Cheap flights from Melbourne to Cairns from $143

The cheapest month to fly to Cairns from Melbourne is in February. Flight prices, which tend to average around $247, are often lower during this time because this is during the off-season. If you are unable to visit Cairns during the month of February, then departing from Melbourne during the month March is also very affordable. Most momondo users find prices during this month for around $279.

According to our data, Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly to Cairns from Melbourne. The lowest ticket price found for a Tuesday departure recently was $339. Keep in mind that prices can always vary depending on your route and whether or not you are flying domestic or international. If your travel schedule is flexible, try to avoid departing on a Sunday because tickets tend to average around $390. These prices are subject to change though, so be sure to set up a Price Alert for flights to Cairns.

In the evening is the cheapest time of day to fly from Melbourne to Cairns when you can find flight prices for as low as $290. Flying to Cairns in the evening is an ideal time because this is during off-peak travel hours. If you have a flexible travel schedule, then try to avoid flying at midday when prices are $478 on average. Flights to Cairns from Melbourne at midday are generally more expensive because this time of day is more convenient for travellers’ schedules.

Fly from Melbourne to Cairns for the best Melbourne - Cairns flight prices

You are more likely to see cheaper flights to Cairns from Melbourne when booking weeks ahead of your departure date. In general, you can expect to find flights to Cairns for around $331 when searching weeks before you fly. However, flight prices might be lower outside of this timeframe. For example, people recently found flights to Cairns from Melbourne for as low as $278 on momondo.

There are 3 cabin classes available to choose from on Melbourne to Cairns flights. Cabin price and availability will vary by airline so perform a search above to find the right deals for you.

Jetstar and Virgin Australia are the most popular carriers operating from Melbourne to Cairns

Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Qantas Airways are the top three most popular airlines that fly to Cairns from Melbourne according to our data. Jetstar is the first choice among our users, with 70% of people opting to fly with this airline when travelling to Cairns. Keep in mind that there are 3 different airlines that fly to Cairns on a routine basis, so you have a few additional options to choose from.

Historically, on average around 19% of flights between Melbourne and Cairns have experienced a delay on any given week. The average delay length over the past 12 months has been 112 minutes.

Generally, flights departing at night tend to experience fewer delays. Flights departing in the evening have, in the past, seen delays more frequently in comparison.

Saturday is statistically the day of the week that experiences the fewest delays on this flight route. Wednesday has historically seen more delays on average compared to the rest of the week.

According to our data, Virgin Australia have had the fewest delays on this route over the last 12 months, with about 13% of their flights experiencing any sort of delay.

As of September 2026, there are 28 flights per day flying from Melbourne to Cairns. The most common time of day flights depart is 08:00, with 65% of flights taking off at midday.

199 flights are operational weekly from Melbourne to Cairns as of September 2026. The most popular departure day for this route is Sat, with 18% of flights per week taking off on this day.