$118 Find Cheap Flights from Cairns to Melbourne - Compare and Save

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from Cairns to Melbourne Airport:

• Earliest: departs at 7:45 am and lands at 11:13 am
• Latest: departs at 11:55 pm and lands at 3:23 am.

The flight takes about 3h 28m.

Two cabin classes are available on flights from Cairns to Melbourne Airport:

• Economy Class
• Business Class

A nonstop flight from Cairns to Melbourne Airport takes 3h 28m, covering 1,436 miles.

No, a passport is not required for this domestic route, but you will need a real ID-compliant driver's license, a state ID or another TSA-accepted form of identification.

Round-trip flights from Cairns to Melbourne Airport range from $197 to $305, with an average of $239 over the past 12 months. Anything below $197 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 29% above the $239 route average. Book 22 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, nonstop flights are cheaper than layover options on average. Nonstop fares average $233 round-trip, compared to $381 via a layover through Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD).

Qantas Airways is slightly above the route average for timely arrivals, while Jetstar has a lower on-time arrival rate. On-time arrival rates on Cairns to Melbourne Airport flights are:

• Qantas Airways: 85% on time
• Jetstar: 83% on time
• Virgin Australia: 82% on time

Overall, flights on this route are punctual 83% of the time on average.

There is no standard. Checked-bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge $30–$100 for the first checked bag in economy. Premium fares and elite-status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Boeing 737-800 Passenger/BBJ2 (winglets) family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia. Other aircraft seen on the route include Airbus A320-100/200 variants.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Cairns to Melbourne Airport flights, with 67% of flights leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 17%, evening flights for 16%, and night flights for 0%.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, round-trip prices on this route showed a wide range, from about $201 to $1,129. That means the highest observed fare was about 6x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from Cairns to Melbourne Airport are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $135, which is 17% below the typical average for this route.

Melbourne Airport (MEL) hosts 5 major car rental companies, with daily rates averaging $42 for economy cars. Top options include:

• Bargain Car Rentals
• East Coast Car Rentals
• EverythingFleet
• Ace Rental Cars
• Simba Car Hire

Flights from Cairns to Melbourne Airport usually depart from Cairns (CNS) and arrive at Melbourne (MEL).

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route, while evening departures tend to have the most.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the Cairns to Melbourne Airport route, 17% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 1h 39m.

Connecting flights from Cairns to Melbourne Airport most commonly pass through:

• Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD) - 75% of one-stop connections
• Brisbane (BNE) - 25% of one-stop connections

Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 15% on flights from Cairns to Melbourne Airport. Wednesday is the cheapest departure day at $227 round-trip on average, while Monday is the most expensive at $264, a difference of $37.

KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

3 airlines operate flights between Cairns and Melbourne Airport. The airlines offering nonstop flights on this route include:

• Jetstar
• Virgin Australia
• Qantas Airways

Flying via Brisbane (BNE) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 5h 32m, compared with 6h 38m via Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD).

Melbourne Airport is 1 hour ahead of Cairns (Eastern Australia Time vs Eastern Australia Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Some of the most popular sights in Melbourne Airport are Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Cricket Ground and Crown Casino. These are among the most viewed places in Melbourne Airport on KAYAK.

Among airlines operating Cairns to Melbourne Airport flights:

• Virgin Australia: offers free seat selection

Extra legroom and free seat selection availability depends on fare class and route.

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• Jetstar: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class
• Virgin Australia: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class
• Qantas Airways: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route and airline, so always check the fare details before booking.

SkyBus offers express bus services between Melbourne Airport and the city centre that take 40min and cost around A$ 15 for a one-way trip. Taxi ranks can be found at all terminals. A trip to the city centre will take 30min and cost around A$ 40, with an additional fee for airport pickups. Rideshare services also have dedicated pickup points. If you prefer to hire a car, a number of leading car rental companies are conveniently located opposite Terminal 2.

If you are driving to Cairns Airport, you can leave your vehicle safely at the airport for the duration of your trip. Whether you’re visiting Melbourne for a weekend getaway, a week-long trip or planning an extended stay, travellers can get great savings on short and long-term parking if you pre-book online. Parking rates start from about A$ 77 per week.

Yes, there are direct flights to Melbourne from Cairns. A number of airlines, including Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia offer direct flights along the route from tropical Northern Queensland to Melbourne. Some flights also have a layover in Sydney or Brisbane.