food better but still too much rice. Long boring flight with no entertainment in flight. Very Very Disappointing Robert Richardson 0895930984"
Pros: "Empty, friendly staff"
Cons: "Late for my conference"
Pros: "Virgin service has always been great in my experience"
Pros: "Staff polite and helpful at boarding desk"
Cons: "Poor food selection"
Pros: "Short distance, so don't care"
Cons: "Little bit of delay"
Pros: "Crew was friendly and helpful."
Cons: "Literally had to cut in front of people exiting the landed flight in LA and run to the next flight, which was going from LA to Sydney. Same thing happened after landing in Sydney. Had to collect my bags, go through customs, recheck bags, take a shuttle to a domestic flight terminal, go through security, then I hear over the speaker it was the final boarding call for my flight, had to run again. I am a 56 y/o woman, was not fun. When I arrived in Cairns at about noon, I found that my bag missed the flight. I was told my bag would be delivered to my hotel in Palm Cove that evening, I received my bag the next morning. The flights into and out of LA were run by Delta, the flight from Sydney to Cairns was VIrgin Australia."
Pros: "Departure on time"
Cons: "Food"
Pros: "We arrived intact only 3 hours late and we were informed early"
Cons: "Seating far too little leg room. Too close together."
Pros: "The egg and lettuce sandwich was fresh and delicious! A bigger serving would have been nice. The Cadbury biscuit chocolate was also a perfect match with a coffee."
Cons: "The inflight entrainment could have been more extensive. For example the big fat Greek wedding advertised in the inflight magazine wasn't available as a selection."
Pros: "Arrived on time."
Cons: "There was no entertainment this was especially annoying on an almost 5 hour flight. Seats were too squashy."
Pros: "Nice that they had a tasty snack with a chocolate biscuit"
Cons: "Alcoholic beverages would be better if"
Pros: "The service of Kayak and Virgin was wonderful. The flight was comfortable and smooth. I usually hate flying but this flight I actually enjoyed in a way. The food was surprisingly good as well. Overall excellent - a tick in all the boxes!"
Cons: "cost of going over baggage weight was extremely high"
Pros: "Crew wasn’t that polite."
Cons: "Anything extra"
Pros: "Nothing"
Cons: "Jetstar is just an airline that charges for everything. No customer service or personality. The carry-on bag rules apparently are not the same for everyone. Several people had multiple bags well exceeding 7kg. Of course the rest of us had to pay the bag fees. Just a company of crooks."
Cons: "We had a row of drunk boys directly behind us. They drank non-stop, were extremely noisy and obnoxious - standing in the aisles, shaking seats, and yelling/singing non-stop. Worst flight I have been on this year as the crew did nothing to address this issue despite numerous complaints. P"
Pros: "After we finally got checked in after standing in line (1.5hrs), due to the previous night's storms (& finally had to argue with staff, after they had already announced final check in)- everything else went off without a hitch. The flight operated- a plus when compared to my two previous JetStar bookings."
Cons: "I organization of staff who had told us at "we would be fine" in the line we were in- only to be hurried to the "final check in desk" and have the staff there tell us to get back in line."
Pros: "The crew were great. Very clear on the p.a. System and good service."
Cons: "The seats were narrow and horribly cramped. No shaping to support your back and the tray table crushed my stomach and I am quite slim. Goodness knows how big people cope. We recently did a round The world trip with 11 flights and none were as bad as this."
Cons: "And no announcements re the delay until the very last minute."
Pros: "Boarding was a breeze! Staff was very friendly"
Cons: "No free snacks or beverages... only available to purchase"
Cons: "I missed it"
Pros: "All staff on ground and in flight very pleasant and helpful"
Cons: "I,ve no complaints"
Pros: "Modern aircraft"
Cons: "Flight was delayed for no reason at all. Rude staff. Forced a domestic flight to land/take off at an international terminal so we had to go through customs control before taking off and after arrival. Pay some more money and fly Qantas or anything but awful Jetstar..."
Cons: "No food or entertainment. Seats do narrow and MINIMAL leg room"
Pros: "Same as the previous review"
Cons: "Flight was cancelled and next available was nearly 4hrs later and left late! And then they have the gall to tell you to board quickly. Emails all about trying to frighten you into paying for extra luggage and sell you mediocre food and pay for a seat allocation."
