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Cheap Flights from Melbourne (MELA) to Cairns (CNS)

Compare Melbourne to Cairns flight deals

Find the cheapest month or even day of the year to fly to Cairns

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Flight deals from Melbourne to Cairns Airport

Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from Melbourne to Cairns Airport? If you want to travel next month, return fares start from £120. Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.
Is this a good flight price? We’ll tell you.We compare today’s Melbourne to Cairns Airport prices with what travellers usually pay, so you can see if now’s a good time to book, or if it’s worth waiting.
Cairns.£110 per passenger.Departing Thu, 19 Nov, returning Sun, 22 Nov.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Thu, 19 Nov, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Sun, 22 Nov, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £110, select.
Cairns.£120 per passenger.Departing Wed, 3 Jun, returning Tue, 9 Jun.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Wed, 3 Jun, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Tue, 9 Jun, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £120, select.
Cairns.£120 per passenger.Departing Fri, 8 May, returning Tue, 12 May.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Fri, 8 May, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Tue, 12 May, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £120, select.
Cairns.£120 per passenger.Departing Fri, 17 Apr, returning Mon, 20 Apr.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Fri, 17 Apr, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Mon, 20 Apr, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £120, select.
Cairns.£120 per passenger.Departing Fri, 24 Apr, returning Sun, 3 May.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Fri, 24 Apr, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Sun, 3 May, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £120, select.
Cairns.£131 per passenger.Departing Sun, 29 Mar, returning Tue, 31 Mar.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Sun, 29 Mar, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Tue, 31 Mar, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £131, select.
Cairns.£131 per passenger.Departing Mon, 30 Mar, returning Mon, 18 May.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Mon, 30 Mar, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Mon, 18 May, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £131, select.
Cairns.£131 per passenger.Departing Mon, 30 Mar, returning Sat, 4 Apr.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Mon, 30 Mar, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Sat, 4 Apr, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £131, select.
Cairns.£132 per passenger.Departing Thu, 23 Jul, returning Thu, 30 Jul.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Thu, 23 Jul, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Thu, 30 Jul, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £132, select.
Cairns.£132 per passenger.Departing Sat, 30 May, returning Thu, 4 Jun.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Sat, 30 May, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Thu, 4 Jun, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £132, select.
Cairns.£135 per passenger.Departing Tue, 23 Feb, returning Thu, 25 Feb.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Tue, 23 Feb, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Thu, 25 Feb, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £135, select.
Cairns.£136 per passenger.Departing Wed, 2 Dec, returning Thu, 3 Dec.Return flight with Virgin Australia.Outbound direct flight with Virgin Australia departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Wed, 2 Dec, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Virgin Australia departs from Cairns on Thu, 3 Dec, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £136, select.
Cairns.£136 per passenger.Departing Tue, 4 Aug, returning Tue, 11 Aug.Return flight with Jetstar.Outbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Tue, 4 Aug, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Jetstar departs from Cairns on Tue, 11 Aug, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £136, select.
Cairns.£136 per passenger.Departing Fri, 24 Jul, returning Fri, 21 Aug.Return flight with Virgin Australia.Outbound direct flight with Virgin Australia departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Fri, 24 Jul, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Virgin Australia departs from Cairns on Fri, 21 Aug, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £136, select.
Cairns.£136 per passenger.Departing Sun, 10 Jan, returning Tue, 26 Jan.Return flight with Virgin Australia.Outbound direct flight with Virgin Australia departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Sun, 10 Jan, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Virgin Australia departs from Cairns on Tue, 26 Jan, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £136, select.
Cairns.£136 per passenger.Departing Tue, 24 Nov, returning Thu, 3 Dec.Return flight with Virgin Australia.Outbound direct flight with Virgin Australia departs from Melbourne Tullamarine on Tue, 24 Nov, arriving in Cairns.Inbound direct flight with Virgin Australia departs from Cairns on Thu, 3 Dec, arriving in Melbourne Tullamarine.Price includes taxes and charges.From £136, select.

