To Townsville

Cheap Flights from Cairns to Townsville

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

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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 Cairns to Townsville

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Cairns to Townsville

Round trip

Sort by: Cheapest

October 23 - October 25

Cheapest

Earliest

CNS - Townsville

$222

$191

Round trip

December 8 - December 10

Best

CNS - Townsville

$290

$192

Round trip

November 6 - November 9

Best

CNS - Townsville

$306

$197

Round trip

December 1 - December 4

CNS - Townsville

$287

$197

Round trip

October 29 - November 5

CNS - Townsville

$223

$197

Round trip

November 22 - December 10

CNS - Townsville

$288

$197

Round trip

October 29 - November 19

CNS - Townsville

$206

$197

Round trip

October 29 - November 27

CNS - Townsville

$206

$197

Round trip

October 29 - November 9

CNS - Townsville

$208

$197

Round trip

October 25 - November 5

CNS - Townsville

$207

$197

Round trip

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Route Intelligence — 486,190 Searches this Week

Insights for flights from Cairns to Townsville

A typical journey from Cairns to Townsville takes about 5h 0m, including connections. This route covers a distance of 285 km, classifying it as a short-haul flight. Given that new deals appear almost daily, you have frequent opportunities to find flights for this short distance.

When looking for cheap flights from Cairns to Townsville, fares typically range from $183–$494, with a median of $299. Right now, current fares are significantly above the typical level for this route. Approximately 25% of recent fares have been classified as a good price, indicating that finding a well-priced ticket is possible if you monitor the market.

The cheapest time to fly from Cairns to Townsville is generally in February, with a median fare of $133. January also offers lower prices, with a median fare of $156. Another relatively inexpensive month is September, where the median fare is $170. Planning your trip during these months could result in considerable savings.

For flights from Cairns to Townsville, a meaningful share are non-stop, the rest connect once. Specifically, 50.3% of recent fares were for direct flights from Cairns to Townsville. For itineraries that include connections, the typical number of stopovers is 1, which contributes to the overall journey time.

How much is a round trip from Cairns to Townsville

Regular price: $180 - $306

Prices for flights from Cairns to Townsville are currently within the regular range.

The regular price range for this route is between 180 USD and 306 USD. The current lowest deal is 191 USD with QantasLink, for travel from Oct 23 to Oct 25.

now $191

Low $180

High $306

The cheapest time to fly from Cairns to Townsville

Flights from Cairns to Townsville are cheapest in February, with a median price of $133. The most expensive month to fly is August, with a median price of $533. Prices are generally lower from January to September.

February

Cheapest

Flights from $133

August

Most Expensive

Flights from $533

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Cairns to Townsville

QantasLink

Last-minute flights going from Cairns to Townsville

Thu, Jun 18

⌛ Last-Minute

CNS - Townsville

Cairns (CNS) - Townsville (TSV)

Regional Express

$324

$343

One-way

Fri, Jun 19

⌛ Last-Minute

CNS - Townsville

Cairns (CNS) - Townsville (TSV)

QantasLink

$321

$361

One-way

Sat, Jun 20

⌛ Last-Minute

CNS - Townsville

Cairns (CNS) - Townsville (TSV)

QantasLink

$322

$361

One-way

Sun, Jun 21

⌛ Last-Minute

CNS - Townsville

Cairns (CNS) - Townsville (TSV)

Regional Express

$278

$267

One-way

Sun, Jun 21

⌛ Last-Minute

CNS - Townsville

Cairns (CNS) - Townsville (TSV)

QantasLink

$322

$361

One-way

Mon, Jun 22

⌛ Last-Minute

CNS - Townsville

Cairns (CNS) - Townsville (TSV)

QantasLink

$307

$539

One-way

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

2 nights

Nov 25 - Nov 27

$317 → $197

38%

5 nights

Nov 22 - Nov 27

$312 → $197

37%

4 nights

Nov 22 - Nov 26

$310 → $197

36%

3 nights

Nov 19 - Nov 22

$307 → $197

36%

Popular Airports to fly from Cairns to Townsville

Cairns - Townsville route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares are above the typical level for the Cairns to Townsville route.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in February for prices around $133

Historically, February is the cheapest month to fly, with median prices around $133.

⏱️ Flight duration

Typically 5h 0m total travel time

Flights from Cairns to Townsville typically take 5h 0m, including any layovers.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Direct flights are available on this route

Approximately 50% of recent deals are for direct flights, with connecting flights having 1 stopover.

