CNS - BNE

$65 Find Cheap Flights from Cairns to Brisbane

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Cairns to Brisbane departing on 4/28. 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, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Brisbane

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Cairns to Brisbane, 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 Cairns to Brisbane, as well as popular online travel agencies
Travelers love KAYAK
41,299,237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$129
Overall average: $146
Jetstar
Tue 3/24Thu 3/26
CNS - BNE • Non-stop
Cheapest one-way
$65
Typical prices: $79-$132
Jetstar
Tue 4/28
CNS - BNE • Non-stop
Advice from real travelers
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
Qantas Economy Class offers 32 inches of legroom.
Qantas domestic flights offer Wi-Fi on select flights.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Top airlines
Jetstar
Cheapest • from $129 (round-trip)
Qantas Airways
Best reviews • 7.5 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
Every day
You can fly direct with Jetstar, Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia. Average duration is 2h 18m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Avoid delays
Virgin Australia
Most punctual • 90% on-time
Morning flights
Best time • Fewest delays
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
4 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 46% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
March
Cheapest • 13% price drop
October
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches 100s of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Brisbane!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Expert advice
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Cairns to Brisbane (CNS-BNE)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Cairns to Brisbane 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 round-trip flight deals from Cairns to Brisbane

Tue, Mar 24 - Thu, Mar 26
Jetstar Logo
6:00 am - 8:15 am
CNS
-
BNE
2h 15mnonstop
Jetstar Logo
3:00 pm - 5:15 pm
BNE
-
CNS
2h 15mnonstop
$129Jetstar
Wed, Apr 29 - Thu, Apr 30
Jetstar Logo
6:00 am - 8:10 am
CNS
-
BNE
2h 10mnonstop
Jetstar Logo
6:00 am - 8:30 am
BNE
-
CNS
2h 30mnonstop
$132Jetstar
Wed, May 6 - Sat, May 9
Jetstar Logo
6:00 am - 8:10 am
CNS
-
BNE
2h 10mnonstop
Jetstar Logo
6:00 am - 8:30 am
BNE
-
CNS
2h 30mnonstop
$133Jetstar
Sat, Mar 14 - Thu, Mar 19
Jetstar Logo
6:00 am - 8:15 am
CNS
-
BNE
2h 15mnonstop
Jetstar Logo
7:05 am - 9:20 am
BNE
-
CNS
2h 15mnonstop
$135Jetstar
Tue, Apr 14 - Wed, Apr 15
Jetstar Logo
6:00 am - 8:10 am
CNS
-
BNE
2h 10mnonstop
Jetstar Logo
6:00 am - 8:30 am
BNE
-
CNS
2h 30mnonstop
$138Jetstar
Sat, Apr 4 - Sat, Apr 11
Jetstar Logo
6:00 am - 8:10 am
CNS
-
BNE
2h 10mnonstop
Jetstar Logo
6:00 am - 8:30 am
BNE
-
CNS
2h 30mnonstop
$140Jetstar
Thu, Mar 19 - Thu, Mar 26
Jetstar Logo
12:05 pm - 2:20 pm
CNS
-
BNE
2h 15mnonstop
Jetstar Logo
7:05 am - 9:20 am
BNE
-
CNS
2h 15mnonstop
$147Jetstar
Wed, Mar 18 - Tue, Mar 24
Jetstar Logo
12:05 pm - 2:20 pm
CNS
-
BNE
2h 15mnonstop
Jetstar Logo
3:00 pm - 5:15 pm
BNE
-
CNS
2h 15mnonstop
$152Jetstar
Wed, Apr 1 - Mon, Apr 6
Multiple Airlines Logo
3:35 pm - 5:45 pm
CNS
-
BNE
2h 10mnonstop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:50 pm - 11:20 pm
BNE
-
CNS
2h 30mnonstop
$153Multiple Airlines
Fri, Mar 20 - Fri, Mar 27
Jetstar Logo
2:25 pm - 4:40 pm
CNS
-
BNE
2h 15mnonstop
Jetstar Logo
5:30 pm - 7:50 pm
BNE
-
CNS
2h 20mnonstop
$164Jetstar
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Cairns to Brisbane flights

