Cheap Flights from Cairns (CNS) to Melbourne (MEL)

Compare Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine flight deals

Find the cheapest month or even day of the year to fly to Melbourne Tullamarine

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Flight deals from Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine

Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine? Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.

Find the cheapest month to fly from Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine

We’re always keeping an eye on fares, so you can find the best one in seconds. It looks like Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine flights are currently cheapest in November.

Direct flights from Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine

Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine: Alternative routes

Compare routes from Cairns to Melbourne below. You may find an airport to fly into that's cheaper, faster, or easier than Melbourne Tullamarine.

Cairns to Melbourne: Flight information

The things to know before you go.
Cheapest flight found$229
Cheapest month to flyNovember
Average flight time3 hrs, 28 mins
Most popular airlineQatar Airways
Average flights per week128

Finding cheap flights from Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine: Frequently asked questions

The best price we found for a return flight from Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine is $229. This is an estimate based on information collected from different airlines and travel providers over the last 4 days and is subject to change and availability.
3 hours and 28 minutes is the average flight time from Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine.
Qatar Airways, Qantas and Jetstar fly direct from Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine.
As of July 2025, there are 128 flights per week flying from Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine.
The cheapest month to fly from Cairns to Melbourne Tullamarine is usually November.
After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it's currently cheapest to fly from Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport on Thursday, 20 November 2025.
Yes – the average flight time is 3 hours and 28 minutes.
We show every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents, comparing them all so you don’t have to. If you know you want to fly to Melbourne Tullamarine but you’re not ready to book, set up a Price Alert. We’ll track prices for you, and let you know when they rise or fall.
We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to Melbourne is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.
Currently, Jetstar offers the cheapest flight tickets to Melbourne Tullamarine.

Flying from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL): what you need to know

  • Around 3 hours 30 minutes is how long you can expect to be in the air on a direct flight from Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport.

  • The timezone in Melbourne is UTC+11, which is one hour ahead of Cairns.

  • Each week, there are 70 Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport flights. If you'd like to jet off early, opt for the 06:45 Jetstar flight. If you're eager to make the most of your time before flying, the last departure is at 20:25 with Virgin Australia Regional.

  • To ensure you catch your CNS to MEL flight, allow plenty of time for things like baggage drop and finding your gate. Turning up two hours before international departures and an hour before domestic flights is the standard rule.

  • You'll likely experience longer queues during popular months such as July. Arriving up to four hours ahead of international flights and two hours for domestic departures is a smart move.

  • With direct flights from Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport available through various airlines, getting to Melbourne (and then other destinations in Australia) is a snap. Here's who you can travel nonstop with:

  • Jetstar is the most frequently booked airline on this route.

  • The most punctual carrier that offers CNS to MEL flights is Virgin Australia Regional. Its services arrive as scheduled 78.15% of the time.

  • We make it simple to book a flight with a stopover. To see all your options for tickets from Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, uncheck 'Direct flights only.' Then, choose a flight offering a stop long enough to visit your chosen city. Worthwhile stopovers between CNS and MEL include:

    • Townsville Airport

    • Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport

    • Brisbane Airport

How to find the cheapest flights from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL)

  • Currently, $99 is the lowest price we've found for a one-way Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport flight. The best price for a return plane ticket is $229. Remember that fares may change due to demand when booking.

  • To secure cheap tickets from CNS to MEL, reserve your trip four months ahead of your planned departure.

  • March is the cheapest month for flights from Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport. If you'd like to travel at a different time of year, the 'Whole month' tool will show you the lowest prices for every month.

  • Getting your hands on cheap flights from CNS to MEL is a piece of cake with Price Alerts. All you need to do is create one of these automatic alerts and we'll notify you when a new deal comes up.

  • Discover the ideal flight for you by using the filters. To see the 'Best,' 'Fastest' or 'Cheapest' flights from Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, use the 'Sort by' function. You can also filter by airline, arrival and departure times, and journey duration.

Handy information about Cairns Airport (CNS)

  • 71.55% of flights that leave from Cairns Airport land at their destination on schedule.

  • Central Cairns to Cairns Airport is approximately 6 kilometres. Depending on traffic, it'll take you about 10 minutes to get there if you're ride-sharing, catching a cab or driving.

  • You can expect a trip time of around 1 hour 25 minutes when using public transport.

  • Booked an early flight from Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport? Avoid the hassle of rushing to the terminal (and catch some extra z's) by picking one of these hotels close to CNS:

Arriving at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL)

Getting from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL) to central Melbourne

  • From Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, Melbourne is approximately 24 kilometres away. It takes around 30 minutes to reach the centre driving.

  • It takes roughly 40 minutes to get there using public transport.

When to fly to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL)

  • January is the busiest month for flights from Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport. To steer clear of the crowds, go to Melbourne in April.

  • The warmest month in Melbourne is January, with temperatures ranging between 12ºC (54ºF) and 29ºC (84ºF). Lock in your flights from Cairns Airport to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport in this month if you enjoy this type of weather.

  • If you like cooler conditions, search for a cheap ticket from CNS to MEL in July. Temperatures average between 4ºC (39ºF) and 13ºC (55ºF) then.

Explore more of Australia

  • Melbourne is always a good idea, but there are so many other parts of Australia you should also see. About 467 kilometres north-east of Melbourne, a trip to Canberra will keep your itinerary busy. Start with attractions like Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia and Parliament House.

  • Around 64 kilometres south-west of Melbourne, Geelong is another favourite stop in Australia. Get a taste of what this destination has to offer at Ford Motor Company, Roraima Nursery and RTC Resource Centre.

Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 45 days.