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CNS

R25 180 Find cheap flights to Cairns

This is the cheapest return flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight to Cairns departing on 27/11. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
0 bags

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These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to Cairns
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to Cairns
In the last 7 days, travellers have searched 45 695 799 times on KAYAK, and here's why:

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Cheap flight deals to Cairns

 
These are the cheapest deals for flights to Cairns currently on KAYAK along with options from the most popular airlines KAYAK users selected for this route. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.

Recent return flight deals to Cairns

Recommended round-trip deals departing in the coming months from the most popular airlines that fly from South Africa to Cairns.

Recent one-way flight deals to Cairns

Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from South Africa to Cairns found on KAYAK recently.

Recent last-minute flight deals to Cairns

Leaving soon but still want a bargain? Check out these latest deals for last minute flights from South Africa to Cairns.

Recent direct flight deals to Cairns

The latest deals for direct flights from South Africa to Cairns so you can sit back and relax without the need for a layover.

Cheap bus & train deals to Cairns

Find recent round-trip train or bus tickets from South Africa to Cairns.

All round-trip flight deals to Cairns

The cheapest plane tickets to Cairns found on KAYAK recently.
Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
17:15 - 8:00JNB-CNS
30h 45m1 stop
6:40 - 14:45CNS-JNB
40h 05m1 stop
R25 180
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 27 - Tue, Jan 21
10:00 - 14:55JNB-CNS
44h 55m2 stops
11:50 - 8:35CNS-JNB
28h 45m2 stops
R25 941Etihad Airways
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 27 - Tue, Jan 21
17:15 - 8:00JNB-CNS
30h 45m1 stop
18:45 - 14:45CNS-JNB
28h 00m2 stops
R27 064
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 27 - Tue, Jan 21
13:25 - 12:05JNB-CNS
38h 40m2 stops
12:45 - 20:50CNS-JNB
40h 05m3 stops
R28 803Emirates
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 27 - Tue, Jan 21
13:25 - 12:05JNB-CNS
62h 40m3 stops
12:45 - 16:35CNS-JNB
59h 50m3 stops
R29 038Emirates
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 27 - Tue, Jan 21
13:25 - 12:05JNB-CNS
38h 40m2 stops
12:45 - 16:35CNS-JNB
59h 50m2 stops
R30 632Emirates
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 29 - Fri, Jan 17
13:25 - 12:05JNB-CNS
62h 40m3 stops
12:45 - 16:35CNS-JNB
59h 50m2 stops
R30 886Emirates
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 29 - Fri, Jan 17
13:25 - 12:05JNB-CNS
62h 40m3 stops
12:45 - 16:35CNS-JNB
59h 50m3 stops
R32 227Emirates
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 29 - Fri, Jan 17
17:15 - 11:50JNB-CNS
34h 35m1 stop
12:35 - 14:45CNS-JNB
34h 10m1 stop
R32 861Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 29 - Fri, Jan 17
17:15 - 8:00JNB-CNS
30h 45m1 stop
20:35 - 14:45CNS-JNB
26h 10m2 stops
R36 647
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 29 - Fri, Jan 17
JNB-CNS
18885 kmmulti-stop
Multiple Airlines
Find Deal
CPT-CNS
19398 kmmulti-stop
Multiple Airlines
Find Deal
17:15 - 8:00JNB-CNS
30h 45m1 stop
6:40 - 14:45CNS-JNB
40h 05m1 stop
R25 180
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 27 - Tue, Jan 21
10:00 - 14:55JNB-CNS
44h 55m2 stops
11:50 - 8:35CNS-JNB
28h 45m2 stops
R25 941Etihad Airways
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 27 - Tue, Jan 21
17:15 - 8:00JNB-CNS
30h 45m1 stop
18:45 - 14:45CNS-JNB
28h 00m2 stops
R27 064
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 27 - Tue, Jan 21
13:25 - 12:05JNB-CNS
38h 40m2 stops
12:45 - 20:50CNS-JNB
40h 05m3 stops
R28 803Emirates
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 27 - Tue, Jan 21
13:25 - 12:05JNB-CNS
62h 40m3 stops
12:45 - 16:35CNS-JNB
59h 50m3 stops
R29 038Emirates
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 27 - Tue, Jan 21
13:25 - 12:05JNB-CNS
38h 40m2 stops
12:45 - 16:35CNS-JNB
59h 50m2 stops
R30 632Emirates
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 29 - Fri, Jan 17
13:25 - 12:05JNB-CNS
62h 40m3 stops
12:45 - 16:35CNS-JNB
59h 50m2 stops
R30 886Emirates
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 29 - Fri, Jan 17
13:25 - 12:05JNB-CNS
62h 40m3 stops
12:45 - 16:35CNS-JNB
59h 50m3 stops
R32 227Emirates
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 29 - Fri, Jan 17
17:15 - 11:50JNB-CNS
34h 35m1 stop
12:35 - 14:45CNS-JNB
34h 10m1 stop
R32 861Qantas Airways
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 29 - Fri, Jan 17
17:15 - 8:00JNB-CNS
30h 45m1 stop
20:35 - 14:45CNS-JNB
26h 10m2 stops
R36 647
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 29 - Fri, Jan 17

Flights to Cairns - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights to Cairns to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest day to fly to Cairns?