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

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

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

If your flying dates are flexible, you should consider flying to Brisbane on a Thursday, as we generally find the cheapest rates on that day for this route. On the other hand, Wednesday is the most expensive day to fly from Cairns to Brisbane. For your return ticket, we recommend flying on a Saturday and avoiding Thursdays for the best deals.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Cairns to Brisbane, 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 Cairns to Brisbane is March, where tickets cost $146 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are July and August, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $199 and $189 respectively.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Cairns to Brisbane, 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 Cairns to Brisbane, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 46% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 5 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Cairns to Brisbane

 
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Our travel experts
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on United Airlines

Stefanie Waldek is a freelance space, travel, and design writer based in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her words have appeared in Space.com, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful, among other publications. An expert in aviation and expedition cruising, Stefanie is frequently up in the air or on the sea, likely en route to Antarctica or the Arctic.

Bill Fink

Bill Fink

Expert on Qantas Airways

Bill is an award-winning travel writer with extensive credits covering airlines and the aviation industry for publications including AARP, AFAR, The Points Guy and Yahoo. Based in Portland, Oregon, Bill has traveled to more than 75 countries - and been late for his flight in most of them. He once achieved top-level frequent flier status for all of American, Delta and United Airlines during a single year.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$65
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 10% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 11% increase in price.
Flight from Cairns to Brisbane

When to book flights from Cairns to Brisbane

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Cairns to Brisbane based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips 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 Cairns to Brisbane

  • What is the cheapest flight from Cairns to Brisbane?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Cairns to Brisbane was $65 for a one-way ticket and $129 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Cairns and Brisbane?

    Even though you are not required to have a passport, keep in mind that an official ID is needed to board the airplane.

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

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

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Cairns to Brisbane?

    oneworld is the only airline alliance operating flights between Cairns and Brisbane.

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

    There are nonstop flights from Cairns to Brisbane on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Cairns to Brisbane, Qantas Airways or Virgin Australia?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Cairns to Brisbane are Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia. With an average price for the route of $275 and an overall rating of 7.5, Qantas Airways is the most popular choice. Virgin Australia is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $172 and an overall rating of 7.5.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Cairns to Brisbane?

    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 Cairns to Brisbane.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Brisbane from Cairns 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 Cairns to Brisbane?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Brisbane with an airline and back to Cairns with another airline. Booking your flights between Cairns and BNE can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Cairns to Brisbane?

    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 Brisbane from Cairns 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 Cairns to Brisbane

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $107 or less one-way and $330 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Cairns to Brisbane?

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

Direct departures

Cairns to Brisbane

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

Brisbane 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

Reviews of the top 3 airlines serving from Cairns to Brisbane

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Cairns to Brisbane. 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 Cairns to Brisbane? 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
Qantas AirwaysOverall score based on 996 reviews
7.0Food
7.2Entertainment
7.4Comfort
7.7Boarding
8.1Crew
Airline reviews

Qantas is always subpar beyond comfy chairs for a domestic flight

6.0 GoodStorm, Feb 2026
BNE - DRW
Read more Qantas Airways reviews

Qantas is always subpar beyond comfy chairs for a domestic flight

I liked boarding the plane. The staff were rude, the food was appalling and the chairs the most uncomfortable I have ever experienced

an hour late, then had to disembark on back stairs and take 4 flights up to get to main airport. No warning, and difficulty for those with canes and poor knees.

Flight was canceled. I was not alerted. It was only kayak that alerted me

Flight was 2.5 hours late leaving. We spent 50 minutes of that sitting on the plane with no explanation. They did reduce the time in the air so we arrived a little less late which was something. The cheese and crackers were okay but the wine was terrible.

