What percentage of Mackay to Cairns flights are direct?

In the trailing 90 days, approximately 40% of flights from Mackay to Cairns were direct. When connecting flights were necessary, travelers typically experienced one stopover. This indicates that while direct options are available, a significant portion of routes involve at least one stop.

How many hours is the flight from Mackay to Cairns?

The typical direct flight from Mackay to Cairns has a median duration of 2 hours and 25 minutes. For flights with one stop, the median duration historically extended to 4 hours and 50 minutes. The distance covered on this route is approximately 598 kilometers.

How often do Mackay to Cairns flight prices drop?

Historically, flight prices for the Mackay to Cairns route have shown frequent drops. This suggests that travelers on this route may often find opportunities for reduced fares. The pricing patterns observed across the trailing 30 days indicate a route with consistent price fluctuations.

Flights From Mackay

To Cairns

Cheap Flights from Mackay to Cairns

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Mackay

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Prices updated today

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Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Sep 15, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Mackay to Cairns

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Mackay to Cairns

2026-10-10 – 2026-10-21
MKY - Cairns
48% AI deal score
A$506
A$404
Round trip
2026-10-19 – 2026-10-21
MKY - Cairns
69% AI deal score
A$568
A$404
Round trip
2026-10-10 – 2026-10-20
MKY - Cairns
46% AI deal score
A$514
A$429
Round trip
2026-10-09 – 2026-10-21
MKY - Cairns
46% AI deal score
A$503
A$429
Round trip
2026-10-07 – 2026-10-21
MKY - Cairns
45% AI deal score
A$504
A$438
Round trip
2026-10-10 – 2026-10-14
MKY - Cairns
47% AI deal score
A$574
A$452
Round trip
2026-10-10 – 2026-10-15
MKY - Cairns
46% AI deal score
A$568
A$454
Round trip
2026-10-09 – 2026-10-20
MKY - Cairns
44% AI deal score
A$506
A$454
Round trip
2026-10-23 – 2026-10-30
MKY - Cairns
44% AI deal score
A$549
A$473
Round trip
2026-10-06 – 2026-10-15
MKY - Cairns
42% AI deal score
A$538
A$482
Round trip

Mackay to Cairns: Overview

Insights for flights from Mackay to Cairns

For cheap flights from Mackay to Cairns, October is typically the most affordable month, with a median fare of just $135. Other cost-effective options include September, where the median fare is $143, and November, with a median of $181. Planning your trip around these months can lead to significant savings.

Fares for flights from Mackay to Cairns typically range from $181–$321, with a median price of $236. Right now, current fares are significantly above the typical level for this route. Approximately 35% of recent fares have been classified as a good price, indicating that deals are available if you track prices. New deals appear almost daily, making it beneficial to set up a price alert.

Most itineraries for this route connect at least once, with only 40% of recent fares being non-stop direct flights from Mackay to Cairns. For connecting itineraries, the typical number of connections is 1. This means you should expect to factor in a layover for many of the available flight options.

A typical journey from Mackay to Cairns takes approximately 2h 25m, including connections. For non-stop flights, the median duration is also 2h 25m, while connecting flights typically extend the travel time to about 4h 50m. This difference highlights the impact of layovers on your total travel time.

The distance between Mackay and Cairns is 598 km, classifying this as a short-haul route. This relatively short distance means that even with connections, the total travel time remains manageable.

How much is a round trip from Mackay to Cairns

Regular price: A$586 - A$798

Prices for flights from Mackay to Cairns are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from Mackay to Cairns is typically between 586 AUD and 798 AUD. The current lowest deal is 502 AUD for travel from Sep 21-Sep 24, available through kayak.

now A$502

Low A$586

High A$798

The cheapest time to fly from Mackay to Cairns

The cheapest month to fly from MKY to CNS is September, with a median price of $140. The most expensive month is February, with a median price of $484. Prices are generally lower from April to November.

