Are there direct flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns?

Historically, direct flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns have made up 7.8% of all observed routes. For travelers who opt for connecting flights, the median number of stopovers has been 2. This indicates that while direct options exist, connecting flights are more common for this route across the trailing 90 days.

How many hours is the flight from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns?

The typical direct flight from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns has a median duration of 140 minutes, or 2 hours and 20 minutes. For flights with one stop, the median duration is significantly longer, at 1250 minutes, which translates to 20 hours and 50 minutes. The distance between the two cities is approximately 1320 kilometers.

How often do Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns flight prices drop?

Historically, prices for flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns have shown regular fluctuations. This indicates that travelers may frequently find opportunities for price drops. Monitoring prices over a 30-day period can be beneficial for securing a favorable fare on this route.

Flights From Sunshine Coast Region

To Cairns

Cheap Flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns

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

Deals from

Sunshine Coast Region

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Prices updated 5 days ago

402 airlines compared

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Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Jul 12, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns

Round trip

Sort by: Cheapest

January 1 - January 8

Cheapest

MCY - Cairns

A$395

A$158

Round trip

December 11 - December 13

MCY - Cairns

A$446

A$170

Round trip

December 16 - December 25

MCY - Cairns

A$450

A$176

Round trip

October 10 - October 11

Best

MCY - Cairns

A$366

A$178

Round trip

December 13 - December 25

MCY - Cairns

A$434

A$178

Round trip

December 11 - December 25

MCY - Cairns

A$431

A$178

Round trip

October 4 - October 11

Best

Earliest

MCY - Cairns

A$359

A$180

Round trip

December 25 - January 6

MCY - Cairns

A$444

A$181

Round trip

December 25 - January 8

MCY - Cairns

A$442

A$181

Round trip

December 16 - January 6

MCY - Cairns

A$423

A$181

Round trip

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Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns: Overview

Insights for flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns

Right now, fares for flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns are significantly below the typical level. Over the past 90 days, 66% of recent fares on this route were classified as a good price. Prices typically range from $351–$764, with a median of $554.

A typical journey from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns takes about 2h 20m, including connections. This is a short-haul flight, covering a distance of 1320 km.

Most itineraries for cheap flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns connect at least once, with only 7.8% of recent fares being non-stop. For connecting itineraries, the typical number of stopovers is 2.

If you are looking for the cheapest time to fly from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns, January stands out with a median fare of $100. Other cost-effective months include October, with a median of $148, and July, where the median fare is $169.

How much is a round trip from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns

Regular price: A$314 - A$815

Prices are currently below the regular range for flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns.

The regular price range for flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns is AUD314 to AUD815. The current lowest deal is AUD158 with Jetstar for travel from Jan 1-Jan 8.

now A$158

Low A$314

High A$815

The cheapest time to fly from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns

The cheapest month to fly from MCY to CNS is January, with a median price of $100. The most expensive month is June, with a median price of $571. Prices are generally lower from January to December.

January

Cheapest

Flights from A$100

June

Most Expensive

Flights from A$571

Jan

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Dec

Direct flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns

Jetstar

Last-minute flights going from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns

Sun, Jul 19

⌛ Last-Minute

MCY - Cairns

Sunshine Coast Region (MCY) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

A$753

A$495

One-way

Tue, Jul 21

⌛ Last-Minute

MCY - Cairns

Sunshine Coast Region (MCY) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

A$807

A$463

One-way

Thu, Jul 23

⌛ Last-Minute

MCY - Cairns

Sunshine Coast Region (MCY) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

A$794

A$453

One-way

Thu, Jul 23

⌛ Last-Minute

MCY - Cairns

Sunshine Coast Region (MCY) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

A$792

A$463

One-way

Sun, Jul 26

⌛ Last-Minute

MCY - Cairns

Sunshine Coast Region (MCY) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

A$738

A$462

One-way

Sun, Jul 26

⌛ Last-Minute

MCY - Cairns

Sunshine Coast Region (MCY) - Cairns (CNS)

Jetstar

A$741

A$482

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns

4 nights

Sep 10 - Sep 14

A$746 → A$323

57%

2 nights

Sep 12 - Sep 14

A$745 → A$353

53%

3 nights

Jul 21 - Jul 24

A$733 → A$359

51%

5 nights

Sep 3 - Sep 8

A$747 → A$381

49%

Popular Airports to fly from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns

Sunshine Coast Region - Cairns route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are below the typical level

Recent fares from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns are below the typical level at $158.

📅 Best time to fly

January is historically cheapest at $100

Historically, January is the cheapest month to fly from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns at $100.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights take 2h 20m

A direct flight from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns typically takes 2h 20m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Jetstar offers direct flights

Jetstar offers direct flights on this route, with 7.8% of recent flights being direct.

🏆 Airline highlight

Jetstar offers the cheapest deal

Jetstar has offered a recent deal for $158 from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear regularly

Deals on flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns appear regularly, with 66% good prices.

Sunshine Coast Region main airports to depart from

Sunshine Coast (MCY)

Cheapest

Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) is a convenient departure point for flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns.

📍 ~23 km from Sunshine Coast Region (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~A$158

Cairns main airports to arrive at

Cairns (CNS)

Cheapest

Cairns Airport is a convenient arrival point for exploring Cairns and the surrounding region.

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

💸 Flights from ~A$158

Airports nearby Cairns used as alternative

Townsville (TSV)

Townsville Airport can be a useful alternative, offering frequent jet services to major Australian hubs.

📍 ~350 km from Cairns (approximately 4-5 hours drive)

💸 Flights from ~A$413

Whitsunday Coast (PPP)

Cheapest

Whitsunday Coast Airport offers reliable commercial jet services to major capital cities as a regional gateway.

📍 ~600 km from Cairns (significant driving distance)

💸 Flights from ~A$408

Great Barrier Reef (HTI)

Great Barrier Reef Airport provides direct jet connections to major cities, but requires island transfers.

📍 ~650 km from Cairns (located on an island; requires ferry or flight transfer)

💸 Flights from ~A$553

Mackay (MKY)

Mackay Airport is a major regional airport with consistent commercial capacity and good connectivity to Brisbane.

📍 ~750 km from Cairns (approximately 9 hours drive)

💸 Flights from ~A$539

Mount Isa (ISA)

Mount Isa Airport is the primary aviation hub for Western Queensland, offering business-class and jet services.

📍 ~900 km from Cairns (extremely far inland)

💸 Flights from ~A$1,030

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Cairns

Cairns, Australia

37% AI deal score

$1,290

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Cairns

Historically, the lowest average prices for flights from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns are found when booking 60 or more days in advance, with an average price of $152. Prices typically increase closer to departure. For instance, flights booked 14-27 days out average $310, while those booked 0-6 days before departure average $728. Planning ahead by at least two months can lead to significant savings on this route.

Across the trailing quarter, a good price for a flight from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns has historically been $351 or less. The median price observed over the same 90-day period was $554. Prices above $764 are typically considered more expensive for this route. Aiming for a fare at or below the good price threshold can help ensure a cost-effective trip.

Historically, January has been the cheapest month to fly from Sunshine Coast Region to Cairns, with a median price of $100. October also offers competitive prices, with a median of $148. While July is listed among the cheapest months with a median of $169, it was also the most expensive month observed over the trailing 270 days. The annual median price for this route is $554.

Related routes

Consider alternative routes from Sunshine Coast Region