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DRW - CNS

$169 Find cheap flights from Darwin to Cairns

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Darwin to Cairns departing on 31/5. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
Sat 15/6
Sat 22/6

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

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Darwin to Cairns, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Darwin to Cairns, as well as popular online travel agencies
In the last 7 days, travellers have searched 42,211,976 times on KAYAK, and here's why:

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Cheap flight deals from Darwin to Cairns (DRW-CNS)

 
These are the cheapest deals for flights from Darwin to Cairns currently on KAYAK along with options from the most popular airlines KAYAK users selected for this route. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.

Recent return flight deals from Darwin to Cairns

Recommended round-trip deals departing in the coming months from the most popular airlines that fly from Darwin to Cairns.

Recent one-way flight deals from Darwin to Cairns

Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Darwin to Cairns found on KAYAK recently.

Recent last-minute flight deals from Darwin to Cairns

Leaving soon but still want a bargain? Check out these latest deals for last minute flights from Darwin to Cairns.

Recent direct flight deals from Darwin to Cairns

The latest deals for direct flights from Darwin to Cairns so you can sit back and relax without the need for a layover.

Cheap bus & train deals from Darwin to Cairns

Find recent round-trip train or bus tickets from Darwin to Cairns.

All round-trip flight deals to Cairns

The cheapest plane tickets to Cairns found on KAYAK recently.
Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
14:45 - 17:40DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
22:55 - 01:05CNS-DRW
2h 40mdirect
Sun, 2 Jun - Mon, 10 Jun
14:45 - 17:40DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
09:20 - 23:40CNS-DRW
14h 50m1 stop
Sun, 2 Jun - Mon, 10 Jun
14:45 - 17:40DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
12:00 - 14:05CNS-DRW
2h 35mdirect
$606Jetstar
Find Deal
Sun, 21 Jul - Wed, 24 Jul
01:30 - 11:15DRW-CNS
9h 15m1 stop
22:55 - 01:05CNS-DRW
2h 40mdirect
Sat, 1 Jun - Mon, 10 Jun
14:45 - 17:40DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
16:00 - 00:35CNS-DRW
9h 05m1 stop
$687Jetstar
Find Deal
Sun, 21 Jul - Wed, 24 Jul
08:30 - 12:30DRW-CNS
3h 30m1 stop
14:00 - 17:00CNS-DRW
3h 30m1 stop
$814Airnorth
Find Deal
Sun, 7 Jul - Sun, 14 Jul
08:30 - 12:30DRW-CNS
3h 30m1 stop
14:00 - 17:00CNS-DRW
3h 30m1 stop
$844Airnorth
Find Deal
Sun, 21 Jul - Wed, 24 Jul
01:05 - 20:10DRW-CNS
18h 35m1 stop
20:50 - 23:40CNS-DRW
27h 20m1 stop
$949Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Sun, 2 Jun - Tue, 11 Jun
00:35 - 20:10DRW-CNS
19h 05m2 stops
20:50 - 23:50CNS-DRW
27h 30m2 stops
$1,051Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Sun, 2 Jun - Tue, 11 Jun
01:30 - 18:00DRW-CNS
16h 00m2 stops
12:45 - 00:50CNS-DRW
12h 35m2 stops
$5,396Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Sat, 6 Jul - Sun, 14 Jul
14:45 - 17:40DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
$169Jetstar
Find Deal
Fri, 31 May
14:45 - 17:40DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
$174Jetstar
Find Deal
Sun, 15 Sep
17:00 - 19:55DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
$247Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Sat, 3 Aug
19:20 - 22:15DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
$257Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Mon, 10 Jun
08:30 - 12:30DRW-CNS
3h 30m1 stop
$356Airnorth
Find Deal
Mon, 19 Aug
08:30 - 12:30DRW-CNS
3h 30m1 stop
$380Airnorth
Find Deal
Sun, 4 Aug
01:05 - 23:55DRW-CNS
22h 20m1 stop
$404Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Thu, 30 May
01:05 - 20:10DRW-CNS
18h 35m1 stop
$407Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Sun, 26 May
01:20 - 13:10DRW-CNS
11h 20m2 stops
Sat, 14 Sep
06:05 - 18:15DRW-CNS
11h 40m2 stops
Sat, 3 Aug
14:45 - 17:40DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
22:55 - 01:05CNS-DRW
2h 40mdirect
Sun, 2 Jun - Mon, 10 Jun
14:45 - 17:40DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
12:00 - 14:05CNS-DRW
2h 35mdirect
$606Jetstar
Find Deal
Sun, 21 Jul - Wed, 24 Jul
14:45 - 17:40DRW-CNS
2h 25mdirect
12:00 - 14:05CNS-DRW
2h 35mdirect
$934Jetstar
Find Deal
Sun, 7 Jul - Sun, 14 Jul

Flights from Darwin to Cairns - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Darwin to Cairns to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Darwin to Cairns?