September

Cheapest

Flights from A$140

February

Most Expensive

Flights from A$484

Jan

Feb

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Mackay to Cairns

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

QantasLink

Jetstar

Last-minute flights going from Mackay to Cairns

Wed, Sep 16

⌛ Last-Minute

MKY - Cairns

Mackay (MKY) - Cairns (CNS)

QantasLink

A$855

A$832

One-way

Thu, Sep 17

⌛ Last-Minute

MKY - Cairns

Mackay (MKY) - Cairns (CNS)

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

A$834

A$509

One-way

Fri, Sep 18

⌛ Last-Minute

MKY - Cairns

Mackay (MKY) - Cairns (CNS)

QantasLink

A$834

A$832

One-way

Sat, Sep 19

⌛ Last-Minute

MKY - Cairns

Mackay (MKY) - Cairns (CNS)

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

A$834

A$569

One-way

Sat, Sep 19

⌛ Last-Minute

MKY - Cairns

Mackay (MKY) - Cairns (CNS)

QantasLink

A$707

A$832

One-way

Sun, Sep 20

⌛ Last-Minute

MKY - Cairns

Mackay (MKY) - Cairns (CNS)

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

A$558

A$491

One-way

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

3 nights

Sep 17 - Sep 20

A$834 → A$509

39%

2 nights

Sep 19 - Sep 21

A$834 → A$569

32%

3 nights

Sep 21 - Sep 24

A$742 → A$502

32%

5 nights

Sep 20 - Sep 25

A$692 → A$498

28%

Popular Airports to fly from Mackay to Cairns

Mackay - Cairns route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

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

📅 Best time to fly

October offers the lowest median price at $135

Historically, October has offered the lowest median prices for flights from Mackay to Cairns.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights average 2h 25m

Direct flights from Mackay to Cairns typically average 2 hours and 25 minutes in duration.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Connecting flights are dominant on this route, with a median of 1 stopover.

🏆 Airline highlight

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines offers the most direct deals

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines has offered 63 direct deals, more than other airlines on this route.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently on this route

Deals for flights from Mackay to Cairns appear frequently, typically within a 30-day window.

Mackay main airports to depart from

Mackay (MKY)

Cheapest

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

📍 ~3 km from Mackay (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~A$397

Cairns main airports to arrive at

Cairns (CNS)

Cheapest

Cairns Airport is a convenient arrival airport for flights from Mackay.

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

💸 Flights from ~A$390

Airports nearby Cairns used as alternative

Townsville (TSV)

Townsville (TSV) is a major regional airport offering frequent jet services to Australian hubs, providing a good alternative to Cairns.

📍 ~345 km from Cairns (approximately 4-5 hours drive)

💸 Flights from ~A$434

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Cairns

$891

Save $617

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

Business Class

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Cairns

Historically, the lowest average prices for flights from Mackay to Cairns are found when booking between 28 and 59 days in advance. During this period, the average price was $242. Booking within 6 days of departure typically saw prices rise to an average of $246. Even booking more than 60 days out showed a slightly higher average price of $245, indicating that the sweet spot for savings is within that 28-59 day window across the trailing quarter.

Across the trailing 90 days, a good price for a flight from Mackay to Cairns was considered to be $181 or less. The median price for this route during that period was $236. Prices historically began to increase significantly above the median, with 75% of prices observed at $321 or less.

Historically, the cheapest months to fly from Mackay to Cairns are October, September, and November. In October, the median price was $135, while September saw a median price of $143. November also offered competitive prices with a median of $181. The annual median price for this route was $236, making these months notably more affordable.

Related routes

More routes from Mackay

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Flights to Cairns from other cities

Flights from Adelaide to Cairns Flights from Gold Coast to Cairns Flights from Newcastle upon Tyne to Cairns Flights from Pensacola to Cairns Flights from Perth to Cairns Flights from Port Moresby to Cairns Flights from Richmond to Cairns Flights from Rockhampton to Cairns Flights from Sydney to Cairns Flights from Townsville to Cairns Flights from Weipa to Cairns Flights from Wellington to Cairns

Mackay to Cairns: Overview

Insights for flights from Mackay to Cairns

How much is a round trip from Mackay to Cairns

Regular price: A$586 - A$798

Prices for flights from Mackay to Cairns are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from Mackay to Cairns is typically between 586 AUD and 798 AUD. The current lowest deal is 502 AUD for travel from Sep 21-Sep 24, available through kayak.

now A$502

Low A$586

High A$798

The cheapest time to fly from Mackay to Cairns

September

Cheapest

Flights from A$140

February

Most Expensive

Flights from A$484

Jan

Feb

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec