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Cairns

$94+ Cheap flights from Melbourne (MEL) to Cairns (CNS)

MEL — CNS
Sep 21 — Sep 281
Mon 9/21
Mon 9/28
1 adult, Economy
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Find cheap flights from Melbourne to Cairns with Cheapflights

1. Tell us where you want to go

Enter your travel information like dates, passengers, trip type (one-way or round trip), and preferred cabin class then click “Find deals”

2. Select your favorite providers

We find the providers serving your travel needs. Choose up to four travel providers to compare side-by-side for flights, hotels, or car rentals.

3. Compare prices and book

Review each provider’s pricing and select the best option for you! Book through your favorite provider’s website for a seamless experience.
Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Melbourne to Cairns are usually found in February or March, booked 83 days in advance, depart on a Tuesday or Wednesday and return on a Thursday

Cheap flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns

Cheapest flights from Melbourne to Cairns

Sun 10/115:25 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Thu 10/158:35 pm -
Nonstop3h 20m
Deal found 8/18$177
Tue 10/68:05 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Sun 10/118:35 pm -
Nonstop3h 20m
Deal found 8/18$183
Sat 10/178:05 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Wed 10/2112:30 pm -
Nonstop3h 20m
Deal found 8/20$184
Wed 10/78:05 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Fri 10/98:35 pm -
Nonstop3h 20m
Deal found 8/21$187
Tue 10/138:05 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Tue 10/208:40 pm -
Nonstop3h 20m
Deal found 8/20$188
Sun 10/186:25 am -
Nonstop3h 20m
Thu 10/228:35 pm -
Nonstop3h 20m
Deal found 8/21$190
Wed 10/78:05 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Tue 10/1312:30 pm -
Nonstop3h 20m
Deal found 8/19$191
Sat 10/37:05 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Mon 10/127:35 pm -
Nonstop3h 20m
Deal found 8/18$195
Fri 10/238:05 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Sun 11/17:20 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Deal found 8/20$197
Sun 10/48:05 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Sun 10/118:35 pm -
Nonstop3h 20m
Deal found 8/19$198
Wed 10/78:05 pm -
Nonstop3h 25m
Sun 10/118:35 pm -
Nonstop3h 20m
Deal found 8/19$201

Find flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns

Most accurate provider

FlightHub
3 stars

Most trusted provider

FlightHub
3 stars

Round-trip from

$171
(Kiwi.com)

One-way from

$94
(Jetstar)

Popular in

June

Cheapest in

February

Average price

$245

Good round-trip deal

$183 or less

Good one-way deal

$128 or less
Provider with most accurate pricing for Melbourne-Cairns flight deals.
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Provider most trusted by Cheapflights users for Melbourne-Cairns flights.
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From Melbourne to Cairns
Search Deals
One-way flight from Melbourne to Cairns
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 12% potential increase in price ($30 potential increase over avg. RT price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($8 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Search Deals
Average for round-trip flights in August 2026
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Price to beat on a round-trip flight from Melbourne to Cairns.
Search Deals
Price to beat on a one-way flight from Melbourne to Cairns.
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Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns that are best for you.

Fly from

Fly to

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Cheapest round-trip

MelbourneCairns

MEL Melbourne - CNS Cairns

MELCNS

Melbourne

Tue 2/16

7:50 pm-10:10 pm

Nonstop3h 20m

Cairns

Wed 3/3

9:45 am-2:15 pm

Nonstop3h 30m

$176

MelbourneCairns

MEL Melbourne - CNS Cairns

MELCNS

Melbourne

Sat 10/17

8:05 pm-10:30 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

Cairns

Wed 10/21

12:30 pm-4:50 pm

Nonstop3h 20m

$184

MelbourneCairns

MEL Melbourne - CNS Cairns

MELCNS

Melbourne

Tue 1/12

4:35 pm-7:05 pm

Nonstop3h 30m

Cairns

Fri 1/15

7:50 pm-12:15 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$192

MelbourneCairns

MEL Melbourne - CNS Cairns

MELCNS

Melbourne

Thu 10/1

7:05 pm-10:30 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

Cairns

Thu 10/8

6:35 pm-11:00 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

$215

MelbourneCairns

MEL Melbourne - CNS Cairns

MELCNS

Melbourne

Sat 10/10

8:05 pm-10:30 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

Cairns

Sat 10/17

12:30 pm-4:50 pm

Nonstop3h 20m

$220

MelbourneCairns

MEL Melbourne - CNS Cairns

MELCNS

Melbourne

Sun 9/13

6:55 pm-10:20 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

Cairns

Fri 9/18

9:35 pm-12:55 am

Nonstop3h 20m

$275

MelbourneCairns

MEL Melbourne - CNS Cairns

MELCNS

Melbourne

Fri 10/16

8:05 pm-10:30 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

Cairns

Sun 10/25

7:20 pm-11:45 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

$275

MelbourneCairns

MEL Melbourne - CNS Cairns

MELCNS

Melbourne

Fri 2/5

11:30 am-8:35 pm

1 stop10h 05m

Cairns

Mon 2/15

11:15 am-9:25 pm

1 stop9h 10m

$279
Quickest round-trip

MelbourneCairns

MEL Melbourne - CNS Cairns

MELCNS

Melbourne

Tue 12/29

6:15 am-8:30 am

Nonstop3h 15m

Cairns

Fri 1/1

7:45 am-12:10 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

$293

MelbourneCairns

MEL Melbourne - CNS Cairns

MELCNS

Melbourne

Fri 12/25

6:00 am-11:00 am

1 stop6h 00m

Cairns

Tue 12/29

7:50 pm-12:15 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$305

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 8/19

Showing 1-10 of 20 resultsSorted by cheapest first
1
2

Compare providers for flights from Melbourne to Cairns

Use the table below to compare price accuracy, trust ratings, and cancellation policies for each provider offering flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns in August.
ProviderPrice AccuracyTrust Score*
FlightHubPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
Kiwi.comPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
eDreamsPrice Accuracy2 starsTrust Score*3 stars
Trip.comPrice Accuracy1 starTrust Score*3 stars

*The Trust Score is based on feedback from users after their booking experience. It measures overall satisfaction, helping us identify issues like hidden fees, problems during the ticketing process, and the quality of customer service. This score is our best indicator of the provider's quality and reliability.

  • Most accurate provider: When it comes to deals on Melbourne Airport-Cairns flights, users find the pricing of FlightHub to be most consistent on Cheapflights vs. FlightHub Users can find the same prices on Melbourne Airport-Cairns flight deals on Cheapflights vs. FlightHub >95% of the time. Price accuracy is based on data collected from Melbourne Airport-Cairns flight searches over the past month and is updated monthly.
  • Most trusted provider: When it comes to deals on Melbourne Airport-Cairns flights, Cheapflights users trust FlightHub the most. FlightHub has received a user feedback score of 3 out of 3 stars (3 being the best), meaning they have been trusted the most by Cheapflights users looking for Melbourne Airport-Cairns flight deals. Provider user feedback score is based on Cheapflights searches over the past month and is updated monthly.

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

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?

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 82 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 $177). Flying from Melbourne Airport to Cairns in June is currently the most expensive (average of $308). 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?

It’s typically best to fly out from Melbourne Airport to Cairns in the evening. Doing so could potentially save you 47% on the flight price compared to flying in the morning, which is usually more expensive.

How much does it cost to fly round-trip from Melbourne Airport to Cairns?

Airfare is below average for this route at the moment.

Melbourne Airport to Cairns flights typically cost between $186 and $363 in January.
The cheapest round-trip price found within the last 5 days was $171 on Multiple Airlines (Jan 7-Jan 14).

Reviews of airlines servicing Cairns

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
472 reviews

Crew

8.2

Comfort

7.5

Food

6.4

Entertainment

6.4

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.8

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Elio,Jan 2026

MEL - ADL

Starting to be as efficient as qantas… bar the food offerings Virgin is up there now
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
472 reviews
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
472 reviews

Crew

8.2

Comfort

7.5

Food

6.4

Entertainment

6.4

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.8

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Elio,Jan 2026

MEL - ADL

Starting to be as efficient as qantas… bar the food offerings Virgin is up there now
Jetstar
6.5
Okay
568 reviews
Virgin Australia
7.6
Good
472 reviews

Crew

8.2

Comfort

7.5

Food

6.4

Entertainment

6.4

Overall

7.6

Boarding

7.8

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Elio,Jan 2026

MEL - ADL

Starting to be as efficient as qantas… bar the food offerings Virgin is up there now

Related info for your journey

  • 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 18 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 and Virgin Australia can get you from Melbourne Airport to Cairns in just under 3h 20m. 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 $93. Another airline that can offer you cheap pricing is Jetstar. Virgin Australia is priced at 59% lower than the current average price of a flight leaving 3 months from now.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from Melbourne Airport to Cairns one-way?

    To fly one-way, consider booking your trip with Jetstar, which is currently one of the cheapest options available, starting at $78. Virgin Australia flights start at $108 while deals on Qantas Airways start at $147 one-way.

  • 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: Qatar Airways (85%), China Southern (79%), Air India (78%).

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

    Looking at all options, your cheapest flight can be booked for $91. While the most popular route (Melbourne - Cairns) can be booked for $171 on average, our data indicates $233 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 $177). Flying from Melbourne Airport to Cairns in June is currently the most expensive (average of $308). 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

Alternative routes for Melbourne to Cairns

Melbourne to Coolangatta flights
Melbourne to Brisbane flights

Top 2 airlines flying from Melbourne to Cairns

AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
Virgin AustraliaCheapest$93Average$323FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time80%
JetstarCheapest$101Average$230FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time74%

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