When is the cheapest time of year to fly to Cairns?

If you’re looking for cheap Cairns flights, you’re likely to find them from November to December and February to March. This is generally considered off-peak, as it falls during the stinger season (November to May), and the weather in Cairns is humid, with the most rainfall at this time of year. However, great deals can be found year-round, particularly when booking in advance.

What is the best time of year to book flights to Cairns?

If you want to take advantage of the dry season, the best time to book flights to Cairns is between June to September. However, for fewer crowds and more moderate airfares, the shoulder seasons of April to May and the tail end of October tick a lot of boxes. The weather is pleasant, and there are safety precautions you can take to still enjoy the water during the stinger season (November to May).

Which airlines offer direct flights to Cairns?

There are a number of airlines that fly direct to Cairns in Australia. The main ones are Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Regional Express (Rex), with availability depending on where you’re departing from. To see which airlines service your travel route, use our flights to Cairns deal finder.

Flights from Darwin (DRW) to Cairns (CNS)

Name: Cheap Flights from Darwin to Cairns
Brand: Webjet

Compare Cheap Flights from Darwin to Cairns, Australia

Looking for cheap flights to Cairns from Darwin? Use Webjet's deal finder to help you compare flights, carriers and seating classes all year round. You'll be sure to find the right flight to match your budget, plans and travel preferences.

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Departure Date				Last Updated^
Mon 04 Dec	$641* ONE WAY	Best Price $629* ONE WAY	$746* ONE WAY	30 Nov
Tue 05 Dec	$1,290* ONE WAY	Best Price $525* ONE WAY	$763* ONE WAY	30 Nov
Wed 06 Dec	Best Price $191* ONE WAY	$722* ONE WAY	$1,068* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Thu 07 Dec	Best Price $1,207* ONE WAY	$1,319* ONE WAY	$1,564* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Fri 08 Dec	Best Price $280* ONE WAY	$1,319* ONE WAY	$1,306* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Sat 09 Dec	$798* ONE WAY	Best Price $682* ONE WAY	$814* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Sun 10 Dec	Best Price $243* ONE WAY	$621* ONE WAY	$1,068* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Mon 11 Dec	Best Price $609* ONE WAY	$795* ONE WAY	$706* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Tue 12 Dec	$1,077* ONE WAY	Best Price $675* ONE WAY	$826* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Wed 13 Dec	Best Price $357* ONE WAY	$795* ONE WAY	$873* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Thu 14 Dec	$964* ONE WAY	$1,005* ONE WAY	Best Price $885* ONE WAY	30 Nov
Fri 15 Dec	Best Price $731* ONE WAY	$1,183* ONE WAY	$1,000* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Sat 16 Dec	$1,239* ONE WAY	$1,313* ONE WAY	Best Price $1,195* ONE WAY	01 Dec
Sun 17 Dec	Best Price $492* ONE WAY	$1,184* ONE WAY	$990* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Mon 18 Dec	$985* ONE WAY	$1,181* ONE WAY	Best Price $948* ONE WAY	30 Nov
Tue 19 Dec	Best Price $565* ONE WAY	$1,319* ONE WAY	$1,060* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Wed 20 Dec	Best Price $731* ONE WAY	$1,538* ONE WAY	$1,415* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Thu 21 Dec	$1,404* ONE WAY	$1,319* ONE WAY	Best Price $1,249* ONE WAY	01 Dec
Fri 22 Dec	Best Price $731* ONE WAY	$1,790* ONE WAY	$1,405* ONE WAY	01 Dec
Sat 23 Dec	$1,508* ONE WAY	$1,651* ONE WAY	Best Price $1,333* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Sun 24 Dec	Best Price $565* ONE WAY	$1,039* ONE WAY	$1,023* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Mon 25 Dec	$716* ONE WAY	$722* ONE WAY	Best Price $684* ONE WAY	01 Dec
Tue 26 Dec	Best Price $315* ONE WAY	$916* ONE WAY	$1,055* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Wed 27 Dec	Best Price $357* ONE WAY	$943* ONE WAY	$939* ONE WAY	01 Dec
Thu 28 Dec	$808* ONE WAY	Best Price $629* ONE WAY	$1,477* ONE WAY	01 Dec
Fri 29 Dec	Best Price $280* ONE WAY	$629* ONE WAY	$899* ONE WAY	02 Dec
Sat 30 Dec	Best Price $577* ONE WAY	$709* ONE WAY	-	27 Nov
Sun 31 Dec	Best Price $280* ONE WAY	$520* ONE WAY	$667* ONE WAY	30 Nov

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Departure Date
Mon 04 Dec Updated on 30 Nov	$629 $629 ONE WAY
Tue 05 Dec Updated on 30 Nov	$525 $525 ONE WAY
Wed 06 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$191 $191 ONE WAY
Thu 07 Dec Updated on 29 Nov	$1,207 $1,207 ONE WAY
Fri 08 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$280 $280 ONE WAY
Sat 09 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$682 $682 ONE WAY
Sun 10 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$243 $243 ONE WAY
Mon 11 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$609 $609 ONE WAY
Tue 12 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$675 $675 ONE WAY
Wed 13 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$357 $357 ONE WAY
Thu 14 Dec Updated on 30 Nov	$885 $885 ONE WAY
Fri 15 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$731 $731 ONE WAY
Sat 16 Dec Updated on 01 Dec	$1,195 $1,195 ONE WAY
Sun 17 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$492 $492 ONE WAY
Mon 18 Dec Updated on 30 Nov	$948 $948 ONE WAY
Tue 19 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$565 $565 ONE WAY
Wed 20 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$731 $731 ONE WAY
Thu 21 Dec Updated on 01 Dec	$1,249 $1,249 ONE WAY
Fri 22 Dec Updated on 01 Dec	$731 $731 ONE WAY
Sat 23 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$1,333 $1,333 ONE WAY
Sun 24 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$565 $565 ONE WAY
Mon 25 Dec Updated on 01 Dec	$684 $684 ONE WAY
Tue 26 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$315 $315 ONE WAY
Wed 27 Dec Updated on 01 Dec	$357 $357 ONE WAY
Thu 28 Dec Updated on 01 Dec	$629 $629 ONE WAY
Fri 29 Dec Updated on 02 Dec	$280 $280 ONE WAY
Sat 30 Dec Updated on 27 Nov	$577 $577 ONE WAY
Sun 31 Dec Updated on 30 Nov	$280 $280 ONE WAY

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*Prices on this page are subject to change without notice, perform a search to view live pricing. Prices are inclusive of taxes and airline surcharges. Additional Webjet fees per booking: Webjet Servicing Fee: Domestic $21.95, NZ $24.95, International $32.95. Booking Price Guarantee: Domestic $12.95, NZ $14.95, International $21.95. Varying payment fees are included in the price breakdown on Webjet’s checkout page, once your payment method has been selected.

Route information for flights from Darwin to Cairns

Cheapest one-way price for the current month	from $191*
Cheapest one-way price over next 6 months	from $170*
Cheapest month	May 2024
Most expensive month	May 2024
Average flight time	2h 30m

Cairns Guide

Cheap Darwin to Cairns Flights

Located in the north of Queensland, Cairns is the perfect Australian destination to escape the chill of winter and enjoy balmy 30-degree weather.

With eight flights each week from Darwin to Cairns and a total journey time of 2h 30min, you can be exploring the city in no time. Book cheap flights with either Qantas or Jetstar and use Webjet's powerful search engine to help you find the cheapest day to fly.

Ready to pack your bags and go on an adventure? Here's a quick guide to everything you need to know about flying from Darwin to Cairns without a hitch!

Departing from Darwin

Getting to Darwin Airport

The quickest way to get to the airport is with a metered taxi. A one-way trip from the CBD usually costs AUD 25-30 and has a total journey time of 15-minutes if there is no traffic.

If you're travelling on a budget, take the Darwin City Airport Shuttle. A single ticket is AUD 18, and the bus service runs 24 hours a day, 7-days a week.

Other affordable options include Buslink and the various coach and charter buses that operate to and from the airport.

Parking at Darwin Airport

There are three different parking options available at Darwin Airport:

Short Stay Car Park: For short day trips to Cairns, leave your vehicle here. The first 15-minutes are free and a full day rate costs AUD 40.
Long Stay Plus: If you're going to Cairns for a weekend trip, use this lot. The bays are only 200 meters from the terminal buildings and a three-day stay will set you back AUD 80.
Long Stay Saver: For travellers going away for a week or more, this is the best option. For a 7-day stay, you'll only end up paying AUD 99.

Arriving at Cairns Airport

Getting from Cairns Airport to Your Hotel

If you're on a tight budget, use the Airport Connect bus to get into Cairns CBD. A one-way ticket to the Sheridan Street bus stop only costs AUD 4, and from there you can catch another service into the city for AUD 2.20.

Take a metered taxi. The stands are located outside of the arrivals terminal building. You can also use the airport's free WiFi to request a ride with Uber.

Use the airport shuttle service. If you're staying at select hotels and hostels, you can get into town for as little as AUD 15-17 per person.

You'll find six car hire companies in the Arrivals Hall of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

Things to Do in Cairns

Go whitewater rafting. Cairns has some the best rapids in the country, and it's the perfect day trip for adventure junkies.
No visit to Cairns would be complete without visiting the Great Barrier Reef. Go snorkelling, book a glass bottom boat tour or become Open Water certified and explore one of the many dive sites.
Learn about the local culture at the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. You'll get to watch a traditional Quinkan spirit perform, learn how to play the didgeridoo and so much more.
Want to learn more about Australia's plants? Visit the Gondwanan Heritage Garden. A local guide will teach you how the Aboriginals have used plants over the centuries and how the country's fauna has evolved.

For information on your return flights from Cairns to Gold Darwin, visit this page.

Flights from Darwin to Cairns