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$80+ Cheap flights from Melbourne (MEL) to Cairns (CNS)

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 12/15. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
MEL — CNS
Oct 17 — Oct 241
Fri 10/17
Fri 10/24
1 adult, Economy
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Melbourne to Cairns are usually found in March or February, booked 62 days in advance, depart on a Wednesday or Thursday and return on a Tuesday

Cheap flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Melbourne (MEL) to Cairns (CNS). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated September 17, 2025.

Round-trip from

$158
(Kiwi.com)

One-way from

$80
(Jetstar)

Popular in

July

Cheapest in

March

Average price

$277

Good round-trip deal

$177 or less

Good one-way deal

$141 or less
From Melbourne to Cairns
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One-way flight from Melbourne to Cairns
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Highest demand for flights based on searches. 6% potential increase in price ($14 potential increase over avg. RT price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease ($6 potential savings vs. average RT price).
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Average for round-trip flights in September 2025
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Price to beat on a round-trip flight from Melbourne to Cairns.
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Price to beat on a one-way flight from Melbourne to Cairns.
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Find flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns

Cheapest flights from Melbourne to Cairns
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Melbourne to Cairns. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on September 17, 2025.

This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 10/68:45 pmMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 20mJetstar
Sat 10/188:30 pmCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 25mJetstar
Deal found 9/16$158
This Jetstar deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Jetstar is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 10/68:45 pmMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 20mJetstar
Fri 10/108:30 pmCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 25mJetstar
Deal found 9/15$159
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 10/158:45 pmMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 20mJetstar
Sun 10/197:00 amCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 30mJetstar
Deal found 9/16$162
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 10/148:45 pmMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 20mJetstar
Tue 10/218:30 pmCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 25mJetstar
Deal found 9/16$164
This Jetstar deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/14. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Jetstar is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 10/106:25 amMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 20mJetstar
Tue 10/148:30 pmCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 25mJetstar
Deal found 9/14$165
This Jetstar deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/17. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Jetstar is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 10/156:25 amMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 20mJetstar
Wed 10/158:30 pmCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 25mJetstar
Deal found 9/17$166
This Trip.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/17. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Trip.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 11/266:15 amMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 15mMultiple Airlines
Fri 11/2811:55 pmCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 25mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 9/17$169
This Jetstar deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Jetstar is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 10/168:45 pmMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 20mJetstar
Mon 10/2010:00 amCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 30mJetstar
Deal found 9/16$172
This Virgin Australia deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Virgin Australia is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 11/259:25 pmMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 30mVirgin Australia
Fri 11/2811:55 pmCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 25mVirgin Australia
Deal found 9/16$173
This Jetstar deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Jetstar is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 10/138:45 pmMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 20mJetstar
Mon 10/208:30 pmCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 25mJetstar
Deal found 9/15$185
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 10/47:45 pmMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 20mJetstar
Sun 10/197:00 amCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 30mJetstar
Deal found 9/16$186
This Trip.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Trip.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 10/178:45 pmMEL - CNS
Nonstop3h 20mMultiple Airlines
Mon 10/207:50 pmCNS - MEL
Nonstop3h 30mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 9/16$188

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from Melbourne to Cairns that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated September 17, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns that are best for you.

Fly from

Melbourne

Fly to

Cairns

Route

Depart

Return

Price

MelbourneCairns

MEL - CNS

MELCNS

Melbourne

Sat 1/31

3:25 pm-5:45 pm

Nonstop3h 20m

Cairns

Sun 2/15

11:45 am-4:10 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

$158

MelbourneCairns

MEL - CNS

MELCNS

Melbourne

Wed 11/19

6:15 am-8:30 am

Nonstop3h 15m

Cairns

Wed 11/19

6:30 pm-10:55 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

$159

MelbourneCairns

MEL - CNS

MELCNS

Melbourne

Fri 10/17

8:45 pm-11:05 pm

Nonstop3h 20m

Cairns

Mon 10/20

10:00 am-2:30 pm

Nonstop3h 30m

$166

MelbourneCairns

MEL - CNS

MELCNS

Melbourne

Wed 10/15

6:25 am-8:45 am

Nonstop3h 20m

Cairns

Wed 10/15

8:30 pm-12:55 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$166

MelbourneCairns

MEL - CNS

MELCNS

Melbourne

Wed 11/26

6:15 am-8:30 am

Nonstop3h 15m

Cairns

Fri 11/28

11:55 pm-4:20 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$169

MelbourneCairns

MEL - CNS

MELCNS

Melbourne

Thu 10/16

8:45 pm-11:05 pm

Nonstop3h 20m

Cairns

Mon 10/20

10:00 am-2:30 pm

Nonstop3h 30m

$172

MelbourneCairns

MEL - CNS

MELCNS

Melbourne

Sun 12/14

9:25 pm-11:55 pm

Nonstop3h 30m

Cairns

Tue 12/23

11:55 pm-4:20 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$173

MelbourneCairns

MEL - CNS

MELCNS

Melbourne

Tue 11/25

9:25 pm-11:55 pm

Nonstop3h 30m

Cairns

Fri 11/28

11:55 pm-4:20 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$173

MelbourneCairns

MEL - CNS

MELCNS

Melbourne

Mon 1/5

9:25 pm-11:55 pm

Nonstop3h 30m

Cairns

Wed 1/7

11:55 pm-4:20 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$173

MelbourneCairns

MEL - CNS

MELCNS

Melbourne

Mon 10/13

8:45 pm-11:05 pm

Nonstop3h 20m

Cairns

Mon 10/20

8:30 pm-12:55 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$185

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 9/15

Showing 1-10 of 21 results
1
2
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Best time to book a flight from Melbourne to Cairns

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Cairns from Melbourne with our price prediction graph.
Estimated round-trip price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from Melbourne Airport to Cairns

How far ahead should I book a flight from Melbourne Airport to Cairns?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from Melbourne to Cairns. Price data was last updated on September 12, 2025.

The price you pay for your flight from Melbourne Airport to Cairns may vary depending on when you book. For the best chance of a lower fare, look to book 62 days in advance of your trip. Fares are likely to increase a fortnight or so before your departure date.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Melbourne Airport to Cairns?

Currently, February is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Melbourne Airport to Cairns (average of $1,140). Flying from Melbourne Airport to Cairns in December is currently the most expensive (average of $1,878). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from MEL to CNS?

Find hourly flight availability from Melbourne to Cairns. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated September 17, 2025.

It’s typically best to fly out from Melbourne Airport to Cairns in the afternoon. Doing so could potentially save you 46% on the flight price compared to flying in the morning, which is usually more expensive.

Reviews of airlines servicing Cairns

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Cairns. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to Cairns. Reviews last updated September 17, 2025.
Peruse reviews from past customers who have flown with Virgin Australia and Jetstar from Melbourne Airport to Cairns to help guide your decision. You can also see how each airline stacks up in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
416 reviews

Boarding

7.7

Food

6.4

Overall

7.6

Entertainment

6.4

Crew

8.2

Comfort

7.5

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Andrew,Jun 2025

MEL - CNS

We didn’t eat or drink, but feel like a sardine. No room at all.
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
416 reviews
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
416 reviews

Boarding

7.7

Food

6.4

Overall

7.6

Entertainment

6.4

Crew

8.2

Comfort

7.5

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Andrew,Jun 2025

MEL - CNS

We didn’t eat or drink, but feel like a sardine. No room at all.
Jetstar
6.5
Okay
474 reviews
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
416 reviews

Boarding

7.7

Food

6.4

Overall

7.6

Entertainment

6.4

Crew

8.2

Comfort

7.5

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Andrew,Jun 2025

MEL - CNS

We didn’t eat or drink, but feel like a sardine. No room at all.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from Melbourne to Cairns. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.

  • What airport do you fly into for flights to Cairns from Melbourne?

    Cairns (CNS) is the airport you will fly into if you book a flight from Melbourne to Cairns. You should not have trouble finding flights to Cairns from Melbourne; the airport handles an average of 23 inbound flights from Melbourne per day. You should also have plenty of airline options to choose from since 2 airlines have flights to the Cairns airport from Melbourne. It is only a 2.8 mi journey from Cairns (CNS) to Cairns’s city center.

  • How long is the flight from Melbourne Airport to Cairns?

    Jetstar can get you from Melbourne Airport to Cairns in just under 3h 15m. Your travel time will be generally consistent. Airlines will cover a distance of 1436 mi. All flights are typically nonstop.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from Melbourne Airport to Cairns round-trip?

    Cheapflights users have booked flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns round-trip from $140. Another airline that can offer you cheap pricing is Virgin Australia. Jetstar is priced at 36% lower than the current average price of a flight leaving 3 months from now.

  • What are the most reliable airlines from Melbourne Airport to Cairns?

    Looking for the most reliable airlines to get you to your destination on time? Our data shows these are most likely to get you from Melbourne Airport to Cairns on time: Air India (92%), IndiGo (92%), Emirates (91%).

  • What are the cheapest flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns?

    Looking at all options, your cheapest flight can be booked for $77. While the most popular route (Melbourne - Cairns) can be booked for $171 on average, our data indicates $482 when flying from Melbourne Airport to Cairns.

  • Can I find deals for flights from Melbourne to Cairns that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on Melbourne to Cairns flights, Cheapflights offers vacation packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from Melbourne to Cairns?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from Melbourne to Cairns.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from Melbourne to Cairns?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Melbourne Airport to Cairns?

    Currently, February is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Melbourne Airport to Cairns (average of $1,140). Flying from Melbourne Airport to Cairns in December is currently the most expensive (average of $1,878). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Alternative routes for Melbourne to Cairns

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.
Melbourne to Coolangatta flights
Melbourne to Brisbane flights

Top 2 airlines flying from Melbourne to Cairns

Discover the top 2 airlines that operate flights from Melbourne to Cairns. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated September 17, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
JetstarCheapest$140Average$201FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time74%
Virgin AustraliaCheapest$141Average$299FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time80%

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