⚡ Fare recorded April 25, 2026 · Prices change daily

Sydney to Cairns flights

Sydney (SYD) to Cairns (CNS): 1,226 miles (1,974 km) great-circle, about 2h 55m nonstop by our estimate. Cheapest fare observed: $276 round-trip on Qantas, nonstop, departing June 4, 2026.

QFQantasQF922
Depart
SYD
Sydney, Australia
09:45
2026-06-04
✈
Arrive
CNS
Cairns, Australia
Returns 19:10
2026-06-10
Stops
non-stop
Distance
1,226 mi
Est. nonstop time
2h 55m
Trip type
Round-trip
$276
Round-trip · per person
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About this flight

When did the cheapest Sydney to Cairns fare fly?

$276 round-trip, Qantas QF922, departing 2026-06-04 at 09:45, returning 2026-06-10. The recorded itinerary left on a Thursday, returning on a Wednesday 6 nights later; the fare was observed 40 days before departure. "Book this flight" opens Kiwi.com with the same airline and dates.

Route facts

How far is Sydney from Cairns?

  • Distance: 1,226 miles (1,974 km) great-circle, heading north.
  • Estimated nonstop flight time: about 2h 55m.
  • Departure airport: Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD), Sydney, Australia, UTC+10 on June 4, 2026.
  • Arrival: Cairns International Airport (CNS), Australia, UTC+10 on June 4, 2026.
  • Time difference: none on the recorded date.
  • Route type: domestic, within Australia.
  • Arrival airport elevation: 10 ft.
  • Recorded itinerary: Qantas QF922, non-stop, round-trip, 6 days between departure and return.
Fare comparison

How does the Sydney to Cairns fare compare with other routes from SYD?

At $276, it ranked 4th of the 30 round-trip fares we recorded from SYD (median $777). That is 22.5 cents per great-circle mile (round-trip price over one-way distance), above the SYD median of 15.3 cents across 30 round-trip routes.

Routes from SYD of similar length: Auckland (1,342 mi) at $372 and Nadi (1,969 mi) at $466.

SYD to CNS is the only one of 30 SYD routes where Qantas priced cheapest. It is the 27th longest of the 30 routes we track from SYD.

Other ways in

What did other cities pay to fly to Cairns?

Of 3 departure airports with a fare to Cairns, Sydney (SYD) ranked 2nd at $276. Lowest: $206 from Brisbane (BNE); highest: $538 from Perth (PER); 2 nonstop. Cheapest-fare airlines (routes): Jetstar (1), Qantas (1) and Virgin Australia (1).

Sources

Where do these numbers come from?

Travelpayouts fares (cheapest per route, observed April 25, 2026); OurAirports coordinates and elevations; IANA zones Australia/Sydney, Australia/Brisbane; flight time is our estimate.

FAQ

Sydney to Cairns flight questions

How far is Sydney from Cairns by plane?

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Sydney is about 1,226 miles (1,974 km) from Cairns on a great-circle line from Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) to Cairns International Airport (CNS), heading north. It is the 27th longest of the 30 routes we track from SYD. The recorded itinerary was nonstop.

How long is the flight from Sydney to Cairns?

+
About 2h 55m nonstop by our estimate for 1,226 miles (500 mph cruise plus 30 minutes, not a timetable). The recorded Qantas fare was nonstop. 3 airports in our feed had a fare to Cairns; this one ranked 2nd, and 2 of the 3 were nonstop.

What is the time difference between Sydney and Cairns?

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On June 4, 2026, Sydney was on UTC+10 (Australia/Sydney) and Cairns on UTC+10 (Australia/Brisbane), so the two cities shared the same clock time: noon in Sydney was 12:00 in Cairns. Daylight saving changes it: in mid-January 2026 the gap is Cairns 1 hour behind, in mid-July no difference.

How much is a flight from Sydney to Cairns?

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As observed on April 25, 2026: $276 per person round-trip on Qantas flight QF922, departing June 4, 2026, returning June 10, 2026, nonstop. At $276, it ranked 4th of the 30 round-trip fares we recorded from SYD (median $777). That is 22.5 cents per great-circle mile (round-trip price over one-way distance), above the SYD median of 15.3 cents across 30 round-trip routes. Prices change daily, so check the live fare.

Is there a nonstop flight from Sydney to Cairns?

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Yes, the cheapest recorded fare was a nonstop Qantas flight, QF922, on June 4, 2026. Into Cairns, 2 of the 3 recorded fares were nonstop. From SYD, 6 of 30 were. Routes from SYD of similar length: Auckland (1,342 mi) at $372 and Nadi (1,969 mi) at $466.

Which airports serve flights from Sydney to Cairns?

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It departs Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) in Sydney, Australia, and arrives at Cairns International Airport (CNS) in Cairns, Australia. A domestic Australia flight. SYD to CNS is the only one of 30 SYD routes where Qantas priced cheapest.

Where else near Cairns can you fly from Sydney?

Brisbane (BNE) $116Gold Coast (OOL) $109Melbourne (MEL) $112Nadi (NAN) $466Bali (DPS) $477Auckland (AKL) $372All flights from Sydney →

Other cities with flights to Cairns

From Brisbane (BNE) $206From Perth (PER) $538

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