The average price of all flights to Cairns clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Cairns is Sunday where tickets can be as cheap as R22 146. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where prices are R31 680 on average.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Cairns?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights to Cairns, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.
The cheapest month for flights to Cairns is February, where tickets cost R19 166 on average for one-way flights. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and September, where the average cost of tickets from South Africa is R30 125 and R26 701 respectively. For return trips, the best month to travel is August with an average price of R20 144.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Cairns?

The average price for all flights to Cairns depending on the time of departure, clicked by users on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.
The cheapest time of day to fly to Cairns is generally in the morning, when flights cost R25 270 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Cairns is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is R31 884.

Good to know

Low season

April

High season

December

Cheapest flight

R25 180
Best time to beat the crowds (2% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (15% more expensive on average)
Flight from Johannesburg to Cairns

When to book flights to Cairns

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel to Cairns based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or returns with a duration up to 40 days. The information is for flights to Cairns based on your location. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs - booking Cairns flights

  • How far is Cairns Airport from central Cairns?

    Central Cairns is 4 km away from Cairns Airport.

  • What is the name of Cairns’s airport?

    There is only 1 airport in Cairns, called Cairns Airport (CNS). It can also be referred to as Cairns or Cairns Intl.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights to Cairns?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Cairns.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket to Cairns?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Cairns is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights to Cairns?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Cairns with an airline and back with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight to Cairns?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Cairns up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Cairns

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Cairns flight deals.

Prefer to fly direct to Cairns?

Find which airlines fly direct to Cairns Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

South Africa to Cairns

Monday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +27 more

ANA, Air Canada, +28 more

Tuesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +25 more

ANA, Air Canada, +26 more

Wednesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +28 more

ANA, Air Canada, +29 more

Thursday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +26 more

ANA, Air Canada, +27 more

Friday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +28 more

ANA, Air Canada, +29 more

Saturday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +24 more

ANA, Air Canada, +25 more

Sunday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +28 more

ANA, Air Canada, +29 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Cairns to South Africa

Monday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +27 more

ANA, Air Canada, +28 more

Tuesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +25 more

ANA, Air Canada, +26 more

Wednesday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +28 more

ANA, Air Canada, +29 more

Thursday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +26 more

ANA, Air Canada, +27 more

Friday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +28 more

ANA, Air Canada, +29 more

Saturday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +24 more

ANA, Air Canada, +25 more

Sunday

ANA, Air Canada, Air France, +28 more

ANA, Air Canada, +29 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 3 airlines flying to Cairns

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying to Cairns. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline from South Africa to Cairns. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with to Cairns? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8,1
EmiratesOverall score based on 3504 reviews
8,0Comfort
7,9Food
8,1Boarding
8,2Entertainment
8,3Crew
Airline reviews

The food was amazing on our flight. So many options for movies and shows to stay entertained for 12 hours.

10,0 ExcellentHumility, Oct 2024YYZ - DXB
Read more Emirates reviews

The food was amazing on our flight. So many options for movies and shows to stay entertained for 12 hours.

A very disappointing flight on this Emirates business class. Staff were not efficient and service was not the e usual Emirates experience. Good was particularly bad with very dry chicken and drinks that I had to press call button before getting a drink as my food sat and continue to get cold.

The food options for children is limited The business class bed is not fully lie flat, and this is an uncomfortable sleep

Worst trip ever from the beginning to the end I will never travel with that airline again. I made a big mistake by not going with my regular schedule flight with Qatar airline. Even underpriced cheat me of my 134 dollars I paid for special seats and they kept my money and didn't pay the airline for the seats for me.

Excellent staff! Flights were delayed due to technical issues after everyone was boarded and we sat in the flight for almost 2 hours before taking off. Not enough vegetarian food was available despite pre-ordering. The staff did an exceptional job dealing with both the problems neither of their making.

No Vegetarian options onboard, made to wait for a long time for boarding

More than two hours delay I could not do my tax refund because of the delay to check in They lost my luggage

Plane was old and seats uncomfortable but staff were friendly and helpful

The internet connection did was not functioning as per normal.

Always my favourite airline. On time, lovely staff, clean comfortable seats. Well done

The seats were more narrow than at other lines. Food was mediocre (economy class)

The crew have great customer service but their economy seating isn’t the most comfortable for a 220lbs+ guy and the food wasn’t bad, but wasn’t exceptional, either.