Excellent as always, I won't fly to Australia, and back to the US on any other airline. The flight crew is always top notch, and have a way to make one feel extra special. Thank you for your service, I would rate Qantas Airways a 10+.

After already paying for excess luggage prior to flight, i was advised AT check in that i had to pay $816 or forfeit my flight! The lady at the counter was SO rude and had already started offboarding me when i said i would pay it after asking her three times for the exact amount! Have lodged a formal complaint yet heard nothing. Will not ever travel via Qantas again

A few more inches of legroom is all i ask

Business class points redemption - good value for points paid, dubious value if out of your own pocket, domestic class business product okay for this length of flight. The flight left and arrived on time, crew were good, aircraft was a bit old and tired, but still miles ahead of their competitors in Virgin and Jetstar.

Airline running better than post Covid, proper boarding process now implemented, some aircraft feeling a bit old and tired, crew fine, online experience better.

High fees for excess checked baggage and somehow ridiculous rules for carry on bags.

Flight was late, food and drink an extra charge, my carry on is five rows behind me, and the seats are too narrow. Don’t ask me to be happy about it

I bought flights in August and there wasn’t a flight in the system

Our 6.30am flight was boarded then cancelled to fly at 10.55am . We were flying to Brisbane to attend a funeral at 12 noon an hour away . This means missing the funeral due to unreliability of Virgin . Unimpressed !!

It was with Link Airways and the Saab 340 jet was noisy and little comfort.

They didn’t sent my luggage I got it 24 hours later

Plane was late and they wouldn’t check our bags through to Tokyo

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.

local frequent travellers know that Jetstar’s flights between MEL and LST are turnaround flights so those in the morning tend to run on time and become delayed increasingly through the day. We observed how the staff at check in and boarding try to assist, guide and facilitate travellers - they were courteous, efficient, amiable while enforcing Jetstar’s baggage requirements. They try to speed up boarding by having passengers board from both front and back. We would take Jetstar again.

The issue was a 4 hour delay to takeoff with very sketchy information provided about the available of the flights delay. Passengers were not informed of gate changes and how long the delay might be. It ended with a late night 2 hour drive to our home which was not ideal for elderly people.

Flight was fine with boarding starting a few minutes early. Not a fan of the crew pushing political messaging regarding indigenous naming of Brisbane city… really pushed it like I haven’t heard on Jetstar before.

Improved experience over our last years flight when also we flew local but on an international scheduled flight. The double processing is still unwelcome i.e. by security and then by border force having to produce a licence and boarding pass repeatedly on departure and return. Obviously suits the airline rather than the local traveller. The flight and crew were good though a helper on return was offhand having to push the wheel chair did the bare minimum we felt.

Flight on time. New plane. No entertainment screen just device. No offer of water. Didn’t order food.

Flight was delayed both directions but once in the air was ok. Boarding out of Melbourne is just a mess.

Although a local trip via international flight it was fairly straight forward albeit more checks than desirable for local travel. On arrival Perth collecting luggage the trollies were hidden in one end of the long hall.

80 minute delay on departure based on two no show pax; removal of checked bags. Boarding very awkward, and waiting in terminal until specific rows called (not zones). Overhead not used for boarding, but specific staff member notifying people at the top of the stairs. Numerous people noted "this is confusing" on boarding. Seats ok, but entertainment (and food, and seat selection) all at extra cost. Smooth flight, and friendly neighbours.

Over four hours late. No entertainment without paying and same for food. Asked to check in at original time even though we were told it was going to be very late leaving. Way too long time to hang around the airport. Arriving to Sydney luggage did not arrive for an hour. Had to get staff to go and find out what was going on. All this made for a very long day and night for a eight hour flight.

I was disappointed to find that the QR code for purchasing in-flight entertainment did not function, leaving me without access to the amenities I had anticipated. (both flights)

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports