Cheap flights from Darwin to Cairns

Flights overview

Useful information for finding cheap flights from Darwin to Cairns and booking your next trip
Cheapest round-trip flights $421
Jetstar 1 stop 13 hr Sat, Apr 25 — Mon, Apr 27
The cheapest round-trip flight from Darwin to Cairns is currently $421
Cheapest one-way flight $195
Jetstar 1 stop 13 hr Thu, May 7
The cheapest one-way flight from Darwin to Cairns is currently $195
Cheapest nonstop flights $520
Qantas Nonstop 3 hr Sat, Apr 25 — Sun, Apr 26
The cheapest nonstop round-trip flight from Darwin to Cairns is currently $520
Last-minute weekend getaway $555
Jetstar 1 stop 15 hr Sat, Apr 18 — Mon, Apr 20
The cheapest last-minute weekend getaway from Darwin to Cairns is currently $555
Cheapest business class flights $1,023
Qantas Nonstop 3 hr Thu, May 28 — Sun, May 31
The cheapest business class round-trip flight from Darwin to Cairns is currently $1,023
Fastest flight 2 hr 30 min The fastest nonstop flight from Darwin to Cairns takes 2 hr 30 min
Nonstop flights Every day There are direct flights on this route every day.

When is the cheapest time to fly?

The cheapest month to fly from Darwin to Cairns is typically June. The most expensive month to fly is typically October.
June
Cheapest
Typical prices: $415–610
October
Most expensive
Typical prices: $510–740

Popular airlines from Darwin to Cairns

  • Qantas
    Nonstop
    from $520
    Typical price: $550–830
    9 weekly nonstop flights
    DRW - CNS Every day
    139 weekly connecting flights
    DRW - CNS Every day
  • Virgin Australia
    from $498
    Typical price: $495–900
    107 weekly connecting flights
    DRW - CNS Every day
  • Jetstar
    from $421
    Typical price: $475–830
    80 weekly connecting flights
    DRW - CNS Every day
  • AIRNORTH
    from $812
    Typical price: $630–1,100
    21 weekly connecting flights
    DRW - CNS Every day

Popular airports near Darwin

  • Darwin International Airport (DRW)
    Darwin Australia 16 min 4 mi
  • Katherine Airport (KTR)
    Katherine Australia 3 hr 26 min 175 mi

Popular airports near Cairns

  • Cairns Airport (CNS)
    Cairns Australia 9 min 2 mi
  • Townsville Airport (TSV)
    Townsville City Australia 4 hr 3 min 173 mi
  • Cooktown Airport (CTN)
    Cooktown Australia 3 hr 57 min 109 mi

Frequently asked questions about flying from Darwin to Cairns

The cheapest flights from Darwin to Cairns are usually in June. Typical ticket prices in June range from $415 to $610.
The cheapest round-trip flight from Darwin to Cairns recently found on Google Flights was with Jetstar from $421. The cheapest one-way flight was with Jetstar from $195.

Some of the cheapest round-trip deals we found with different airlines:
  • The cheapest Qantas flight from Darwin to Cairns is $520, flying from Apr 25 to Apr 26.
  • The cheapest Virgin Australia flight from Darwin to Cairns is $498, flying from Jul 9 to Jul 12.
  • The cheapest Jetstar flight from Darwin to Cairns is $421, flying from Apr 25 to Apr 27.
  • The cheapest AIRNORTH flight from Darwin to Cairns is $812, flying from Jul 2 to Jul 5.
The cheapest round-trip flight from Darwin to Cairns starts at $421 from Sat, Apr 25 to Mon, Apr 27. The cheapest one-way flight starts at $195 and departs on Thu, May 7.
2 hr 30 min is the shortest flight time from Darwin to Cairns.
Winter (Jun–Aug) is when most people visit Cairns. Apr–Oct is peak visibility time for divers, and whale-watching season is roughly Jun–Sep. Summer (Dec–Feb) can be hot and humid, and the monsoonal wet season is Nov–Apr.
It's easy to use Google Flights to find the cheapest days to fly from Darwin to Cairns.
Just click the Departure label near the top of the page to open the calendar. Choose a start date and a return date to see how the round-trip fare changes on those specific days.
Adjust the trip type to see one-way fares. The cheapest available flights are highlighted and easy to spot. Once you settle on dates, click the Search button to see flight options and book the deal.