🏆 Airline highlight

QantasLink offers direct flights

QantasLink has offered direct flights on the Cairns to Townsville route recently.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently

Deals for flights on this route appear frequently, with more than 1 deal per day.

Cairns main airports to depart from

Cairns (CNS)

Cheapest

Cairns Airport is a convenient departure point for flights to Townsville.

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

💸 Flights from ~$191

Townsville main airports to arrive at

Townsville (TSV)

Cheapest

Townsville Airport is the most direct and cheapest option for flights from Cairns to Townsville.

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

💸 Flights from ~$191

Airports nearby Townsville used as alternative

Whitsunday Coast (PPP)

Cheapest

Whitsunday Coast Airport offers an alternative for domestic jet services and good connectivity to major Australian cities.

📍 ~200 km from Townsville (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$278

Mackay (MKY)

Mackay Airport is a significant regional hub providing reliable domestic capacity and alternative southern routes.

📍 ~280 km from Townsville (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$279

Great Barrier Reef (HTI)

Great Barrier Reef Airport has direct jet services to major East Coast cities, but requires a ferry transfer.

📍 ~230 km from Townsville (reachable by car and ferry)

💸 Flights from ~$318

Emerald (EMD)

Emerald Airport is a regional alternative for travelers heading towards the Central Highlands with limited options.

📍 ~470 km from Townsville (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$344

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Townsville

Discover luxury on the budget with premium cabin class on flights from Cairns to Townsville.

Elite

Best Elite deals to Townsville

Exclusive daily First Class, Business Class, and Premium Economy flight deals, refreshed every 24 hours.

