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$88+ Cheap flights from Cairns (CNS) to Melbourne (MEL)

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 5/23. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
CNS — MEL
Apr 12 — Apr 191
Sun 4/12
Sun 4/19
1 adult, Economy
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Cairns to Melbourne are usually found in May or February, booked 69 days in advance, depart on a Tuesday or Friday and return on a Wednesday

Cheap flight deals from Cairns to Melbourne

Cheapest flights from Cairns to Melbourne
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Cairns to Melbourne. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on March 13, 2026.

This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/10. 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.
Fri 4/249:40 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 20m
Jetstar
Fri 5/17:15 pm
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 25m
Jetstar
Deal found 3/10$175
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/11. 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.
Fri 4/249:40 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 20m
Jetstar
Mon 4/276:25 am
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 20m
Jetstar
Deal found 3/11$176
This Jetstar deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/9. 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 3/237:30 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 25m
Jetstar
Tue 3/247:45 pm
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 20m
Jetstar
Deal found 3/9$178
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/9. 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.
Thu 4/232:50 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 30m
Jetstar
Thu 4/307:15 pm
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 25m
Jetstar
Deal found 3/9$179
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/10. 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 4/79:00 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 30m
Multiple Airlines
Tue 4/145:25 pm
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 25m
Multiple Airlines
Deal found 3/10$191
This Jetstar deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/8. 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 5/18:10 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 25m
Jetstar
Mon 5/47:15 pm
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 25m
Jetstar
Deal found 3/8$193
This Jetstar deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/9. 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.
Sun 6/79:40 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 20m
Jetstar
Wed 6/107:15 pm
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 25m
Jetstar
Deal found 3/9$199
This Jetstar deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/9. 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 10/78:40 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 20m
Jetstar
Tue 10/138:15 pm
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 25m
Jetstar
Deal found 3/9$224
This Virgin Australia deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/9. 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.
Thu 10/227:50 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 30m
Virgin Australia
Sat 10/246:05 am
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 25m
Virgin Australia
Deal found 3/9$229
This Virgin Australia deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/9. 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.
Thu 10/87:50 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 30m
Virgin Australia
Tue 10/136:05 am
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 25m
Virgin Australia
Deal found 3/9$230
This Jetstar deal was found by Cheapflights users on 3/10. 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.
Sat 3/146:40 pm
CNS
-
MEL
Nonstop3h 25m
Jetstar
Wed 3/186:15 am
MEL
-
CNS
Nonstop3h 15m
Jetstar
Deal found 3/10$231

Find flight deals from Cairns to Melbourne

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Cairns (CNS) to Melbourne (MEL). 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 March 13, 2026.

Most accurate provider

FlightHub
3 stars

Most trusted provider

FlightHub
3 stars

Round-trip from

$175
(Kiwi.com)

One-way from

$88
(Jetstar)

Popular in

July

Cheapest in

May

Average price

$203

Good one-way deal

$122 or less
Provider with most accurate pricing for Cairns-Melbourne flight deals.
Search Deals
Provider most trusted by Cheapflights users for Cairns-Melbourne flights.
Search Deals
From Cairns to Melbourne
Search Deals
One-way flight from Cairns to Melbourne
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 5% potential increase in price ($11 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Search Deals
Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($6 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Search Deals
Average for round-trip flights in March 2026
Search Deals
Price to beat on a one-way flight from Cairns to Melbourne.
Search Deals

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from Cairns to Melbourne 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 March 13, 2026.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Cairns to Melbourne Airport that are best for you.

Fly from

Fly to

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Cheapest round-trip
Quickest round-trip

CairnsMelbourne

CNS - MEL

CNSMEL

Cairns

Mon 3/23

7:30 pm-11:55 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

Melbourne

Tue 3/24

7:45 pm-10:05 pm

Nonstop3h 20m

$178

CairnsMelbourne

CNS - MEL

CNSMEL

Cairns

Fri 5/1

8:10 pm-11:35 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

Melbourne

Mon 5/4

7:15 pm-10:40 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

$193

CairnsMelbourne

CNS - MEL

CNSMEL

Cairns

Fri 8/28

1:40 pm-5:10 pm

Nonstop3h 30m

Melbourne

Sat 9/5

6:25 am-9:50 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$268

CairnsMelbourne

CNS - MEL

CNSMEL

Cairns

Sun 9/6

7:00 am-10:30 am

Nonstop3h 30m

Melbourne

Sun 9/6

7:15 pm-10:40 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

$278

CairnsMelbourne

CNS - MEL

CNSMEL

Cairns

Fri 7/10

4:35 pm-9:35 pm

1 stop5h 00m

Melbourne

Sun 7/12

9:25 pm-12:50 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$282

CairnsMelbourne

CNS - MEL

CNSMEL

Cairns

Mon 3/23

9:45 am-2:10 pm

Nonstop3h 25m

Melbourne

Mon 3/23

4:25 pm-6:45 pm

Nonstop3h 20m

$283

CairnsMelbourne

CNS - MEL

CNSMEL

Cairns

Tue 5/26

4:35 pm-10:05 pm

1 stop5h 30m

Melbourne

Thu 5/28

6:25 am-9:50 am

Nonstop3h 25m

$313

CairnsMelbourne

CNS - MEL

CNSMEL

Cairns

Fri 4/24

4:35 pm-10:05 pm

1 stop5h 30m

Melbourne

Mon 4/27

9:00 am-3:55 pm

1 stop6h 55m

$331
Cheapest one-way
Quickest one-way

CairnsMelbourne

CNS - MEL

CNSMEL

Cairns

Tue 8/18

9:40 pm-1:00 am

Nonstop3h 20m

$112

CairnsMelbourne

CNS - MEL

CNSMEL

Cairns

Fri 9/4

9:40 pm-1:00 am

Nonstop3h 20m

$112

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 3/9

Showing 1-10 of 19 resultsSorted by cheapest first
1
2

Compare providers for flights from Cairns to Melbourne

Provider information is updated monthly. Please note that these providers often have deals for this flight, but the availability may vary on a day-by-day basis on Cheapflights.
Use the table below to compare price accuracy, trust ratings, and cancellation policies for each provider offering flight deals from Cairns to Melbourne in March.
ProviderPrice AccuracyTrust Score*
eDreamsPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
Kiwi.comPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
Trip.comPrice Accuracy1 starTrust Score*3 stars
FlightHubPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
CheapOairPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
MytripPrice Accuracy2 starsTrust 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 Cairns-Melbourne Airport flights, users find the pricing of FlightHub to be most consistent on Cheapflights vs. FlightHub Users can find the same prices on Cairns-Melbourne Airport flight deals on Cheapflights vs. FlightHub >95% of the time. Price accuracy is based on data collected from Cairns-Melbourne Airport flight searches over the past month and is updated monthly.
  • Most trusted provider: When it comes to deals on Cairns-Melbourne Airport 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 Cairns-Melbourne Airport 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 Cairns to Melbourne

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Melbourne from Cairns 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 Cairns to Melbourne Airport

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

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from Cairns to Melbourne. Price data was last updated on March 6, 2026.

The best time to book flights from Cairns to Melbourne Airport is 69 days before your desired departure date. The cost of your flight will likely increase significantly if you book two weeks in advance of your flight.

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

Currently, July is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Cairns to Melbourne Airport (average of $75). Flying from Cairns to Melbourne Airport in March is currently the most expensive (average of $125). 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 CNS to MEL?

Find hourly flight availability from Cairns to Melbourne. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated March 13, 2026.

It’s typically best to fly out from Cairns to Melbourne Airport in the evening. Doing so could potentially save you 89% on the flight price compared to flying at noon, which is usually more expensive.

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

Reviews of airlines servicing Melbourne

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Melbourne. 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 Melbourne. Reviews last updated March 13, 2026.
See what other customers who have flown with Jetstar from Cairns to Melbourne Airport have to say. You can also see how each airline compares in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Jetstar
6.5
Okay
530 reviews

Overall

6.5

Food

5.7

Boarding

6.8

Comfort

6.4

Entertainment

5.1

Crew

7.3

Reviews

1 / 20
2.0
Mediocre

Rashmit,Feb 2026

SYD - MEL

Extremely bad . Their luggage policies are bad and confusing and the aim is to trap people. Even if you buy luggage and there is weight remaining in the checked baggage. They will not tell you and charge you an extremely hefty price at the gate with no regard. Then those bags will be held back and will not arrive along with the other bags . Then you wait 2 hours to file a complaint and they expect you to come back when ever THEY CAN FIND your bag . Very disappointing experience
Jetstar
6.5
Okay
530 reviews
Jetstar
6.5
Okay
530 reviews

Overall

6.5

Food

5.7

Boarding

6.8

Comfort

6.4

Entertainment

5.1

Crew

7.3

Reviews

1 / 20
2.0
Mediocre

Rashmit,Feb 2026

SYD - MEL

Extremely bad . Their luggage policies are bad and confusing and the aim is to trap people. Even if you buy luggage and there is weight remaining in the checked baggage. They will not tell you and charge you an extremely hefty price at the gate with no regard. Then those bags will be held back and will not arrive along with the other bags . Then you wait 2 hours to file a complaint and they expect you to come back when ever THEY CAN FIND your bag . Very disappointing experience

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from Cairns to Melbourne. 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 from for flights from Cairns to Melbourne?

    Cairns (CNS) is the airport you will fly out of if you book a flight from Cairns to Melbourne. You should not have trouble finding flights to Melbourne from Cairns; the airport handles an average of 14 outbound flights to Melbourne per day. You should also have plenty of airline options to choose from since 1 airline has flights from the Cairns airport to Melbourne. It is only a 2.8 mi journey to Cairns (CNS) from Cairns’s city center.

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

    Jetstar and Virgin Australia can get you from Cairns to Melbourne Airport in just under 3h 25m. Your travel time can differ by up to 2h 05m. Airlines will cover a distance of 1436 mi. This flight may include one or multiple stops.

  • What is the cheapest airline to fly from Cairns to Melbourne Airport round-trip?

    According to our current data, Jetstar ($153), offers the cheapest pricing from Cairns to Melbourne Airport. Jetstar is currently priced 24% below the average price you’ll pay for this route.

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

    For one-way options, check prices for Jetstar. According to our data, you can fly for as low as $77. Users have also found prices from $84 and $146 on Virgin Australia and Qantas Airways, respectively.

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

    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 Cairns to Melbourne Airport on time: China Southern (100%), Emirates (93%), Air New Zealand (93%).

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

    While on average a flight from Cairns to Melbourne Airport is generally $173, our data shows the cheapest flight currently is $97. When looking at the most popular route, (Cairns - Melbourne), you can expect to pay $331 for that flight.

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

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

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

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

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

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Cairns to Melbourne 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 Cairns to Melbourne Airport?

    Currently, July is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Cairns to Melbourne Airport (average of $75). Flying from Cairns to Melbourne Airport in March is currently the most expensive (average of $125). 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

Traveling to a place near Melbourne Airport?

Book flights to Melbourne Airport if you plan to visit one of these locations
Apollo Bay
Phillip Island
Doncaster
Tullamarine

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Alternative routes for Cairns to Melbourne

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

Top airline flying from Cairns to Melbourne

Discover the top airline that operate flights from Cairns to Melbourne. 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 March 13, 2026.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
JetstarCheapest$153Average$201FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time74%

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