You can also turn on price tracking to get alerts if the price changes for a route or flight.
What counts as the best airline for your flights from Darwin to Cairns really depends on your individual needs. You may have a favorite carrier or a loyalty program you like, but price, convenience, and airports served also come into play. Flexibility and booking terms – Can you change flights if you want to stay longer or get a refund if you have to postpone your trip? – are also factors that help determine which airline is best to fly from Darwin to Cairns.

In terms of nonstop flights, Qantas is the most popular. Qantas offers 9 nonstop flights and 139 connecting flights per week. Qantas flies from Darwin International Airport (DRW) to Cairns Airport (CNS) .

Other popular airlines flying from Darwin to Cairns are:
  • Virgin Australia offers 107 connecting flights per week. Virgin Australia flies from Darwin International Airport (DRW) to Cairns Airport (CNS) .
  • Jetstar offers 80 connecting flights per week. Jetstar flies from Darwin International Airport (DRW) to Cairns Airport (CNS) .
  • AIRNORTH offers 21 connecting flights per week. AIRNORTH flies from Darwin International Airport (DRW) to Cairns Airport (CNS) .
The number of connecting flights refers to distinct flights with at least one stop between Darwin and Cairns.
The cheapest round-trip flight from Darwin to Cairns recently found on Google Flights was with Jetstar from $421. The cheapest one-way flight was with Jetstar from $195.

Some of the cheapest round-trip deals we found with different airlines:
  • The cheapest Qantas flight from Darwin to Cairns is $520, flying from Apr 25 to Apr 26.
  • The cheapest Virgin Australia flight from Darwin to Cairns is $498, flying from Jul 9 to Jul 12.
  • The cheapest Jetstar flight from Darwin to Cairns is $421, flying from Apr 25 to Apr 27.
  • The cheapest AIRNORTH flight from Darwin to Cairns is $812, flying from Jul 2 to Jul 5.
Qantas flies direct from Darwin to Cairns.
  • There are 9 Qantas direct flights from Darwin to Cairns per week. Flights are available every day.
Use the Stops filter while searching for flights, to see only nonstop options in your results.
The cheapest last-minute deal between Darwin and Cairns at price $555 is offered by Jetstar from Sat, Apr 18 to Mon, Apr 20.
Qantas flies direct from Darwin to Cairns.
  • There are 9 Qantas direct flights from Darwin to Cairns per week. Flights are available every day.
Use the Stops filter while searching for flights, to see only nonstop options in your results.
There are direct flights from Darwin to Cairns on a daily basis.
The cheapest direct (nonstop) round-trip flights between Darwin and Cairns start at $520 from Sat, Apr 25 to Sun, Apr 26 with Qantas.
It's easy to find nonstop flights with Google Flights! Once you've searched for flights from Darwin to Cairns, just select the nonstop flights only option in the 'Stops’ filter in the search form and view all available direct flights and their prices.
The cheapest business class round-trip flights between Darwin and Cairns start at $1,023 from Thu, May 28 to Sun, May 31 with Qantas.
The cheapest economy class round-trip flights between Darwin and Cairns start at $421 from Sat, Apr 25 to Mon, Apr 27.
To book business class trips from Darwin to Cairns, look for the default Economy selection at the top, and change it to your desired cabin class such as Premium Economy, Business Class, or First Class. You can then select your departure and arrival dates, consider available options, and book your business travel.

You can also adjust the trip type to view one-way fares.
The best last-minute getaway deal for the next weekend between Darwin and Cairns starts at $555 from Sat, Apr 18 to Mon, Apr 20 with Jetstar.
The cheapest last-minute deal between Darwin and Cairns at price $555 is offered by Jetstar from Sat, Apr 18 to Mon, Apr 20.
To find last-minute flight deals from Darwin to Cairns, start by entering the city names, select the desired departure and return dates, and hit the Search button to view flight options.

You can check for last-minute flights for the same day or adjust the trip type to see one-way fares.

Search more flights

Popular trips from Darwin

  1. Singapore
    $483
    Apr 16 — Apr 20
    Nonstop 4 hr 50 min Qantas
  2. London
    $1,434
    Jun 11 — Jun 14
    2 stops 34 hr 40 min British Airways, JAL, Qantas
  3. Sydney
    $289
    May 14 — May 18
    Nonstop 4 hr 25 min Jetstar
  4. Paris
    $1,546
    May 14 — May 17
    2 stops 27 hr 25 min Air France, Emirates, Qantas

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