Find the cheapest month to fly from Melbourne to Cairns

We’re always keeping an eye on fares, so you can find the best one in seconds. It looks like Melbourne to Cairns flights are currently cheapest in November.
Mar
from £131
Apr
from £120
May
from £120
Jun
from £120
Jul
from £132
Aug
from £136
Sep
from £147
Oct
from £137
Nov
from £110
Dec
from £136
Jan
from £136
Feb
from £135

Direct flights from Melbourne to Cairns

Melbourne to Cairns: Alternative routes

Compare routes from Melbourne to Cairns below. You may find an airport to fly into that's cheaper, faster, or easier than Cairns.

Cairns

3 miles from central Cairns
ClosestCheapest
from £110
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Melbourne to Cairns: Flight information

The things to know before you go.
Cheapest flight found£110
Cheapest month to flyNovember
Average flight time3 hrs, 24 mins
Most popular airlineIndiGo
Average flights per week199

Check out these Cairns hotels

Ready to plan your stay? Other travellers rate these Cairns hotels for cleanliness, service and location.
Blue Lagoon Villas
10.23 miles from city centre
£331
Per night
Sea Point on Trinity Beach
10.06 miles from city centre
£149
Per night
BeachView Apartments at Villa Paradiso
13.51 miles from city centre
£223
Per night
Blue Lagoon Villas
10.23 miles from city centre
£331
Per night
Sea Point on Trinity Beach
10.06 miles from city centre
£149
Per night
BeachView Apartments at Villa Paradiso
13.51 miles from city centre
£223
Per night
Explore top-rated hotels

Finding cheap flights from Melbourne to Cairns: Frequently asked questions

The best price we found for a return flight from Melbourne to Cairns is £110. This is an estimate based on information collected from different airlines and travel providers over the last 4 days and is subject to change and availability.
3 hours and 24 minutes is the average flight time from Melbourne to Cairns.
IndiGo, Qantas and Jetstar fly direct from Melbourne to Cairns.
As of March 2026, there are 404 flights per week flying from Melbourne to Cairns.
The cheapest month to fly from Melbourne to Cairns is usually November.
After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it is currently cheapest to fly from Melbourne to Cairns Airport on Thursday, 19 November 2026.
Yes – the average flight time is 3 hours and 24 minutes.
We show every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents, comparing them all so you don’t have to. If you know you want to fly to Cairns but you’re not ready to book, set up a Price Alert. We’ll track prices for you, and let you know when they rise or fall.
We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to Cairns is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.
The cheapest airline that flies to Cairns is Jetstar .

Travelling from Melbourne to Cairns Airport (CNS): What you need to know

  • Your trip gets off the ground at Melbourne's main airport, Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL). Explore the options for reserving a flight from Melbourne to Cairns Airport (CNS) departing from this terminal.

  • Expect to be in the air for 3 hours 25 minutes. On average, that's the duration of a direct Melbourne to Cairns Airport flight.

  • Cairns Airport is located in Cairns. The city operates on the UTC+10 timezone and is one hour behind Melbourne.

  • The most popular route is from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) to Cairns Airport (CNS), with 51 direct services every week. If you're looking to take off without delay, the earliest flight from MEL to CNS is the 6am Jetstar option. If you need some extra time before takeoff, the final departure is at 8:45pm with Jetstar.

  • Give yourself enough time to get on your flight from Melbourne to CNS. It's generally best to arrive two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.

  • Travelling during a popular month such as July? Major public holidays and other high seasons can lead to longer lines at check-in and security. Play it safe and get there up to four hours before an international flight and two hours before domestic departures.

Airports in Melbourne

Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL)

  • Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) offers an easy route to your destination. Nonstop flights from Melbourne to Cairns Airport (CNS) depart from this terminal.