Cons: "Pay extra $500 for my luggage. Still do not know why."
Pros: "Crew was nice and boarding process was very efficient."
Cons: "seats were extremely close to each other and incredibly uncomfortable. They didn't even offer a glass of water without payment. Literally everything but the air cost money."
Pros: "Crew friendly"
Cons: "Bag drop lineup ridiculously long. Flight late departing. Black tea $4. Missed our transfer to port Douglas and had to wait 2 hours to the next. Not happy."
Cons: "The entire experience"
Pros: "This was a simple no frills flight cost is low because extras are just that extra."
Cons: "Seats are paper thin, so much so that i got pushed every time the gentleman behind me moved his knees."
Cons: "So I told them I was going to have luggage but they didn’t have it at the check in counter. Then they charged me $195 for 1 bag that weighed 24kg. Are you joking?? Then, the woman says we’ll we can upgrade you to an exit row seat for free. I thought that sounded awesome, extra legroom and all, so of course I accepted. When I get on the plane, my seat was in the row ahead of the exit row, with no extra legroom. The flight attendant said that the row i was in is considered an exit row as well. Here are the problems: 1 even if I didn’t tell them I was taking luggage, who the hell would pay to take one goddamned bag for $195 when the entire flight cost $150?! 2 imagine I paid for the exit row seat and they stuck me in the row ahead of the exit area so I had no extra leg room I would be extremely angry. Lastly, everything on the flight is for order, nothing is free not even water. I would never, ever, fly jetstar again even if the only alternative was to walk."
Cons: "Over 1.5 hours to check our bags, delays, baggage fees"
Cons: "Extreme difficulty in check in and bag drop process waited over an hour and combined with security almost missed the flight."
Cons: "Jet star line to check in was very long with only two people working"
Pros: "Good seat and small load so could move around"
Cons: "No entertainment and charges for everything."
Cons: "My husband is 6.7 feet tall, we were trying to change seats for him for over 2 weeks and wasn't able to do ( need exit raw or extra leg room)"
Cons: "Luggage fees"
Pros: "Be careful. I booked a return flight from Narita. I was NOT prompted in any vidible way about luggage. As qantas FF and based upon ALL past experience i expected an allownace of 25 kgs to be included. I had NO luggage allwoance. I was charged apprx 400 AUD $ for a 22.8kg bag. I asked to redress thsi for the retrun trip and have since discovered that the details have NOT been updated despite paying! So now I need to call Jetstar and worknthrough the issue."
Cons: "I was not not noticeably propmoted about luggae allowances or onboard food ent and beverage costs which ultimately added 55% to the ticket cost, so a reasobale priced tocket ended up an expensive one."
Pros: "We got there no leg room"
Cons: "No leg room a320"
Cons: "I contacted Jetstar several times months before traveling to cancel my flight and obtain a refund they refused"
Pros: "Cute flight attendants."
Cons: "Unexpected fees for baggage. $255 additional fees!!! Charge for soft drinks and water! Lost my bag to rub salt in the wound. Unhelpful and disrespectful counter staff! Customer service is clearly not part of company training or culture. Nearly impossible to get customer service via website. I had better luck getting a phone number using google. I travel nearly every week on business and have never experience such poor service. I will never fly this third world airline again."
Pros: "Did not order any food, so there were no surprise charges."
Cons: "Hidden fees. I will never book another flight with Jetstar."
Pros: "Boarding went quickly because thry use front and back entry ways but be warned, take away cups not allowed."
Cons: "Baggage drop/self check-in was a huge inefficient line and the check-in lines were actually moving faster. What's the value of early check-in? And of course you pay for everything, bags, snacks, food and even coffee. In the end, it doesn't seem worth it."
Cons: "Was given 3 different instructions about how and where to check in. And their fees for checked luggage are exorbitant compated to other airlines."
Pros: "As you wait in line to board an employee is going down the line with a scale checking each carry on bag for weight. The same bag I've carried on multiple flights without problem. I'm told my bag will cost me an extra $50. Their weight restrictions are about half the norm evidently, so just plan to add $50 to your ticket price. Also everything else is extra as well, so don't be fooled into believing your trip is really just the price of the ticket (as it was with every other economy flight I had taken) but something considerably higher. I always travel with a standard size carry on bag and small personal bag and have never had this issue with any other airline."
