Which day is cheapest to fly to Cairns?

The cheapest flights to Cairns are usually found when departing on a Monday. The departure day with the highest cost at present is Thursday.

What time of day is cheapest to fly to Cairns?

At the moment, flights in the afternoon are likely to offer the best value for money for your Cairns trip. A flight in the evening will more often than not be of higher cost.

Cheap Flights to Cairns, Australia from $1,100

COVID Restrictions

View COVID Travel Restrictions for Cairns

Can I fly to Cairns right now?

There are currently restrictions on flights to Cairns along with the rest of Australia. Before you book or search for flights, consider the following restrictions: Entry restrictions

Australia has restricted the entry of all travelers, with the exception of Australian nationals and permanent residents and their immediate family members, New Zealand nationals residing in Australia, diplomats accredited to Australia and residing in Australia and their immediate family members, and airline crew, a person recruited under the Government approved Seasonal Worker Program or Pacific Labour Scheme, a person who holds a Business Innovation and Investment (subclass 188) visa. Travelers who are not in an exempt category may request an individual exemption to Australia's travel restrictions using the Travel Exemption portal.

Entry requirements

Travelers must present a medical certificate with a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued within 72 hours prior to departure. Travelers must complete the Australia Travel Declaration form at least 72 hours before your departure for Australia.

Quarantine requirements

Unless arriving on a quarantine-free flight from New Zealand, all travelers arriving in Australia, including Australian citizens, must quarantine for 14 days at a designated facility, such as a hotel in their port of arrival., at their own expense. For more information on quarantine rules in the Australian states, check the following websites: New South Wales, The Northern Territory, Western Australia.

Transiting rules

Foreign nationals may transit through Australia if the connecting flight is within 72 hours of the arriving flight. They must either have a transit visa or be nationals of a visa-exempt country. Transit passengers don’t need to apply for an exemption to travel restrictions if they are booked to depart on a connecting flight from the same airport within 72 hours and they are not going to leave the airport. Travelers who plan to leave the airport before boarding their connecting flight or who will be at the airport for longer than 72 hours need to apply for a travel exemption here and will be subject to quarantine until their departing flight. Travelers from New Zealand and Pacific Islanders may not need a travel exemption. More information on transiting Australia is available here.

All other info

Travelers planning to travel across Australian state borders should note that some Australian states also have domestic travel restrictions, border restrictions, and quarantine requirements in place. In the case of onward travel within Australia, travelers are advised to check in advance with their travel/accommodation provider.

If you are looking to book a trip to Cairns and are outside of the restricted areas, please take the proper precautions and stay informed about traveling during COVID-19.

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Cheapest Prices for Cairns flights by month

January

$1,190

February

$606

March

$900

April

$1,093

May

$931

June

$1,019

July

$1,144

August

$1,004

September

$1,141

October

$1,158

November

$829

December

$1,489

Currently, the cheapest month for flights to Cairns is February. The most expensive month for flights is December. The cheapest prices are shown above but prices will vary according to departure times, airlines, class and how early you book.

When is the best time to fly to Cairns?

LAS - CNS Price	$606 - $2,661
CNS Temperature	78.8 - 87.8 °F
CNS Rainfall	1.06 - 17.17 inches

Flying to Cairns in February is usually considered the best time to fly. However, you will find other deals are always available year round. January sees the temperatures in Cairns peak to their warmest. February tends, on average, to see the most amount of rainfall.

Cairns is perhaps Australia’s most unabashed tourist-friendly city. Every year, more than two million travelers take cheap flights to Cairns for its near-perfect climate and its proximity to the jaw-droppingly awesome attractions of the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. Cairns is the only place in the world where two World Heritage Areas meet.

Cairns city is a great base and has plenty to occupy tourists while they’re between reef or rainforest trips. There’s a wonderful Esplanade that includes a swimming lagoon (open between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily), an amphitheatre, picnic and barbecue spots, walking trails, a children’s playground called Muddy’s and shops, restaurants and markets both day and night.

Just 2.5 miles from the centre of the city are the Cairns Botanic Gardens. Lush and very, very green, these 38km of gardens are made up of the Flecker Gardens and Centenary Lakes where a boardwalk will wind you through mangroves and tropical rainforest. Behind the gardens, Mt Whitfield Conservation Park is more than 300 hectares of forested mountain range.

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Cairns climate

There are two seasons – a wet season that runs from November to May (summer) and a dry season that starts about June and stretches to October (winter). January, February and March are the wettest months and there is the greatest chance of cyclones between December and April. Temperatures are pretty stable throughout the year. Daytime temps range between 57 and 79 degrees in the dry season while visitors can expect temperatures of between about 75 to 91 degrees during the wet season. Tourists should bear in mind that the Marine Stinger season stretches from November to May.

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Best Time to Fly to Cairns

July to October is high season.

Wet season is low season and runs from November to April when there are torrential rains and humidity levels are high. If you’re willing to brave the rains it’s a good time to book cheap flights to Cairns and take up the discounts offered by tour operators, hotels and apartments. Divers will experience the best underwater visibility during the “wet” months, more than 164 feet sometimes. Stinger (Box jellyfish) Season is November-May and bathers should ensure that they follow the lifeguards’ advice about swimming within enclosures and between lifeguard flags.

May and June are shoulder months.

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Getting around Cairns

Cairns’s city center is small enough to walk around, but if you are planning on getting out to the Daintree National Park (a three-hour drive north of Cairns) or Kuranda Village (a 40-minute drive), renting a car is best. There are car-rental desks at Cairns Airport. Alternatively, you could take a four-wheel drive (4WD) tour. Several companies offer 4WD tours to the most popular destinations including Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation, Cape York, Undara National Park and Chillagoe. If you’re visiting the region during the wet season (November-April) a four-wheel drive is the best way of getting around. Sunbus is the bus service around Cairns. There are eight routes, serving destinations such as the Botanic Gardens, Clifton Beach, Kewarra Beach and Yorkeys Knob.

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Cairns Travel Information

Walsh’s Pyramid is located about 12 miles south of Cairns. It’s the highest freestanding natural pyramid in the world. At 3025 feet high, it is a popular, if strenuous, hike.

Crystal Cascades is a little-known freshwater swimming hole in a tropical rainforest. To get there, drive to Redlynch, and then follow the signs to Crystal Cascades. When you see the Red Beret Pub, you’ll be just 6 miles from the swimming hole.

Josephine Falls are considered to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Tropical North Queensland. Take the Bruce Highway, then drive towards Mount Bartle Frere, Queensland’s highest mountain. You’ll see signs to the falls.

If you’re in Cairns between May and October, grab a picnic and catch a film at the Starry Night Cinema in the Flecker Botanic Gardens. The local film club screens non-mainstream films for a $10 entrance fee. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the film starts at 7.30 p.m.

Fitzroy Island is just 45 minutes from Cairns. Just 339 hectares, of which 324 is designated Fitzroy Island National Park. It’s a castaway island where you can snorkel, hike, or kayak.

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