Food option Hindu veg to Hindu non veg request was unheard

Service excellent would chose Singapore airlines as my first choice

The staff were amazing and very kind. The seats recline a little too far back and are up close when sitting behind.

We flew business class. It was excellent. For a 6’4” individual, the seats were slightly uncomfortable for sleeping. But this is only comparison to other business class seats. Otherwise, the crew was incredibly attentive, And the service was impeccable.

My groups frequent flyer star allianceUnited airline miles was not accepted. The Singapore premium economy bag had to be requested, it was very lacking- no toothbrush. I paid more than double than economy but could only use the bathrooms sharing with economy which was hardly available and had to wait in line. Is the 2X $ worth it just for a larger seat???? It is questionable. Seats were not that comfortable. My husband’s seat had white stains on it- had to wipe it down. Our headphones did not have covers on it. Food- way too much.

The booking experience was bad. Our six character booking ID number disappeared the day before the flight, We could not find out what happened or what was the status of our flight, scheduled for the next day. We finally found the right number to contact Singapore Airlines on the matter (not easy). The Singapore agent worked through the issue in a little over thirty minutes on the phone, the day before the flight. That was great. I'm very happy with Singapore Airlines and their performance. Contact with a competent person on the matter was near impossible. It seems no one in business these days wants to deal with customers once they've pocketed the money. There were resellers, including Kayak, involved in the chain. When we finally got through to Underpricer, we did get a return call that could have proved helpful. But by that time the matter had been resolved by the Singapore agent. Majestic Vacations, the reseller who received the payment was less than worthless. That's just a fast buck operation. Ugh.

Fantastic patience when one of the passengers behind me was an absolute horrible, horrible person and the girls just kept smiling and doing their job with patience and kindness. Well, done to the crew.

It was a middle of the night changeover, so we were all ready for sleep. Staff were helpful and managed a few hours sleep. Food options were good.

It was very nice. I will try to fly with Qantas whenever I can.

Terrible. 6 hour delay with no explanations and only 15 dollars in food credits. A disaster. I'll just leave it at that.

Much better than I expected for such a long flight.

Flight was cancelled about 1.5 hours before departure. Replacement flight provided scheduled 1 hour later. Late boarding, late departure and arrived Melbourne nearly 2 hours after originally scheduled.

Good - better than other airlines in terms of food and seat comfort.

It’s a very long flight and there are so many people on board. Perhaps a warm washcloth now and then to freshen up

The crew was very helpful to my family, especially when my daughter became sick during the flight. Will fly with them again.

Too many passengers are bringing on too many large items as part of carry on baggage where it should be checked in. This is not the fault of Qantas but the stupid mindset passengers have now about trying to bring anything and everything on as carry on luggage where it should be checked in.

Better than expected, normally I don't use this airline because they are too expensive for me, but if you can afford it, good on you, you won't regret it. Regards.

The flight was delayed over 2 hours. We had to wait on the plane and the air conditioning was turned off. The food was average and the cutlery was wooden!

Book Cheap Cairns Plane Tickets

Recent return flight deals

 
These are the cheapest return flights to Cairns found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
27/11Wed
1 stop
30h 45mJNB-CNS
21/1Tue
1 stop
40h 05mCNS-JNB
R25 180
27/11Wed
2 stopsEtihad Airways
44h 55mJNB-CNS
21/1Tue
2 stopsEtihad Airways
28h 45mCNS-JNB
R25 941
27/11Wed
1 stop
30h 45mJNB-CNS
21/1Tue
2 stops
28h 00mCNS-JNB
R27 064
27/11Wed
2 stopsEmirates
38h 40mJNB-CNS
21/1Tue
3 stopsEmirates
40h 05mCNS-JNB
R28 803
27/11Wed
3 stopsEmirates
62h 40mJNB-CNS
21/1Tue
3 stopsEmirates
59h 50mCNS-JNB
R29 038
29/11Fri
2 stopsEmirates
38h 40mJNB-CNS
17/1Fri
2 stopsEmirates
59h 50mCNS-JNB
R30 632
29/11Fri
3 stopsEmirates
62h 40mJNB-CNS
17/1Fri
2 stopsEmirates
59h 50mCNS-JNB
R30 886
29/11Fri
3 stopsEmirates
62h 40mJNB-CNS
17/1Fri
3 stopsEmirates
59h 50mCNS-JNB
R32 227
29/11Fri
1 stopQantas Airways
34h 35mJNB-CNS
17/1Fri
1 stopQantas Airways
34h 10mCNS-JNB
R32 861
29/11Fri
1 stop
30h 45mJNB-CNS
17/1Fri
2 stops
26h 10mCNS-JNB
R36 647

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One-way flight deals

multi-stopMultiple Airlines
18885 kmJNB-CNS
multi-stopMultiple Airlines
19398 kmCPT-CNS

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Everything you need to know for your flight to Cairns

Information on the airport you'll fly into in Cairns