  • At MEL, you'll find a variety of carriers offering direct flights from Melbourne to Cairns Airport, including:

  • The majority of passengers prefer to fly with Jetstar from MEL to CNS.

  • Among carriers operating on this route, Virgin Australia has the highest percentage of on-time landings.

  • Travelling from central Melbourne to MEL takes around 35 minutes by public transport. If you drive, ride-share or take a taxi, you'll cover the 24 kms (15 miles) in 25 minutes or so, depending on traffic.

  • Want an easy start to your journey? Stay near Melbourne Tullamarine Airport. Whether you've booked an early flight from Melbourne to Cairns Airport or aren't a fan of being rushed, these hotels offer the perfect solution:

  • When it comes to the on-time performance of Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, data shows 63% of flights arrive within the scheduled time frame.

Avalon Airport (AVV)

  • AVV is about 56 kms (35 miles) from central Melbourne. It'll take 1 hour 5 minutes or so to get to the airport by car from the city centre. Public transport takes roughly 1 hour 20 minutes.

  • You're off on holiday, so why not book another night away at a hotel close to Avalon Airport? Before your Melbourne to CNS flight, treat yourself to a stay at Corio Bay Motel.

  • When it comes to flight punctuality, Avalon Airport has an on-time arrival performance of 76%.

About Cairns Airport (CNS)

Getting from Cairns Airport (CNS) to central Cairns

  • Central Cairns is around 6 kms (4 miles) from Cairns Airport and takes about 15 minutes to reach by car. Explore your options for getting into the city, whether that's with a taxi, car hire or ride-share.

  • If you're travelling by public transport, expect a journey of roughly 25 minutes.

How to find the cheapest flights from Melbourne to Cairns Airport (CNS)

  • £26 is the lowest price for a one-way ticket from Melbourne to Cairns Airport. A return flight starts at £110. These prices can change based on demand and availability.

  • Get your hands on cheap flights from Melbourne to CNS by booking six months ahead. Based on our research, that's the sweet spot for finding the biggest deals.

  • November is when you're most likely to find a fantastic deal on a Melbourne to Cairns Airport ticket. If you'd like to travel during a different time of year, the 'Whole month' tool will give you the lowest prices for every month.

  • Snapping up a cheap plane ticket from Melbourne to CNS is easy with Price Alerts. Simply create one of these automatic alerts and we'll get in touch as soon as the price has dropped.

  • Chase down a great fare on a flight from Melbourne to Cairns Airport with the help of the filters. Choose your preferred departure and arrival times, number of stops and airlines. You can also sort your results by 'Cheapest,' 'Fastest' or 'Best.'

The best time to fly from Melbourne to Cairns Airport (CNS)

  • July is the busiest month for flights from Melbourne to Cairns Airport (CNS). Plan your visit to Cairns in December for a more low-key escape.

  • Book a Melbourne to CNS plane ticket departing in January if you want to visit the city during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures in Cairns to range from 23ºC to 31ºC.

  • If you'd rather travel in cooler conditions, look for a cheap ticket from Melbourne to Cairns Airport in August when temperatures are between 16ºC and 25ºC.

More about Cairns

  • Start your Cairns trip off on the right foot by choosing the perfect place to stay. Once you've booked your flight from Melbourne to Cairns Airport, browse our selection of accommodation options including:

  • All great holidays should include some sightseeing. Great Barrier Reef, Barrier Reef Park and Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard are must-visits when exploring Cairns.

Explore more of Australia

  • Townsville is just one of the many cities in Australia waiting to be explored after you've seen Cairns. Around 290 kms (180 miles) away to the south, its best attractions include Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Great Barrier Reef Aquarium and Botanic Gardens.

  • Travel 290 kms (180 miles) southeast from Cairns to reach North Ward, another standout destination in Australia. No trip is complete without seeing The Strand Beach and Jezzine Fort.

More travel options

Plan the rest of your trip from Melbourne to Cairns

Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 45 days.