Cheap Flights from Cairns (CNS) to Townsville (TSV)

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Flight deals from Cairns to Townsville

Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport? If you want to travel next month, return fares start from $337. Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.

Townsville.$333 per passenger.Departing Tue, 10 Nov, returning Tue, 17 Nov.Return flight with Regional Express.Outbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Cairns on Tue, 10 Nov, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Townsville on Tue, 17 Nov, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $333, select.

Townsville.$337 per passenger.Departing Tue, 18 Aug, returning Tue, 25 Aug.Return flight with Regional Express.Outbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Cairns on Tue, 18 Aug, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Townsville on Tue, 25 Aug, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $337, select.

Townsville.$339 per passenger.Departing Thu, 24 Sep, returning Tue, 10 Nov.Return flight with Regional Express.Outbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Cairns on Thu, 24 Sep, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Townsville on Tue, 10 Nov, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $339, select.

Townsville.$347 per passenger.Departing Thu, 10 Sep, returning Sun, 13 Sep.Return flight with Regional Express.Outbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Cairns on Thu, 10 Sep, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Townsville on Sun, 13 Sep, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $347, select.

Townsville.$350 per passenger.Departing Thu, 30 Jul, returning Sun, 2 Aug.Return flight with Regional Express.Outbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Cairns on Thu, 30 Jul, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Townsville on Sun, 2 Aug, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $350, select.

Townsville.$367 per passenger.Departing Thu, 1 Oct, returning Thu, 8 Oct.Return flight with Regional Express.Outbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Cairns on Thu, 1 Oct, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Townsville on Thu, 8 Oct, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $367, select.

Townsville.$369 per passenger.Departing Sun, 12 Jul, returning Sun, 19 Jul.Return flight with Regional Express.Outbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Cairns on Sun, 12 Jul, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Townsville on Sun, 19 Jul, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $369, select.

Townsville.$449 per passenger.Departing Thu, 10 Dec, returning Fri, 18 Dec.Return flight with Regional Express and Qantas.Outbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Cairns on Thu, 10 Dec, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Qantas departs from Townsville on Fri, 18 Dec, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $449, select.

Townsville.$497 per passenger.Departing Sat, 5 Dec, returning Thu, 7 Jan.Return flight with Qantas and Regional Express.Outbound direct flight with Qantas departs from Cairns on Sat, 5 Dec, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Regional Express departs from Townsville on Thu, 7 Jan, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $497, select.

Townsville.$509 per passenger.Departing Mon, 11 Jan, returning Mon, 18 Jan.Return flight with Qantas.Outbound direct flight with Qantas departs from Cairns on Mon, 11 Jan, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Qantas departs from Townsville on Mon, 18 Jan, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $509, select.

Townsville.$510 per passenger.Departing Thu, 29 Oct, returning Sun, 8 Nov.Return flight with Qantas.Outbound direct flight with Qantas departs from Cairns on Thu, 29 Oct, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Qantas departs from Townsville on Sun, 8 Nov, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $510, select.

Townsville.$513 per passenger.Departing Sun, 13 Sep, returning Sun, 4 Oct.Return flight with Qantas.Outbound direct flight with Qantas departs from Cairns on Sun, 13 Sep, arriving in Townsville.Inbound direct flight with Qantas departs from Townsville on Sun, 4 Oct, arriving in Cairns.Price includes taxes and charges.From $513, select.

Find the cheapest month to fly from Cairns to Townsville

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

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Direct flights from Cairns to Townsville

Cairns to Townsville: Alternative routes

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

Townsville

6km from central Townsville

ClosestCheapest

from $333

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Palm Island

61km from central Townsville

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Cairns to Townsville: Flight information

The things to know before you go.

Cheapest flight found	$333
Cheapest month to fly	November
Average flight time	56 mins
Most popular airline	Qantas
Average flights per week	122

Finding cheap flights from Cairns to Townsville: Frequently asked questions

How much are return flights from Cairns to Townsville?

The best price we found for a return flight from Cairns to Townsville is $333. 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.

How long does it take to fly from Cairns to Townsville?

56 minutes is the average flight time from Cairns to Townsville.

Which airlines fly direct from Cairns to Townsville?

Qantas, Air New Zealand and Sunstate fly direct from Cairns to Townsville.

How many flights are there a week from Cairns to Townsville?

As of July 2026, there are 122 flights per week flying from Cairns to Townsville.

When is the cheapest time to fly from Cairns to Townsville?

