- Must visit
National Gallery of Victoria
Australia's oldest and most visited public art museum, known for major international and Australian collections across two city sites.
Flights from Cairns to Melbourne depart on average 53 times per day, taking around 4h 28m. Cheap flight tickets for this journey start at ฿110 if you book in advance.
There are 6 flights per day. The earliest flight runs at 05:30, the last at 22:50. The fastest flight covers the 1444 miles (2324 km) distance in 3h 20m. February is the cheapest month to fly.
Distance 1444 miles (2324 km) |
Average flight duration 4h 28m |
Cheapest ticket price ฿110 |
Flights per day 53 |
Direct flights 6 |
Fastest flight 3h 20m |
First flight 5:30 AM |
Last flight 10:50 PM |
Cheapest Month Feb |
Cheapest Day Wed |
High Season Jul - Sep |
Low Season Oct - Dec |
Busiest Day Thu |
Least Busy Day Thu |
Best time to book 1 day |
Cheapest price on Sep 18
฿167
Average ticket price on Sep 18
฿553
Fastest journey on Sep 18
3 h 20 m
Average journey duration on Sep 18
3 h 27 m
Flights on Sep 18
62
Distance
2324 km
The best way to find a cheap flight ticket from Cairns to Melbourne is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Cairns to Melbourne will cost around ฿553 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only ฿167.
On Fri, Sep 18, we found 62 flights from Cairns to Melbourne, including 8 direct services.
On Fri, Sep 18 the direct flights cover the 2324 km distance in an average of 3 h 27 m but if you time it right, some flights will get you there in just 3 h 20 m .
On Fri, Sep 18 the longest flights will take 3 h 30 m and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.
JQ949
JQ947
JQ941
VA1298
JQ33
JQ949
JQ947
JQ945
VA1292
JQ33Omio recommends booking the flight as it is the most popular option from Cairns to Melbourne among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the flight, with an average ticket price of ฿437 For those with little time, consider booking a flight, which has an average total journey time of 6h 28m. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a flight costs an average of ฿437, while a bus costs an average of ฿627.
Distance: 1444 miles (2324 km)
Most popular Flight | Bus | Driving |
|---|---|---|
฿437 Average price Cheapest | ฿627 Average price | ฿322 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
6h 28m Average total duration Fastest 4h 28m Onboard + 2h 0m Additional time* | 59h 30m Average total duration 59h 0m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 30h 33m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
![]() Most popular airline | ![]() Most popular bus company | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
This is compared to other travel options from Cairns to Melbourne:
A flight is ฿190 less than a bus for this route with tickets for a bus from Cairns to Melbourne costing on average ฿627.
Other travel options to Melbourne take longer:
Bus takes on average 59h 0m.
The table below shows live departures for Cairns to Melbourne flights for today, Thursday, September 17. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated flight journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VA1428 · VA868 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 23h35 | 6:50 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA866 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 23h20 | 6:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA874 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 24h20 | 7:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA818 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 14h35 | 9:50 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA810 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 13h35 | 8:50 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA814 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 14h05 | 9:20 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA816 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 14h20 | 9:35 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA876 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 24h35 | 7:50 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA804 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 12h50 | 8:05 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA870 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 23h50 | 7:05 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA872 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 24h05 | 7:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA862 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 22h50 | 6:05 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA824 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 15h20 | 10:35 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA808 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 13h20 | 8:35 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA800 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 12h25 | 7:40 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA878 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 24h50 | 8:05 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1428 · VA812 | 7:15 PM Cairns | 13h50 | 9:05 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ947 | 7:35 PM Cairns | 3h25 | 11:00 PM Melbourne | 0 transfersDirect | |