From CNS

Elite

Oct 13

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,516

$1,257

Save $259

From CNS

Elite

Oct 29

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,517

$1,257

Save $260

From CNS

Elite

Oct 13

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,523

$1,257

Save $266

From CNS

Elite

Oct 13

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,510

$1,257

Save $253

From CNS

Elite

Oct 13

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,510

$1,257

Save $253

From CNS

Elite

Oct 15

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,537

$1,257

Save $280

From CNS

Elite

Oct 12

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,528

$1,257

Save $271

From CNS

Elite

Oct 12

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,510

$1,257

Save $253

From CNS

Elite

Oct 09

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,511

$1,257

Save $254

From CNS

Elite

Oct 12

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,510

$1,257

Save $253

From CNS

Elite

Oct 15

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,510

$1,257

Save $253

From CNS

Elite

Oct 29

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,556

$1,257

Save $299

From CNS

Elite

Dec 01

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,497

$1,257

Save $240

From CNS

Elite

Oct 12

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,520

$1,257

Save $263

From CNS

Elite

Oct 15

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,516

$1,257

Save $259

From CNS

Elite

Oct 12

Townsville, Australia

42% AI deal score

$1,529

$1,257

Save $272

From CNS

Elite

Dec 14

Townsville, Australia

41% AI deal score

$1,461

$1,257

Save $204

From CNS

Elite

Dec 01

Townsville, Australia

41% AI deal score

$1,483

$1,257

Save $226

From CNS

Elite

Oct 29

Townsville, Australia

41% AI deal score

$1,490

$1,257

Save $233

From CNS

Elite

Dec 10

Townsville, Australia

41% AI deal score

$1,472

$1,257

Save $215

From CNS

Elite

Dec 07

Townsville, Australia

41% AI deal score

$1,471

$1,257

Save $214

From CNS

Elite

Dec 03

Townsville, Australia

41% AI deal score

$1,481

$1,257

Save $224

From CNS

Elite

Dec 01

Townsville, Australia

41% AI deal score

$1,486

$1,257

Save $229

From CNS

Elite

Dec 03

Townsville, Australia

41% AI deal score

$1,500

$1,257

Save $243

From CNS

Elite

Dec 01

Townsville, Australia

41% AI deal score

$1,475

$1,257

Save $218

From CNS

Elite

Nov 18

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,382

$1,257

Save $125

From CNS

Elite

Nov 10

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,405

$1,257

Save $148

From CNS

Elite

Nov 14

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,378

$1,257

Save $121

From CNS

Elite

Nov 11

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,400

$1,257

Save $143

From CNS

Elite

Nov 23

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,384

$1,257

Save $127

From CNS

Elite

Nov 21

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,387

$1,257

Save $130

From CNS

Elite

Nov 14

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,382

$1,257

Save $125

From CNS

Elite

Nov 11

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,397

$1,257

Save $140

From CNS

Elite

Nov 28

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,382

$1,257

Save $125

From CNS

Elite

Nov 03

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,388

$1,257

Save $131

From CNS

Elite

Nov 18

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,385

$1,257

Save $128

From CNS

Elite

Nov 11

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,389

$1,257

Save $132

From CNS

Elite

Nov 07

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,392

$1,257

Save $135

From CNS

Elite

Nov 07

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,393

$1,257

Save $136

From CNS

Elite

Nov 19

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,382

$1,257

Save $125

From CNS

Elite

Nov 20

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,382

$1,257

Save $125

From CNS

Elite

Nov 06

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,399

$1,257

Save $142

From CNS

Elite

Nov 12

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,395

$1,257

Save $138

From CNS

Elite

Nov 04

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,388

$1,257

Save $131

From CNS

Elite

Nov 19

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,381

$1,257

Save $124

From CNS

Elite

Nov 04

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,388

$1,257

Save $131

From CNS

Elite

Nov 13

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,390

$1,257

Save $133

From CNS

Elite

Nov 13

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,394

$1,257

Save $137

From CNS

Elite

Nov 19

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,378

$1,257

Save $121

From CNS

Elite

Nov 05

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,398

$1,257

Save $141

From CNS

Elite

Nov 18

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,382

$1,257

Save $125

From CNS

Elite

Nov 07

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,407

$1,257

Save $150

From CNS

Elite

Nov 11

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,399

$1,257

Save $142

From CNS

Elite

Nov 10

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,417

$1,257

Save $160

From CNS

Elite

Nov 03

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,407

$1,257

Save $150

From CNS

Elite

Nov 20

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,378

$1,257

Save $121

From CNS

Elite

Nov 18

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,383

$1,257

Save $126

From CNS

Elite

Nov 10

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,389

$1,257

Save $132

From CNS

Elite

Nov 03

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,437

$1,257

Save $180

From CNS

Elite

Nov 03

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,407

$1,257

Save $150

From CNS

Elite

Nov 17

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,383

$1,257

Save $126

From CNS

Elite

Nov 21

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,393

$1,257

Save $136

From CNS

Elite

Nov 04

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,392

$1,257

Save $135

From CNS

Elite

Nov 13

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,393

$1,257

Save $136

From CNS

Elite

Nov 19

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,385

$1,257

Save $128

From CNS

Elite

Nov 21

Townsville, Australia

40% AI deal score

$1,381

$1,257

Save $124

From CNS

Elite

Nov 30

Townsville, Australia

39% AI deal score

$1,333

$1,257

Save $76

From CNS

Elite

Nov 28

Townsville, Australia

39% AI deal score

$1,354

$1,257

Save $97

From CNS

Elite

Nov 14

Townsville, Australia

39% AI deal score

$1,375

$1,257

Save $118

From CNS

Elite

Nov 17

Townsville, Australia

39% AI deal score

$1,376

$1,257

Save $119

From CNS

Elite

Nov 25

Townsville, Australia

39% AI deal score

$1,353

$1,257

Save $96

From CNS

Elite

Nov 28

Townsville, Australia

39% AI deal score

$1,358

$1,257

Save $101

From CNS

Elite

Nov 28

Townsville, Australia

39% AI deal score

$1,354

$1,257

Save $97

From CNS

Elite

Nov 19

Townsville, Australia

39% AI deal score

$1,375

$1,257

Save $118

From CNS

Elite

Nov 27

Townsville, Australia

39% AI deal score

$1,353

$1,257

Save $96

From CNS

Elite

Nov 27

Townsville, Australia

39% AI deal score

$1,357

$1,257

Save $100

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Townsville

Historically, the optimal booking window for flights from Cairns to Townsville is typically 14-27 days before departure. During this period, the average price observed was $215. Booking 7-13 days out also offered a relatively low average price of $229. Prices tend to be higher for bookings made further in advance, with an average of $434 for flights booked 60+ days out, and also for last-minute bookings, averaging $283 for flights booked 0-6 days prior to departure.

Based on historical data from the trailing 90 days, a good price for a flight from Cairns to Townsville is considered to be $183 or less. The median price for this route across the trailing quarter was $299. Fares can go higher, with 75% of prices observed at $494 or more. Aiming for a fare around $183 would put you in the lowest 25% of prices seen for this route.

Historically, the cheapest months to fly from Cairns to Townsville are February, with a median price of $133, and January, with a median price of $156. September also shows a relatively low median price of $170. The annual median price for this route is $299, indicating that these months offer significant savings compared to the yearly average.

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