SYD - CNS

£55 Find Cheap Flights from Sydney 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 Sydney to Cairns departing on 15/10. 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
1 adult, Economy

KAYAK searches 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 Sydney 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 Sydney to Cairns, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Sydney to Cairns (SYD-CNS)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return flights from Sydney to Cairns that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals from Sydney to Cairns

Tue, 21 Oct - Wed, 22 Oct
Jetstar Logo
20:45 - 22:50SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
Jetstar Logo
05:45 - 09:40CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
£106Jetstar
Find Deal
Wed, 15 Oct - Wed, 15 Oct
Jetstar Logo
06:10 - 08:15SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
Jetstar Logo
16:10 - 20:05CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
£110Jetstar
Find Deal
Sun, 7 Dec - Thu, 11 Dec
Jetstar Logo
06:20 - 08:20SYD-CNS
3h 00mdirect
Jetstar Logo
18:05 - 22:05CNS-SYD
3h 00mdirect
£111Jetstar
Find Deal
Mon, 1 Dec - Sun, 7 Dec
Jetstar Logo
06:20 - 08:20SYD-CNS
3h 00mdirect
Jetstar Logo
18:05 - 22:05CNS-SYD
3h 00mdirect
£115Jetstar
Find Deal
Sat, 18 Oct - Tue, 21 Oct
Jetstar Logo
15:10 - 17:15SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
Jetstar Logo
18:00 - 21:55CNS-SYD
2h 55mdirect
£123Jetstar
Find Deal
Mon, 16 Feb - Wed, 18 Feb
Virgin Australia Logo
12:50 - 14:55SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
Virgin Australia Logo
10:55 - 14:55CNS-SYD
3h 00mdirect
£145Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Sat, 10 Jan - Wed, 14 Jan
 Logo
07:00 - 11:00SYD-CNS
5h 00m1 stop
 Logo
18:05 - 22:05CNS-SYD
3h 00mdirect
Sun, 23 Nov - Sat, 29 Nov
Virgin Australia Logo
08:10 - 10:15SYD-CNS
3h 05mdirect
Virgin Australia Logo
06:00 - 12:40CNS-SYD
5h 40m1 stop
£173Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Fri, 24 Oct - Sun, 9 Nov
Virgin Australia Logo
19:30 - 23:20SYD-CNS
4h 50m1 stop
Virgin Australia Logo
17:35 - 21:35CNS-SYD
3h 00mdirect
£183Virgin Australia
Find Deal
Fri, 24 Oct - Sun, 9 Nov
Virgin Australia Logo
19:30 - 23:20SYD-CNS
4h 50m1 stop
Virgin Australia Logo
17:35 - 21:35CNS-SYD
3h 00mdirect
£184Virgin Australia
Find Deal

Everything you should know

Top airlines
Jetstar
Cheapest • from £106 (return)
Virgin Australia
Best reviews • 7.5 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Video guide: How to find cheap flights to Cairns
Watch video
Watch video
Watch video
Watch video
When to book
3 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 3 weeks in advance save around 30% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
March
Cheapest • 27% price drop
December
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Cheapest return fare
£106
Typical prices: £139-249
Jetstar
Tue 21/10Wed 22/10
SYD - CNS • Direct
Cheapest direct flights
£106
Typical prices: £138-250
Jetstar
Mon 20/10Thu 23/10
SYD - CNS • Direct
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KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Cairns!
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Sydney to Cairns flights

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

Find cheap flights to Cairns
Find cheap flights to Cairns

Planning a trip from Sydney to Cairns? KAYAK’s data-powered insights will help you find cheap flights. Learn the best time to fly, how early to book your ticket, and other tips to secure great prices.

How much is a return flight from Sydney to Cairns?

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

The average price of all round-trip flights from Sydney to Cairns clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

For Sydney to Cairns, Sunday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Friday is the most expensive. Flying from Cairns back to Sydney, the best deals are generally found on Friday, with Wednesday being the most expensive.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Sydney 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 Sydney to Cairns is March, where tickets cost £111 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are April and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is £194 and £194 respectively.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Sydney to Cairns, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from Sydney to Cairns, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 30% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 24 weeks before departure.

Good to know - Cheap tickets from Sydney to Cairns

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight£55
Best time to beat the crowds (21% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (27% more expensive on average)
Flight from Sydney to Cairns

When to book flights from Sydney to Cairns

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

  • What lounges are available in the domestic terminals of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport?

    If you’d like to relax in comfort before your flight, there are various lounge options in the domestic terminals of Sydney Airport. Terminal 3 has Qantas Business Lounge and The Qantas Club Lounge, which are both located in the departures area, opposite Gates 4 and 5. Terminal 2 has Virgin Australia Lounge, located after security near the main security checkpoint. Please check with your airline for your eligibility to use their lounge.

  • How do you get to Sydney Airport from the Sydney centre?

    There are many options to get from Sydney centre to Sydney Airport. The metro will get you to the airport from Central Station in about 15min. Be sure to get use your Opal card, if you have one, for discounted fares. You can also take a taxi or rideshare service; the cost depends on what part of Sydney you are heading to.

  • How is Cairns Airport accessible for people with disabilities?

    The airport has accessible toilets and public phones. It also has a number of hearing loops that reduce distortion and background noise for those using hearing aids. You can also request a disability-friendly taxi through the taxi concierge staff in the taxi area.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Sydney to Cairns?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Sydney to Cairns was £75 for a one-way ticket and £143 for a return.

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

    The Boeing 737-800 Passenger/BBJ2 (winglets) is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Sydney to Cairns flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Sydney to Cairns?

    oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam are the airline alliances operating flights between Sydney and Cairns, with Star Alliance being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Sydney to Cairns?

    There are direct flights from Sydney to Cairns on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Sydney to Cairns, Virgin Australia or Jetstar?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Sydney to Cairns are Virgin Australia and Jetstar. With an average price for the route of £150 and an overall rating of 7.5, Virgin Australia is the most popular choice. Jetstar is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of £140 and an overall rating of 6.5.

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

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

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

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

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Sydney to Cairns

  • Looking for a cheap flight from Sydney to Cairns? 25% of our users found flights on this route for £77 or less one-way and £142 or less round-trip.
  • If you are travelling with infants or young children, there are parents rooms and baby changing facilities in both Domestic Terminals 2 and 3 of Sydney Airport (SYD).
  • If you’re craving a coffee on arrival in Cairns, there is a Macchinetta in the arrival area of Cairns Airport (CNS) serving coffees as well as focaccias and paninis.
  • A great initiative at Sydney Airport is the Airport Ambassador Program. They are volunteers who give of their time each week to give passengers a warm welcome and assist anyone needing help with finding accommodation, facilities, transport or attractions. Look out for them in their bright blue shirts.

Prefer to fly direct from Sydney to Cairns?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Sydney Kingsford Smith to Cairns.
Find which airlines fly direct from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport to Cairns Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Sydney Kingsford Smith to Cairns

Monday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Tuesday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Wednesday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Thursday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Friday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Saturday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Sunday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Cairns to Sydney Kingsford Smith

Monday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Tuesday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Wednesday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Thursday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Friday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Saturday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

Sunday

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, Virgin Australia

Jetstar, Qantas Airways, +1 more

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top airlines flying from Sydney to Cairns

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Sydney to Cairns. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Sydney to Cairns? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.5
Virgin AustraliaOverall score based on 416 reviews
6.4Entertainment
8.2Crew
7.7Boarding
7.5Comfort
6.4Food
Airline reviews

Overall experience was good but what really impressed me the most was the care the flight attendants took of a sick passenger who was sitting in front of me. The flight attendants would come and check on her quite regularly providing her support and comfort. Brilliant service!

10.0 ExcellentManish, Aug 2025MEL - SYD
Read more Virgin Australia reviews

Overall experience was good but what really impressed me the most was the care the flight attendants took of a sick passenger who was sitting in front of me. The flight attendants would come and check on her quite regularly providing her support and comfort. Brilliant service!

Only answered OK and poor as there was no entertainment and I didnt have any food

4.5 hr international flight. We got a glass of water. Ranks up there with Ryan Air, Easy Jet, Spirit and Frontier. Expected better.

Gluten free options less explicit on business class, but great service

Very good… seems the virgin staff particularly in the lounge and in flight exceeded expectations.

I liked everything about the experience but would have liked some free snacks!

Crew was great but flight was delayed almost three hours due to a technical issue and we had to go back to the terminal and wait for another one.

Being told why we delayed three hours and not even given an apology by someone. Not a word. Not my airline of choice ever.

Checked Baggage line up was long but moved quickly, rest of the process, boarding, crew was excellent

Virgin has always provided a smooth and comfortable flight. This one was no different. Seats are comfortable. Staff are great. This is my favourite airline.

Late leaving and desintuon board showed ‘gate closed’ when they hadn’t even commenced boarding!

Flight was delayed more than 1.5 hours. Gate changed multiple times

The good thing is that the flight got us from Darwin to Brisbane. However, it would have to be the most uncomfortable flight I have ever taken and if I can possibly avoid flying Jetstar again, I will.

no announcement about why we where delayed which is very poor

It was better than I expected. Thought $5 for a small cup of tea was a bit much!

Overall good trip I find seats a bit hard. We were waiting on board for about an hour for 2 passengers with some document issue. This main our arrival late for our pickup person.

15kg allowance is outrageous. Change of time a few days before departure and more than 2 hours of delay in the end. The worse we’ve taken so far in Oceania.

stuck in the aircraft for over three hours due to engineering work, significantly delayed and made a lot of passengers missed the connecting transport, no mention any compensation

Very quiet plane!! One of the quietest planes we have been on.

Jetsatar refused to take my foldable stroller in the plane, despite following all the rules on dimensions and packaging. Similar thing happened on our previous fight. However, at that instance, they offered to check in the stroller. At this fight, the staff was rude, trying to rush us to board the flight. They made excuses that the stroller was not allowed and even offer to leave it behind and ship it back at our own cost. Fortunately, we had someone else attending. Since the flight was about to take off, they left it behind and send it back to us on the next available flight.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Sydney to Cairns

Information on your arrival and departure airports

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