Cons: "Deceptive ticket prices and policies."
Cons: "Beware, they charge $15 per kilogram for over weight luggage."
Cons: "There were 2 employees I spoke with when checking in about my carry on baggage and they didn't say anything. Then Jetstar sends someone to the gate with a scale to catch everyone they have already let through with bags to see if they can hit us with the most expensive bag fee since it is gste side at that point. It was a shady move since we would have paid much less at the check in desk. Not cool!"
Pros: "Overall a good experience!"
Cons: "I did not like having to pay extra charges for luggage after I chose by booking. I thought I was choosing a "deal" and it was not the great deal I thought I had."
Pros: "We landed safely. That's about it."
Cons: "Airline cares more about money than happy customers. Disappointed. Customer service was far from helpful and passive aggressive, despite the fact that the error was on their mobile website (wouldn't let me add baggage) and so I was forced to buy it at the airport which cost like 2x as much. They wouldn't help adjust. Plane was also very dirty."
Pros: "I liked the courteous service. Smooth flight."
Pros: "The plane was relatively new."
Cons: "Boarding was late. Food selection was poor Entertainment choices were slim And obviously charging for luggage and food sucks."
Pros: "Flight agents were nice enough and that's about it."
Cons: "The gate agent makes everyone weight their bags to verify they are not over 7kg which is crazy. Super rude about whole process as well. The chairs are so close that a rather large woman behind me had her knees digging into my back because there wasn't sufficient room!! No, she wasn't 7 foot tall. Probably 5'7""
Cons: "The Jetstar domestic flight from Sydney to Cairns unexplicably left from the international terminal and we missed our flight due to that. The employees at Jetstar were rude and unhelpful. Jetstar cares only about money and not about customers' safety and security. They never even asked for our passports to verify that we were the actual ticketholders! However, they made sure to charge us every penny possible for our luggage. I could not get a simple cup of water on the flight without paying for it. Jetstar is a terrible airline and I would not recommend it to anybody!"
Pros: "Nothing"
Cons: "Gate agent assumed we didn't speak English so she re-assigned us from an exit row to the back if the plane. Agent didn't ask us if we spoke Eng (we are native Eng speakers). When we realized what she was doing, she was surprised that we spoke Eng but continued to re-assign us. Extremely poor service. Will not fly Jetstar again."
Pros: "The flight attendants getting on the plane were nice. Otherwise, I had no interaction with them."
Cons: "This airline has many hidden baggage fees, and they are more expensive at the airport than online. They also charge an exorbitant amount of money for each kilo over your reserved baggage weight. The staff working at the counters is extremely rude."
Cons: "Baggage allowance for international flyers and charges for excess baggage !!! Obscene !"
Pros: "The check-in woman was a gem! Due to Australia's strict carry-on policy - one item, period - I had to repack my luggage, which contained a fragie printer that had been in my carry-on when I could have it AND a computer bag. The Jet Star allowed two checked pieces, and the agent gave me all the time I needed to make the changes. She then marked the bag fragile, and sent me to the oversize/fragile bay with it. It arrived in PNG rattled, but working normally.The woman was a peach!"
Pros: "The plane was very clean and the leather seats were very comfortable. The flight attendants and check-in desk team were fantastic!"
Cons: "The extra fees for ANY check-in luggage, plus the extra fees by the kilo for both check-in and carry-on luggage makes the trip more expensive than other airlines. Lesson learned."
Pros: "Food was good and crew provided good service."
Cons: "Seat was uncomfortable but was more because person behind was large and kept digging their knees into my back. I was also not able to recline my seat because of their large size. I would have happily paid a little extra to be upgraded away from this passenger to ensure a more comfortable flight."
Pros: "Cheap fare"
Cons: "Restricted carry on weight limit"
COVID-19 information
Safety measures for airlines flying from Sydney to Cairns
Airlines flying from Sydney to Cairns have enacted additional safety measures and adjusted policies to better accommodate travellers. Policies vary by airline.
