$101 Find Cheap Flights from Sydney to Cairns - Compare and Save

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

• Earliest: departs at 6:10 am and lands at 9:16 am
• Latest: departs at 8:30 pm and lands at 11:36 pm.

The flight takes about 3h 06m.

Two cabin classes are available on flights from Sydney to Cairns:

• Economy Class
• Business Class

A nonstop flight from Sydney to Cairns takes 3h 06m, covering 1,224 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 Sydney to Cairns range from $195 to $330, with an average of $247 over the past 12 months. Anything below $195 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 27% above the $247 route average. Book 11 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, nonstop flights are cheaper than layover options on average. Nonstop fares average $243 round-trip, compared to $365 via a layover through Brisbane (BNE).

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

• Virgin Australia: 89% on time
• Jetstar: 83% on time
• Qantas Airways: 82% on time

Overall, flights on this route are punctual 85% of the time on average.

There is no standard. Checked-bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge $20–$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 Virgin Australia and Qantas Airways. Other aircraft seen on the route include Airbus A320-100/200 variants.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Sydney to Cairns flights, with 56% of flights leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 33%, evening flights for 11%, 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 $181 to $1,437. That means the highest observed fare was about 8x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from Sydney to Cairns are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $125, which is 12% below the typical average for this route.

Cairns Airport (CNS) hosts 5 major car rental companies, with daily rates starting from around $12 for economy cars. Top options include:

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

Flights from Sydney to Cairns usually depart from Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD) and arrive at Cairns (CNS).

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 Sydney to Cairns route, 15% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2h 13m.

Most connecting flights from Sydney to Cairns pass through Brisbane (BNE), which handles 100% of one-stop traffic on this route.

Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 10% on flights from Sydney to Cairns. Sunday is the cheapest departure day at $234 round-trip on average, while Saturday is the most expensive at $258, a difference of $24.

Cheaper weekend fares like these are typical of routes dominated by weekday business travel.

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

• Jetstar
• Virgin Australia
• Qantas Airways

Cairns is 1 hour behind Sydney (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 Cairns are Cairns Convention Centre and Reef Hotel Casino. These are among the most viewed places in Cairns on KAYAK.

Among airlines operating Sydney to Cairns flights:

• Virgin Australia: offers free seat selection
• Qantas Airways: offers extra legroom; 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.

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.

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.

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.