Flights from Cairns to Sydney

Tips for First-Time Travellers to Sydney

If your Cairns to Sydney flights are taking you to Sydney for the first time, you are in for an exciting holiday! As the largest city in Australia, Sydney is teeming with culture, history, and adventure. If you aren’t used to big cities, booking Cairns to Sydney flights can seem a bit daunting at first, but some easy tips will have you fitting in like a local in no time.

Public transport is the most affordable and practical way to explore when you’ve booked Cairns to Sydney flights. In order to take public transport, you can obtain an Opal transport card from various outlets, including supermarkets and convenience stores. Not including the top-up amount, Opal cards are free for visitors with cheap flights to Sydney from Cairns. They’ll also save you 20% compared to Opal ticket fares. Tap the card onto the card reader when boarding, and tap off when you reach your destination. The maximum Opal card charge is $15 per day, but only $2.50 AUD on Sundays. Opal cards can be used throughout the Sydney area, including Sydney Airport (SYD) and even as far out as the Blue Mountains!

If you are planning a night out when you’ve purchased Cairns to Sydney flights, be aware of the city’s lockout laws. Bars and nightclubs close their doors to new guests at 1:30am. If you are planning to bar hop from one place to the next, make sure you’re in your final destination by that time. Bars in central Sydney also close for the night at 3am.

In order to see many of Sydney’s top attractions in a short amount of time when you’ve booked flights Cairns to Sydney, take a walk along Sydney Harbour. Popular spots you can visit along the harbour when you have flights Cairns to Sydney include the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour, the Rocks, and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Sydney is well-known for its beaches, and there are lots of beaches to choose from for visitors with tickets to Sydney from Cairns. For a glamorous tourist experience, head to the famous Bondi Beach in eastern Sydney. For a more laid-back local spot, catch the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly Beach in northern Sydney. Some other beautiful beaches when you book cheap flights to Sydney from Cairns include Cronulla, Coogee Beach, and Palm Beach.

Best Things to Do on Weekends

Sydneysiders love a good festival, and you’ll often be able to find a festival or market when you book cheap flights Cairns to Sydney during the weekend. The Chinatown Friday Night Market is held each week, allowing visitors to sample a variety of Chinese street food. Other weekend markets and festivals rotate all the time and can showcase everything from food and wine to comedy and live music.

With a daily cap of just $2.50 on public transport, Sundays are the perfect opportunity for visitors with cheap flights Cairns to Sydney to take a day trip out of the city. While the Blue Mountains are only about an hour from central Sydney on the train, they offer a completely different experience for visitors with Cairns to Sydney return flights. The Blue Mountains cover a vast area and are known for being one of the largest canyons in the world. Throughout the Blue Mountains, there are a variety of hikes, waterfalls, and a never-ending supply of gorgeous views. To reach the Blue Mountains, catch the train to Katoomba, which is in the heart of the Blue Mountains. From there, you could walk to a few of the major attractions or catch the Hop On Hop Off bus throughout the region.

Travelling with Children

Booking tickets to Sydney from Cairns is a great way to start a family holiday. There are lots of activities to keep visitors of all ages entertained. For a day out that will delight both the adults and kids, head to one of Sydney’s many beaches. Surfing lessons geared toward children are available at several beaches around Sydney, including Manly Beach and Bondi Beach. The main beaches are also steps away from cafes and restaurants that are perfect for a family lunch or an afternoon ice cream.

To get up close and personal with some native Australian animals when you book flights Cairns to Sydney, catch the ferry from Circular Quay to the Taronga Zoo in northern Sydney. While the zoo features animals from all over the world, it is an especially great place to learn more about kangaroos, koalas, and the endangered Corroboree frogs. Other popular animals to see include lions, giraffes, elephants, and chimpanzees. Several family ticket packages are available, starting at $80 for a family of three and $118 for a family of four. Children under the age of four are able to visit the zoo with their family at no extra charge.

For another family-friendly day of animal encounters, head to the SEA LIFE Aquarium in Darling Harbour. While visiting the aquarium, you can observe a variety of fish and sea creatures, including penguins, sharks, tropical reef fish, and sea turtles. Various talks and feeding times are held about every 30 minutes throughout the day, allowing visitors to learn more about the fish and sea animals they are viewing. Tickets to visit the aquarium cost $46 for adults and $33 for children, while children under four can visit for free. However, if you book in advance, you can save up to 20% on ticket rates.

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

Sydney video guide