Heightened sanitation
Daily cleaning, installation of cabin HEPA filters on flights from Sydney to Cairns
Mandatory masks
Masks required on board, masks provided on flights from Sydney to Cairns
Social distancing seating
Middle seats unavailable to book on flights from Sydney to Cairns
Pre-flight testing
Testing for antibodies, testing for symptoms for flights from Sydney to Cairns
Flexible cancellations
Waiving of change fees. Search flexible flights from Sydney to Cairns
Book cheap flights from Sydney to Cairns
Recent return flight deals
18/5Wed
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
25/5Wed
directJetstar
2h 50mCNS-SYD
$162
14/5Sat
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
21/5Sat
directJetstar
2h 50mCNS-SYD
$168
8/5Sun
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
14/5Sat
directJetstar
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$170
22/5Sun
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
10/6Fri
directJetstar
2h 50mCNS-SYD
$172
3/5Tue
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
6/5Fri
directJetstar
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$182
31/5Tue
directMultiple Airlines
3h 05mSYD-CNS
4/6Sat
1 stopMultiple Airlines
5h 10mCNS-SYD
$184
2/5Mon
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
5/5Thu
directJetstar
2h 50mCNS-SYD
$190
9/6Thu
directMultiple Airlines
3h 15mSYD-CNS
17/6Fri
directMultiple Airlines
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$191
14/5Sat
directMultiple Airlines
3h 05mSYD-CNS
21/5Sat
1 stopMultiple Airlines
5h 10mCNS-SYD
$193
3/5Tue
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
6/5Fri
directJetstar
2h 50mCNS-SYD
$194
9/3Wed
directJetstar
3h 00mSYD-CNS
2/6Thu
directJetstar
2h 50mCNS-SYD
$206
18/5Wed
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
25/5Wed
1 stopJetstar
7h 35mCNS-SYD
$208
9/2Wed
directMultiple Airlines
3h 05mSYD-CNS
15/2Tue
directMultiple Airlines
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$211
9/2Wed
directJetstar
3h 00mSYD-CNS
14/2Mon
directJetstar
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$212
3/2Thu
directJetstar
3h 00mSYD-CNS
10/2Thu
directJetstar
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$213
10/2Thu
directMultiple Airlines
3h 00mSYD-CNS
14/2Mon
directMultiple Airlines
3h 00mCNS-SYD
$220
11/2Fri
directMultiple Airlines
3h 00mSYD-CNS
13/2Sun
directMultiple Airlines
3h 00mCNS-SYD
$226
27/1Thu
directMultiple Airlines
3h 05mSYD-CNS
31/1Mon
directMultiple Airlines
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$227
9/2Wed
directMultiple Airlines
3h 05mSYD-CNS
11/2Fri
directMultiple Airlines
2h 55mCNS-SYD
$229
31/5Tue
1 stopMultiple Airlines
6h 25mSYD-CNS
4/6Sat
1 stopMultiple Airlines
5h 10mCNS-SYD
$238
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Recent one-way flight deals
19/6Sun
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$76
1/5Sun
directJetstar
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$90
23/1Sun
directJetstar
3h 00mSYD-CNS
$107
4/2Fri
directVirgin Australia
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$109
26/1Wed
directJetstar
2h 55mSYD-CNS
$114
22/1Sat
directJetstar
2h 55mSYD-CNS
$115
29/1Sat
directVirgin Australia
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$116
27/1Thu
directVirgin Australia
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$122
25/1Tue
directJetstar
2h 55mSYD-CNS
$123
26/1Wed
directJetstar
3h 00mSYD-CNS
$125
27/1Thu
directVirgin Australia
3h 05mSYD-CNS
$133
22/1Sat
directJetstar
2h 55mSYD-CNS
$139
27/1Thu
1 stopJetstar
7h 10mSYD-CNS
$151
22/1Sat
1 stopJetstar
5h 45mSYD-CNS
$152
27/1Thu
1 stopJetstar
7h 10mSYD-CNS
$154
23/1Sun
1 stopVirgin Australia
25h 40mSYD-CNS
$168
30/1Sun
1 stopMultiple Airlines
16h 45mSYD-CNS
$173
7/2Mon
2 stopsQantas Airways
8h 55mSYD-CNS
$330
22/1Sat
2 stopsMultiple Airlines
11h 40mSYD-CNS
$342
19/6Sun
2 stopsQantas Airways
7h 50mSYD-CNS
$344
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Sydney - Cairns Flights
Departure:
Sydney (SYD)Australia
Destination:
Cairns (CNS)Australia
Return flight deals:
Cabin classes:
$1,271
$94
Browse destinations:
$162