To Cairns

Cheap Flights from Canberra to Cairns

Browse current best options from Canberra. Become a member to unlock all deals and get alerts when new deals appear.

Deals from

Canberra

RatePunk searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Cairns

Prices updated 24 days ago

486,190 searches this week

171 airlines compared

80%+ AI score for best value

Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated May 29, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Canberra to Cairns

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Canberra to Cairns

Round trip

Sort by: Cheapest

August 3 - August 11

Cheapest

Best

CBR - Cairns

$666

$285

Round trip

August 6 - August 10

Best

CBR - Cairns

$718

$309

Round trip

July 26 - July 29

CBR - Cairns

$495

$310

Round trip

August 7 - August 14

CBR - Cairns

$702

$312

Round trip

July 22 - July 28

CBR - Cairns

$483

$315

Round trip

July 27 - July 29

CBR - Cairns

$492

$315

Round trip

July 25 - July 30

CBR - Cairns

$489

$323

Round trip

July 21 - July 23

CBR - Cairns

$493

$325

Round trip

November 3 - November 10

Best

CBR - Cairns

$594

$328

Round trip

July 14 - July 28

Earliest

CBR - Cairns

$465

$329

Round trip

Unlock all 500+ flight deals to Cairns and get alerts when great deals appear

Route Intelligence — 486,190 Searches this Week

Insights for flights from Canberra to Cairns

December is typically the most affordable month to find cheap flights from Canberra to Cairns, with a median fare of $210. Following closely, February also offers competitive pricing, with a median fare of $212. Travelers can also find good value in April, where the median fare is $232.

Fares for flights from Canberra to Cairns typically range from $219–$305, with a median of $253. Right now, current fares are above the typical level for this route. A significant portion of recent fares, 73%, were classified as a good price, indicating that opportunities for savings are frequent.

Most itineraries for this route connect at least once, as 0% of recent fares were for direct flights from Canberra to Cairns. When connecting, the typical number of stopovers is 1. New deals appear almost daily, making it beneficial to monitor prices regularly.

A typical journey from Canberra to Cairns takes approximately 6h 55m, including connections. This duration accounts for the fact that most flights on this route involve at least one stopover.

The flight distance between Canberra and Cairns is 2077 kilometers, classifying it as a medium-haul route. This distance typically involves a multi-hour journey, often with a layover.

How much is a round trip from Canberra to Cairns

Regular price: $508 - $709

Prices are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from Canberra to Cairns is typically between 508 USD and 709 USD. The current lowest deal is 285 USD with Jetstar, for travel from August 3 to August 11.

now $285

Low $508

High $709

The cheapest time to fly from Canberra to Cairns

The cheapest month to fly from Canberra to Cairns is December, with a median price of 210 USD. The most expensive month is August, with a median price of 551 USD. Prices are generally lower from February to December.

December

Cheapest

Flights from $210

August

Most Expensive

Flights from $551

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Canberra to Cairns

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

Jetstar

QantasLink

Last-minute flights going from Canberra to Cairns

Sun, Jun 28

⌛ Last-Minute

CBR - Cairns

Canberra (CBR) - Cairns (CNS)

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

$723

$389

One-way

Tue, Jul 14

⌛ Last-Minute

CBR - Cairns

Canberra (CBR) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

$465

$329

One-way

Thu, Jul 16

⌛ Last-Minute

CBR - Cairns

Canberra (CBR) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

$494

$333

One-way

Tue, Jul 21

⌛ Last-Minute

CBR - Cairns

Canberra (CBR) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

$493

$325

One-way

Wed, Jul 22

⌛ Last-Minute

CBR - Cairns

Canberra (CBR) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

$483

$315

One-way

Sat, Jul 25

⌛ Last-Minute

CBR - Cairns

Canberra (CBR) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

$489

$323

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Canberra to Cairns

4 nights

Aug 6 - Aug 10

$718 → $309

57%

7 nights

Aug 7 - Aug 14

$702 → $312

56%

2 nights

Aug 1 - Aug 3

$719 → $329

54%

3 nights

Aug 1 - Aug 4

$718 → $329

54%

Popular Airports to fly from Canberra to Cairns

Canberra - Cairns route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares for Canberra to Cairns are above the typical level, with a median price of $253.

📅 Best time to fly

December is historically cheapest at $210

Historically, December offers the lowest median prices at $210, followed by February and April.

⏱️ Flight duration

Connecting flights average 6h 55m

Flights from Canberra to Cairns typically involve connections, with a median duration of 6h 55m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

This route is connecting dominant, with 1 stopover being the median for deals.

🏆 Airline highlight

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines offers connecting flights

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines has offered 66 deals with connections on this route historically.

🎯 Booking tip

Good prices are frequent

Historically, good prices for this route appear frequently, with deals available almost daily.

Canberra main airports to depart from

Canberra (CBR)

Cheapest

Canberra Airport is a good option for flights from Canberra to Cairns.

📍 ~8 km from city center (reachable by car or bus)

💸 Flights from ~$285

Cairns main airports to arrive at

Cairns (CNS)

Cheapest

Cairns Airport is a key gateway for flights arriving from Canberra, offering direct access to Cairns.

📍 ~5 km from city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$285

Airports nearby Cairns used as alternative

Townsville (TSV)

Townsville Airport can be a useful alternative arrival airport, offering a balance of proximity and flight frequency.

📍 ~350 km from Cairns (reachable by car or rail).

💸 Flights from ~$364

Whitsunday Coast (PPP)

Cheapest

Whitsunday Coast Airport is a major gateway to the Whitsunday region with reliable jet services and higher flight frequency.

📍 ~700 km from Cairns (reachable by car).

💸 Flights from ~$331

Mackay (MKY)

Mackay Airport is an established regional hub with multiple daily flights and offers premium cabin classes.

📍 ~750 km from Cairns (reachable by car).

💸 Flights from ~$331

Great Barrier Reef (HTI)

Great Barrier Reef Airport is an alternative for travelers already planning to visit the reef region.

📍 ~700 km from Cairns (requires ferry transfer from mainland).

💸 Flights from ~$359

Mount Isa (ISA)

Mount Isa Airport serves as a primary connection point for Western Queensland with scheduled commercial services.

📍 ~900 km from Cairns (reachable by car).

💸 Flights from ~$704

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Cairns

43% AI deal score

$1,563

From CBR

Elite

Jul 23

Cairns, Australia

43% AI deal score

$1,563

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Cairns

To find more affordable flights, consider being flexible with your travel dates and times. Using flight comparison sites can help you compare options from various airlines and online travel agencies. Booking in advance may also help secure better prices.

Booking flights in advance often leads to better deals, especially for popular routes. Prices may fluctuate, so monitoring fares over time can help you identify a good booking window. Weekday bookings might sometimes offer different pricing compared to weekends.

Comparing nearby airports can sometimes reveal alternative flight options or different pricing. While it may add to travel time, it could potentially lead to savings. Always consider the total cost and convenience when evaluating this option.

Related routes

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