The average price of all flights from Darwin to Cairns clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to Cairns on a Wednesday and more expensive on a Thursday. On your return trip to Darwin, you should consider flying back on a Wednesday, and avoid Mondays for better deals.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Darwin to Cairns?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from Darwin to Cairns, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.
The cheapest month for flights from Darwin to Cairns is November, where tickets cost $314 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are August and May, where the average cost of tickets is $525 and $516 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Darwin to Cairns?

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from Darwin to Cairns, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each month.
To get a below average price on the flight from Darwin to Cairns, you should book around 1 day before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 73 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Darwin to Cairns?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
In the past 3 days, the cheapest one-way tickets to Cairns from Darwin were found on Jetstar ($169) and Qantas Airways ($247), and the lowest return tickets were found on Jetstar ($606) and Airnorth ($814).

Which airlines fly direct between Darwin and Cairns?

Airline and price data is aggregated from results in KAYAK’s search results from the last 2 weeks for flights from Darwin to Cairns.
There are 2 airlines that fly direct from Darwin to Cairns. They are Jetstar and Qantas Airways. The cheapest airline for this route is Jetstar, with the best one-way deal found costing $234. On average, the best prices for this route can be found at Jetstar.

How many flights are there between Darwin and Cairns per day?

There is a maximum of 1 direct flight a day that takes off from Darwin and lands in Cairns, with an average flight time of 2h 25m. The most common departure time is 17:00 and most flights take off in the afternoon. Each week, there are 6 flights.

Which cabin class options are there for flights between Darwin and Cairns?

The average price of flights for each cabin class for the route found by users searching on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks.
There is only one cabin class option available for the route, which is Economy. Perform a search on KAYAK to find the latest prices and availability for all cabin fares, which differ across airlines.

How long does a flight from Darwin to Cairns take?

The average direct flight takes 2h 25m, covering a distance of 2,694 km.

What’s the earliest departure time from Darwin to Cairns?

Early birds can take the earliest flight from Darwin at 14:45 and will be landing in Cairns at 17:40.

What’s the latest departure time from Darwin to Cairns?

If you prefer to fly at night, the latest flight from Darwin to Cairns jets off at 19:20 and lands at 22:15.

Good to know

Low season

November

High season

December

Cheapest flight

$169
Best time to beat the crowds (24% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (21% more expensive on average)
Flight from Darwin to Cairns

When to book flights from Darwin to Cairns

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Darwin to Cairns based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or returns with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from Darwin to Cairns

  • What is the cheapest flight from Darwin to Cairns?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Darwin to Cairns was $113 for a one-way ticket and $295 for a return.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Darwin to Cairns?

    Darwin airport is called Darwin and the only airport in Cairns is Cairns.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Darwin to Cairns?

    The Airbus A320-100/200 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Darwin to Cairns flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Darwin to Cairns?

    oneworld is the only airline alliance operating flights between Darwin and Cairns.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Darwin to Cairns?

    There are direct flights from Darwin to Cairns on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Darwin to Cairns, Qantas Airways or Airnorth?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Darwin to Cairns are Qantas Airways and Airnorth. With an average price for the route of $743 and an overall rating of 7.6, Qantas Airways is the most popular choice. Airnorth is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $714 and an overall rating of 7.0.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Darwin to Cairns?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Darwin to Cairns.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Darwin to Cairns?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Cairns from Darwin is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Darwin to Cairns?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional return ticket. You could then fly to Cairns with an airline and back to Darwin with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Darwin to Cairns?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Cairns from Darwin up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Darwin to Cairns

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $233 or less one-way and $315 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Darwin to Cairns?

Find which airlines fly direct from Darwin to Cairns, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Darwin to Cairns

Monday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Tuesday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Wednesday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Thursday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Friday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Saturday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Sunday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Cairns to Darwin

Monday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Tuesday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Wednesday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Thursday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Friday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Saturday

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways

Sunday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

Jetstar, Qantas Airways

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 3 airlines serving from Darwin to Cairns

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Darwin to Cairns. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Darwin to Cairns? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.6
Qantas AirwaysOverall score based on 967 reviews
7.8Boarding
8.3Crew
7.4Comfort
7.4Entertainment
7.1Food
Airline reviews

The international flight from Sydney to Dallas had great food. I have travelled a lot over the years and this has been the most memorable in my experience so far.

