Flights from Sydney to Cairns (SYD to CNS)

Travel Restrictions Between Sydney and Cairns

Travelling domestically has changed due to the evolving situation with COVID-19. Before you take off on a flight from Sydney to Cairns, you need to do a little planning and preparation. It's important understand if there are any potential border restrictions or additional quarantine requirements set by the Queensland Government on travellers from Sydney.

Before you book, make sure to check for airline and government restrictions. Things can change quickly, so you should double-check every time — even if you've travelled between Sydney and Cairns recently. It's important that you comply with all airline and government travel requirements. Find more information regarding domestic travel restrictions, visit our COVID-19 Travel Hub.

Airport Information Between Sydney (SYD) and Cairns (CNS)

Departing Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD)

Located only 8km from Sydney CBD, Kingsford Smith Airport is the primary airport for Sydney. It is easily accessed by a convenient and regular train service between any City Circle train station and the Domestic Airport station. Use your Opal Card for the service, or tap on and off with your Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit or debit card.

You can also commute to Sydney Airport via shuttle or public bus, taxi or rideshare services. Alternatively, you can always drive yourself and utilise the airport parking options available — though they can be expensive if you plan on parking there for several days. Outside of peak-hour, the drive is approximately 25-minutes from the centre of Sydney CBD to Kingsford Smith. However, the ramps and roads can become highly congested with taxis, rideshares and other vehicles in peak hour — so make sure you allow more time for the commute during these times and aim to arrive at the airport around 1-hour before your scheduled domestic depature.

If you’re travelled with checked luggage, we recommend that you arrive at Sydney Airport at least 60 minutes prior to your flight time. Check-in is at least 45 minutes prior departure for most airlines and waiting times in queues can get extremely long if you need to weigh and check-in bags. This should also allow you enough spare time to grab a coffee or food on your way to the departure gate without feeling too rushed.

Arriving at Cairns Airport (CNS)

Flying from Sydney to Cairns Airport takes around 3 hours when flying direct, but may take longer if you fly with a stopover in another city.

The Cairns CBD is around 6 kilometres from Cairns Airport. Commute options include taxi and rideshare, shuttle bus services, hotel transfers, limousine, and car hire. Car hire, rideshare and limo service prices can vary quite a lot depending on the time of day and year. The approximate cost of a taxi to the Cairns CBD is around $25–30 and $65 to get to Palm Cove. A bus transfer can take anywhere from 20–40 minutes and will cost around $16.

The Cheapest Time to Fly to Cairns from Sydney

When flying from Sydney to Cairns, the time of year and day of the week that you fly often plays a significant role in the price of a ticket. Hot tip: you can save money and find the cheapest flight deal by searching for a flight in the afternoon late in the week (when the fewest people tend to be looking and when airlines are looking to offload excess tickets). Flying from Sydney to Cairns on a Thursday will typically mean slightly higher prices than an early-week or weekend flight.

Booking a flight at a time that works for you doesn’t mean you can’t still get a great deal. By comparing flights from all major carriers at one place with Webjet, you can mix and match return tickets for a better price and more conveniently than booking through multiple airline websites.

The Cost of Accomodation and Travel When Visiting Cairns from Sydney

When you book Sydney to Cairns flights through Webjet, you can also use Webjet to book your hotel in Cairns or the Northern Beaches. While there are some high-end hotel options available, the average price of a hotel in the city centre is about $150 AUD per night. There are also lots of great spots outside the CBD to stay at including: Cairns North, Ellis Beach, Kuranda, and Palm Cove.

If you are looking to explore the Cairns area outside the CBD, you’ll also want a rental car. When you book through Webjet, you can hire a rental car from Cairns Airport (CNS) starting at about $30 AUD per day.

Things to Do in Cairns with Children

Cairns is a fantastic location to visit with your family from Sydney. Cairns is full of natural wonder and beauty, with lots of outdoor adventure on offer — it's even considered the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest of North Queensland. If you're looking for some holiday inspiration, check out these 9 amazing things to see and do in Cairns. 

In the meantime, here are some other great things to do with the kids:

Visit Cairns Esplanade Lagoon

Although Cairns is located on the coast, swimming in the ocean is often unsafe due to jellyfish and crocodiles. However, the locals of Cairns came up with a creative way for travellers to beat the heat when you book flights to Cairns. The Lagoon is a man-made beach on the Cairns Esplanade. It’s complete with a sandy beach, swimmable water, and gorgeous views of the ocean. The Lagoon is located near many of the CBD’s top restaurants and is a favourite among families who book Sydney to Cairns flights.

Explore Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park

In order to teach your family more about the Aboriginal culture and explore the natural beauty of North Queensland, pay a visit to the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park after your flights Sydney to Cairns. Tjapukai shares the history and culture of the Djabugay Aboriginal people. When your family has tickets to Cairns from Sydney, you can experience and take part in different aspects of Djabugay culture. This includes traditional dances, fire-making ceremonies, jewellery making, and trying authentic Djabugay food.

Ride the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

For an aerial view of the rainforest, take the family for an unforgettable ride on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. When you book cheap flights Sydney to Cairns, ride the Skyrail for a unique perspective over the world’s oldest continually surviving tropical rainforest. In addition to seeing views of the rainforest, visitors with Sydney to Cairns return flights can learn more about the area’s history from a local ranger and enjoy hands-on activities at the Rainforest Discovery Zone. A round-trip journey on the Skyrail takes about two and a half hours.

Enjoy Kuranda Scenic Railway

If you’re looking for a spectacular view of the rainforest without the dizzying heights, plan to ride the Kuranda Scenic Railway when you have cheap flights to Cairns from Sydney. The railway was originally built in 1882 to connect Cairns with the town of Kuranda. This attraction winds its way through the rainforests of the Cairns region, offering breathtaking outlooks of the forests and waterfalls. When you ride the railway following your Sydney to Cairns flights, the trip is accompanied by commentary with facts about the rainforest and Dreamtime stories about the area.

Take a Day Trip to Green Island

Green Island is a small island off the coast of Cairns and makes for a great day trip when you have Sydney to Cairns flights. One of the main attractions on Green Island is snorkelling among coral, colourful fish and sea turtles. When you have flights Sydney to Cairns, you can also visit Green Island for Marineland Melanesia. This attraction is the world’s only coral cay with crocodiles swimming in it. View the crocodiles, including Cassius who has called Marineland Melanesia home for the past 30 years and is the world’s largest crocodile in captivity.

How Much Time to Spend in Cairns

If you are looking for a short holiday or a long weekend getaway, booking flights from Sydney to Cairns is a great first step in your plans. Spend a day exploring the city, another on the Great Barrier Reef, and then a day trip north of the city to the Daintree Rainforest and Port Douglas. If you've got a bit longer but you're flexible with dates, you can find lots of cheap flights from Sydney to Cairns during cooler months to stay for a week or more. Cairns is also a great stop-over point if you want to explore more of Australia's northern cities, with great deals on flights from Cairns to Darwin. 

If Sydney's home, you can compare and book airlines and flights from Cairns to Sydney with Webjet.

Compare and Book Flights with Webjet

To find the best deal on a flight that suits your needs and budget, compare and book your flights with Webjet. Webjet compares a range of flights from a large pool of different airlines, so you can mix and match flights to get the best price. Webjet is Australian-owned, secure, offers a wide range of payment options including AfterPay, and has award-winning customer service.
 

Book your flights from Sydney to Cairns with Webjet today!