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$163 Find cheap flights from Melbourne 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 Melbourne to Cairns departing on 20/7. 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 Melbourne 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 Melbourne 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 Melbourne to Cairns

 
These are the cheapest deals for flights from Melbourne 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 Melbourne to Cairns

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

Recent one-way flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns

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

Recent last-minute flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns

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

Recent direct flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns

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

Cheap bus & train deals from Melbourne to Cairns

Find recent round-trip train or bus tickets from Melbourne 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
14:55 - 18:15MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
19:05 - 22:30CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$268Jetstar
Find Deal
Fri, 27 Sep - Mon, 30 Sep
18:35 - 21:55MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
19:05 - 22:30CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$284Jetstar
Find Deal
Tue, 13 Aug - Sat, 17 Aug
18:35 - 21:55MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
19:05 - 22:30CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$301Jetstar
Find Deal
Wed, 28 Aug - Mon, 2 Sep
18:35 - 21:55MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
19:05 - 22:30CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$305Jetstar
Find Deal
Mon, 5 Aug - Sun, 18 Aug
18:35 - 21:55MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
19:05 - 22:30CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$307Jetstar
Find Deal
Wed, 14 Aug - Sun, 18 Aug
19:50 - 22:10MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
19:45 - 00:10CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
Wed, 6 Nov - Wed, 13 Nov
18:45 - 22:05MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
20:25 - 23:55CNS-MEL
3h 30mdirect
Mon, 29 Jul - Mon, 5 Aug
09:00 - 15:55MEL-CNS
6h 55m1 stop
20:25 - 23:50CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$376Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Wed, 19 Jun - Mon, 24 Jun
14:10 - 20:10MEL-CNS
6h 00m1 stop
20:25 - 23:50CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$377Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Tue, 18 Jun - Mon, 24 Jun
06:25 - 09:50MEL-CNS
3h 25mdirect
20:25 - 23:50CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$391Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Wed, 19 Jun - Mon, 24 Jun
15:05 - 18:25MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
$163Jetstar
Find Deal
Sat, 20 Jul
15:05 - 18:25MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
$180Jetstar
Find Deal
Mon, 15 Jul
06:05 - 15:00MEL-CNS
8h 55m1 stop
$198Rex
Find Deal
Wed, 29 May
06:05 - 15:00MEL-CNS
8h 55m1 stop
$205Rex
Find Deal
Wed, 5 Jun
20:55 - 15:00MEL-CNS
18h 05m1 stop
Tue, 28 May
18:40 - 23:55MEL-CNS
5h 15m1 stop
$217Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Mon, 1 Jul
10:10 - 16:10MEL-CNS
6h 00m1 stop
$219Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Thu, 30 May
20:55 - 23:55MEL-CNS
27h 00m1 stop
Sun, 23 Jun
09:45 - 13:05MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
$431Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Wed, 29 May
09:45 - 13:05MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
$433Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Tue, 28 May
18:40 - 23:55MEL-CNS
5h 15m1 stop
06:00 - 23:50CNS-MEL
17h 50m1 stop
$466Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Tue, 21 May - Tue, 28 May
18:40 - 23:55MEL-CNS
5h 15m1 stop
08:10 - 22:20CNS-MEL
14h 10m1 stop
Tue, 21 May - Sat, 25 May
20:15 - 09:15MEL-CNS
13h 00m1 stop
10:10 - 13:35CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$605Jetstar
Find Deal
Sat, 18 May - Wed, 22 May
20:15 - 09:15MEL-CNS
13h 00m1 stop
10:10 - 13:35CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$612Jetstar
Find Deal
Sat, 18 May - Wed, 22 May
09:45 - 13:05MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
13:45 - 17:15CNS-MEL
3h 30mdirect
$915Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Tue, 21 May - Sat, 25 May
07:00 - 16:55MEL-CNS
33h 55m2 stops
13:15 - 08:35CNS-MEL
43h 20m2 stops
$968Rex
Find Deal
Sun, 19 May - Thu, 23 May
20:00 - 16:55MEL-CNS
44h 55m2 stops
21:40 - 20:35CNS-MEL
22h 55m2 stops
$989Rex
Find Deal
Sat, 18 May - Mon, 20 May
09:45 - 13:05MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
13:45 - 17:15CNS-MEL
3h 30mdirect
$1,000Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Sun, 19 May - Thu, 23 May
18:55 - 22:35MEL-CNS
27h 40m2 stops
11:55 - 08:05CNS-MEL
20h 10m2 stops
$2,021Air New Zealand
Find Deal
Tue, 21 May - Sat, 25 May
18:55 - 22:35MEL-CNS
27h 40m2 stops
11:55 - 08:05CNS-MEL
20h 10m2 stops
$2,127Air New Zealand
Find Deal
Fri, 17 May - Tue, 21 May
18:35 - 21:55MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
19:05 - 22:30CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$284Jetstar
Find Deal
Tue, 13 Aug - Sat, 17 Aug
18:35 - 21:55MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
19:05 - 22:30CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$305Jetstar
Find Deal
Mon, 5 Aug - Sun, 18 Aug
18:35 - 21:55MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
19:05 - 22:30CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$307Jetstar
Find Deal
Wed, 14 Aug - Sun, 18 Aug
18:45 - 22:05MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
20:25 - 23:55CNS-MEL
3h 30mdirect
Mon, 29 Jul - Mon, 5 Aug
18:35 - 21:55MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
19:05 - 22:30CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$316Jetstar
Find Deal
Thu, 1 Aug - Fri, 9 Aug
06:00 - 09:20MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
20:25 - 23:55CNS-MEL
3h 30mdirect
Sun, 21 Jul - Sun, 28 Jul
06:25 - 09:50MEL-CNS
3h 25mdirect
20:25 - 23:50CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$391Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Wed, 19 Jun - Mon, 24 Jun
06:25 - 09:50MEL-CNS
3h 25mdirect
20:25 - 23:50CNS-MEL
3h 25mdirect
$394Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Tue, 18 Jun - Tue, 25 Jun
09:45 - 13:05MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
13:45 - 17:15CNS-MEL
3h 30mdirect
$915Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Tue, 21 May - Sat, 25 May
09:45 - 13:05MEL-CNS
3h 20mdirect
13:45 - 17:15CNS-MEL
3h 30mdirect
$932Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Fri, 24 May - Thu, 29 Aug

Flights from Melbourne to Cairns - Travel Insights & Trends

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

What is the cheapest Melbourne to Cairns flight route?

The cheapest price for flight routes found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks for one-way flights from Melbourne to Cairns.
Our data shows that the cheapest route for a one-way flight from Melbourne to Cairns cost $125 and was between Melbourne Airport and Cairns. On average, the best prices are found if you fly this route. The average price for a return flight for this route is $194.

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

The average price of all flights from Melbourne to Cairns clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
When flying from Melbourne to Cairns, you should consider leaving on a Monday and avoid Thursdays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Melbourne, you’ll find the best rates on Wednesdays and the most expensive ones on Sundays.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from Melbourne 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 Melbourne to Cairns is February, where tickets cost $286 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and September, where the average cost of tickets is $593 and $501 respectively.

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

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from Melbourne 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 Melbourne to Cairns, you should book around 5 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 74 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Melbourne 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 Melbourne were found on Jetstar ($163) and Rex ($198), and the lowest return tickets were found on Jetstar ($268) and Virgin Australia ($376).

Which airlines fly most frequently between Melbourne and Cairns?

Jetstar connects Melbourne to Cairns with up to 2 flights per day. Virgin Australia also offers 2 flights per day, while Qantas Airways follows with 1 flight per day.

Which airlines fly direct between Melbourne and Cairns?

Airline and price data is aggregated from results in KAYAK’s search results from the last 2 weeks for flights from Melbourne to Cairns.
There are 3 airlines that fly direct from Melbourne to Cairns. They are: Jetstar, Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia. The cheapest price of all airlines flying this route was found with Jetstar at $168 for a one-way flight. On average, the best prices for this route can be found at Jetstar.

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

Each day, there are between 5 and 6 nonstop flights that take off from Melbourne and land in Cairns, with an average flight time of 3h 22m. The most common departure time is 06:00 and most flights take off in the morning. Each week, there are 40 flights. The most frequent day of departure is Friday, when 15% of all weekly flights depart. The fewest flights depart on a Wednesday.

Which cabin class options are there for flights between Melbourne 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 are 3 cabin class options for the route. These are Business, Economy and Prem 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 Melbourne to Cairns take?

There are no direct flights from Melbourne to Cairns. The quickest journey takes 3h 20m.

Good to know

Cheapest flight

$163
Flight from Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to Cairns

When to book flights from Melbourne to Cairns

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Melbourne 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 Melbourne to Cairns

  • What is the cheapest flight from Melbourne to Cairns?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Melbourne to Cairns was $109 for a one-way ticket and $179 for a return.

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

    Melbourne is served by 2 major airports and there is only 1 main airport in Cairns. You will leave Melbourne from one of these airports: Melbourne Avalon or Melbourne. You will be arriving at Cairns.

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

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Melbourne 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 Melbourne to Cairns.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Cairns from Melbourne 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 Melbourne 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 Melbourne with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Melbourne 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 Melbourne up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

Prefer to fly direct from Melbourne to Cairns?

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

Direct departures

Melbourne to Cairns

Monday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +9 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +10 more

Tuesday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +8 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +9 more

Wednesday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +8 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +9 more

Thursday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +8 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +9 more

Friday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +9 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +10 more

Saturday

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, +9 more

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, +10 more

Sunday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +8 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +9 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Cairns to Melbourne

Monday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +8 more

Tuesday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +8 more

Wednesday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +8 more

Thursday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +8 more

Friday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +8 more

Saturday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +8 more

Sunday

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, China Southern, +7 more

Air New Zealand, China Eastern, +8 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Book cheap flights from Melbourne to Cairns

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
20/7Sat
directJetstar
3h 20mMEL-CNS
$163
15/7Mon
directJetstar
3h 20mMEL-CNS
$180
29/5Wed
1 stopRex
8h 55mMEL-CNS
$198
5/6Wed
1 stopRex
8h 55mMEL-CNS
$205
28/5Tue
1 stop
18h 05mMEL-CNS
$208
1/7Mon
1 stopVirgin Australia
5h 15mMEL-CNS
$217
30/5Thu
1 stopVirgin Australia
6h 00mMEL-CNS
$219
23/6Sun
1 stop
27h 00mMEL-CNS
$251
29/5Wed
directQantas Airways
3h 20mMEL-CNS
$431
28/5Tue
directQantas Airways
3h 20mMEL-CNS
$433

Search by stops

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Search by price

Last minute flights from Melbourne to Cairns

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from Melbourne to Cairns that are departing in the next 10 days.
21/5Tue
multi-stopVirgin Australia
5h 15mMEL-CNS
28/5Tue
multi-stopVirgin Australia
17h 50mCNS-MEL
$466
21/5Tue
multi-stop
5h 15mMEL-CNS
25/5Sat
multi-stop
14h 10mCNS-MEL
$477
18/5Sat
multi-stopJetstar
13h 00mMEL-CNS
22/5Wed
directJetstar
3h 25mCNS-MEL
$605
18/5Sat
multi-stopJetstar
13h 00mMEL-CNS
22/5Wed
directJetstar
3h 25mCNS-MEL
$612
21/5Tue
directQantas Airways
3h 20mMEL-CNS
25/5Sat
directQantas Airways
3h 30mCNS-MEL
$915
19/5Sun
multi-stopRex
33h 55mMEL-CNS
23/5Thu
multi-stopRex
43h 20mCNS-MEL
$968
18/5Sat
multi-stopRex
44h 55mMEL-CNS
20/5Mon
multi-stopRex
22h 55mCNS-MEL
$989
19/5Sun
directQantas Airways
3h 20mMEL-CNS
23/5Thu
directQantas Airways
3h 30mCNS-MEL
$1,000
21/5Tue
multi-stopAir New Zealand
27h 40mMEL-CNS
25/5Sat
multi-stopAir New Zealand
20h 10mCNS-MEL
$2,021
17/5Fri
multi-stopAir New Zealand
27h 40mMEL-CNS
21/5Tue
multi-stopAir New Zealand
20h 10mCNS-MEL
$2,127

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Flights to Cairns

Destination:

Cairns (CNS)Australia

Return flight deals:

Cairns - Melbourne

Cabin classes:

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