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, May 2024MEL - SYD
Read more about Qantas Airways reviews

The international flight from Sydney to Dallas had great food. I have travelled a lot over the years and this has been the most memorable in my experience so far.

Initial flight was cancelled so moved to an alternative flight. As a result, stuck in a middle seat. Flight then place in holding pattern prior to landing resulting in a very late trip home.

There was nothing I didn’t like, prices a little lower would help

Following a marathon flight riddled by delays and changes from Santiago, Chile, my flight to Melbourne from Sydney was on schedule but I was transferred to the next flight. The reason by ticketing and the floor manager was I missed the entry to flight by one minute! That's right, the emphasised that if I was 1 minute earlier I would be on the flight. I asked what was the point them emphasising 1minute overdue and how that helped me or the situation. They didn't care at all. Replying that if it was one minute earlier they would've done something and smirking delivering the information. Australian's do call Australia home, Qantas calls Australian's suckers.

The staff we fantastic and seemed to work very well with each other

Business lounge in Melbourne mediocre. Look at Emirates or Qatar, Qantas! Great friendly crew. Food was good but Emirates is a level above. Business seat good. But can’t compare to Qatar. Main reason for booking Qantas is loyalty and terrific connection via Perth to LHR.

It's only a short trip from Sydney to Melbourne, which i have done many times. The trip met my expectations

I really appreciated the fact that when I checked my bags at the Quantas counter after arriving from an international flight an hour early, the agent noticed I had a very long layover. He then found an earlier flight that allowed me to get to Cairns several hours earlier than I planned. That was amazing because I had already traveled over 20 hours and wasn’t looking forward to such a long layover. It allowed me to see my daughter and grandchildren much earlier (it had been two years since I visited last).

Qantas cancelled my flight for no good reason and rebooked me into a middle seat.

The flight met my expectations. It left and landed on time

Cons: "In this time of Covid-19 the few passengers on the plane were all sat in the same area. There was plenty of room to put at least one seat between passengers"

a constant reminder that you need to work harder so you can avoid this airline

Note that food has to be purchased in flight. No free food. And no entertainment in flight. So I’ve treated these two items as okay which, in this case, means neutral/not applicable.

My Dad needed assistance to board the plane. The Jetstar staff were excellent with him and made the experience a lot easier😁

No food taken so can't rate also no entertainment so can't rate.

Boarding was easy and unstressful, though the early "final call" was a bit off-putting. The crew were pleasant, and the seats were comfortable. The prices for food and drink were reasonable, apart from tea and coffee, where simple percolated coffee was charged at espresso prices. Deboarding was OK, though some Jetstar passengers appear to have a bad habit of pushing forward from their assigned rows, making it more difficult to get out for passengers that have paid a premium to sit up-front. Jetstar might want to look to address this to stop it from spreading.

I got to the airport earlier than I expected, and they let me change to an earlier flight with no trouble.

It was a super crowded time to travel out of Melbourne, but the flight was OK

Worst experience ever flying Melbourne to Phuket. 5 hours delayed! Didn’t land till 1am in the morning. Staff were rude and unhelpful

Plane was late leaving darwin so we didn’t get home till 1130pm 2nd time in a fortnight that has happened. Hard when you have to work the next day

Worst airline ever. No need to go into detail as everything is terrible. Do not do it - whatever the price.

Book cheap flights from Darwin to Cairns

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Darwin to Cairns found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
31/5Fri
directJetstar
2h 25mDRW-CNS
$169
15/9Sun
directJetstar
2h 25mDRW-CNS
$174
3/8Sat
directQantas Airways
2h 25mDRW-CNS
$247
10/6Mon
directQantas Airways
2h 25mDRW-CNS
$257
19/8Mon
1 stopAirnorth
3h 30mDRW-CNS
$356
4/8Sun
1 stopAirnorth
3h 30mDRW-CNS
$380
30/5Thu
1 stopVirgin Australia
22h 20mDRW-CNS
$404
26/5Sun
1 stopVirgin Australia
18h 35mDRW-CNS
$407
14/9Sat
2 stops
11h 20mDRW-CNS
$448
3/8Sat
2 stops
11h 40mDRW-CNS
$451

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Darwin - Cairns Flights

Departure:

Darwin (undefined)Australia

Destination:

Cairns (CNS)Australia

Return flight deals:

Cairns - Darwin

Cabin classes:

$201

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