The cheapest month to fly from Cairns to Townsville is usually November.

Which upcoming date is cheapest to fly from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport on?

After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it's currently cheapest to fly from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport on Tuesday, 10 November 2026.

Can I get a direct flight from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport?

Yes – the average flight time is 56 minutes.

How can I find the best flight deal to Townsville?

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 Townsville 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.

When is the best time to book flights to Townsville?

We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to Townsville is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.

Which is the cheapest airline to fly from Cairns Airport to Townsville with?

Currently, Regional Express offers the cheapest flight tickets to Townsville.

Flying from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Townsville Airport (TSV): what you need to know

Take a direct flight from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport and you'll be travelling for an average of 55 minutes.
Cairns and Townsville follow the same timezone, UTC+10.
Every week, there are 36 Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport flights.
Get to the airport on time so you don't miss your CNS to TSV flight. Be there at least two hours ahead for international flights and an hour early for domestic departures to avoid any last-minute rush.
Flying during a peak month like July? Major public holidays and other popular seasons can mean longer lines and delays at check-in and security. Play things extra safe and arrive up to four hours before international flights and two hours before a domestic departure.
The majority of passengers choose to fly with Qantas on this route.
Qantas is the most punctual carrier that operates CNS to TSV flights. An exceptional 83.08% of its departures on this route arrive as scheduled.
If you want to add a stop to your trip, simply uncheck 'Direct flights only' when searching for your ticket from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport. These are the most popular stopovers between CNS and TSV:
- Sydney Airport
- Melbourne Tullamarine Airport
- Brisbane Airport

How to find the cheapest flights from Cairns Airport (CNS) to Townsville Airport (TSV)

Currently, $157 is the cheapest price we've seen for a one-way Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport flight. The best price for a return plane ticket is $333. Bear in mind that fares could change due to demand when booking.
It's usually smart to book ahead of time if you want to find cheap tickets from CNS to TSV. That's because airlines change prices based on demand, which tends to rise closer to departure.
Organise your trip for May. That's the cheapest month for flights from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport. If you're flexible with your travel dates, try out the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest price across each month.
You won't have to check every day to find out if fares have dropped when you create a Price Alert. We'll update you the moment the price changes on cheap flights from CNS to TSV.
Discover the ideal flight for you with the help of the filters. To see the 'Fastest,' 'Cheapest' or 'Best' flights from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport, use the 'Sort by' tool. You can also filter by departure and arrival times, airline, and journey duration.

Handy information about Cairns Airport (CNS)

74% of flights that depart Cairns Airport make it to their destination on schedule.
To reach Cairns Airport from central Cairns, it'll take about 15 minutes by car. This depends on traffic though. It's approximately 6 kilometres from the airport to the city centre.
Expect a trip time of roughly 25 minutes on public transport.
Looking for a convenient hotel close to CNS? If you've booked an early flight from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport, these stays will have you moments from your departure lounge:

Arriving at Townsville Airport (TSV)

The last thing you want is a long journey to your hotel if you're landing late on a Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport flight. Stay at one of these accommodation options near TSV instead:
Go wherever you want, whenever you want with a Townsville Airport rental car. Book your wheels from Bargain Car Rentals, Alamo or Avis and experience more of Townsville and beyond.
Booking your ride from Townsville Airport about two weeks in advance increases your chances of getting a good deal.

Getting from Townsville Airport (TSV) to central Townsville

Townsville Airport to the centre of Townsville has a drive time of about 15 minutes. It's approximately 8 kilometres away.
Travelling by public transport takes roughly 30 minutes.

When to fly to Townsville Airport (TSV)

July is the busiest month for flights from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport. To avoid the crowds, visit Townsville in March.
Lock in your flight from Cairns Airport to Townsville Airport for January if you'd like to go to Townsville during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures of between 23ºC (73ºF) and 32ºC (90ºF).
July sees average temperatures of between 14ºC (57ºF) and 24ºC (75ºF). Search for cheap tickets from CNS to TSV around that time if you want to travel in cooler conditions.

Explore more of Australia

You've seen Townsville, now it's time to explore other corners of Australia. Travel around 290 kilometres north to Cairns to check off its popular sights. From Great Barrier Reef to Barrier Reef Park and Great Barrier Reef Liveaboard, you'll have a packed itinerary ahead.
Around 322 kilometres south-east of Townsville, Mackay is another favourite stop in Australia. No visit is complete without checking out Lamberts Lookout, Bluewater Trail and Bucasia Beach.