VA792 · VA306 | 8:55 PM Cairns | 11h35 | 8:30 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA792 · VA308 | 8:55 PM Cairns | 12h25 | 9:20 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA792 · VA314 | 8:55 PM Cairns | 13h25 | 10:20 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1298 | 9:00 PM Cairns | 3h30 | 12:30 AM Melbourne | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Friday, September 18 | |||||
VA770 · VA318 | 6:00 AM Cairns | 5h20 | 11:20 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA770 · VA322 | 6:00 AM Cairns | 6h20 | 12:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ929 · JQ571 | 6:00 AM Cairns | 6h30 | 12:30 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ929 · JQ567 | 6:00 AM Cairns | 8h15 | 2:15 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA770 · VA364 | 6:00 AM Cairns | 6h00 | 12:00 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA770 · VA324 | 6:00 AM Cairns | 7h20 | 1:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ953 · JQ519 | 6:45 AM Cairns | 9h10 | 3:55 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ953 · JQ535 | 6:45 AM Cairns | 8h05 | 2:50 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ953 · JQ513 | 6:45 AM Cairns | 6h55 | 1:40 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ953 · JQ517 | 6:45 AM Cairns | 7h25 | 2:10 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ941 | 7:00 AM Cairns | 3h30 | 10:30 AM Melbourne | 0 transfersDirect | |
JQ931 · JQ569 | 9:10 AM Cairns | 9h45 | 6:55 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA776 · VA332 | 9:20 AM Cairns | 7h00 | 4:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA776 · VA328 | 9:20 AM Cairns | 6h00 | 3:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ893 · JQ451 | 9:40 AM Cairns | 6h55 | 4:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ893 · JQ445 | 9:40 AM Cairns | 9h50 | 7:30 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ951 · JQ527 | 9:55 AM Cairns | 9h35 | 7:30 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ951 · JQ525 | 9:55 AM Cairns | 8h40 | 6:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ951 · JQ521 | 9:55 AM Cairns | 7h45 | 5:40 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ951 · JQ523 | 9:55 AM Cairns | 8h20 | 6:15 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ963 · JQ779 | 10:10 AM Cairns | 10h10 | 8:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1292 | 10:30 AM Cairns | 3h30 | 2:00 PM Melbourne | 0 transfersDirect | |
JQ33 | 11:00 AM Cairns | 3h30 | 2:30 PM Melbourne | 0 transfersDirect | |
VA780 · VA346 | 11:50 AM Cairns | 8h30 | 8:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA780 · VA342 | 11:50 AM Cairns | 7h30 | 7:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA780 · VA336 | 11:50 AM Cairns | 6h30 | 6:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA780 · VA334 | 11:50 AM Cairns | 5h30 | 5:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ937 · JQ569 | 12:00 PM Cairns | 6h55 | 6:55 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ937 · JQ573 | 12:00 PM Cairns | 8h15 | 8:15 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1418 · VA862 | 12:10 PM Cairns | 5h55 | 6:05 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1418 · VA858 | 12:10 PM Cairns | 5h25 | 5:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1418 · VA866 | 12:10 PM Cairns | 6h25 | 6:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ959 · JQ531 | 1:30 PM Cairns | 6h40 | 8:10 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ959 · JQ529 | 1:30 PM Cairns | 9h05 | 10:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ959 · JQ533 | 1:30 PM Cairns | 7h50 | 9:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1294 | 1:40 PM Cairns | 3h30 | 5:10 PM Melbourne | 0 transfersDirect | |
VA782 · VA352 | 1:55 PM Cairns | 7h25 | 9:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA782 · VA346 | 1:55 PM Cairns | 6h25 | 8:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA782 · VA342 | 1:55 PM Cairns | 5h25 | 7:20 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
JQ945 | 2:30 PM Cairns | 3h30 | 6:00 PM Melbourne | 0 transfersDirect | |
JQ955 · JQ529 | 3:35 PM Cairns | 7h00 | 10:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1424 · VA866 | 4:35 PM Cairns | 26h00 | 6:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1424 · VA808 | 4:35 PM Cairns | 16h00 | 8:35 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1424 · VA834 | 4:35 PM Cairns | 20h00 | 12:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1424 · VA888 | 4:35 PM Cairns | 5h00 | 9:35 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1424 · VA826 | 4:35 PM Cairns | 18h30 | 11:05 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1424 · VA892 | 4:35 PM Cairns | 5h30 | 10:05 PM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
VA1424 · VA800 | 4:35 PM Cairns | 15h00 | 7:35 AM Melbourne | 1 transfer | |
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare train, flight, and bus prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
Discover the best of Melbourne — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Melbourne trip today.
Australia's oldest and most visited public art museum, known for major international and Australian collections across two city sites.
Leading museum of natural history and culture, famous for dinosaur skeletons, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Centre, and family-friendly exhibits.
Interactive museum focused on screen culture, video games, film, television, and digital innovation in the heart of Federation Square.
Cultural square anchoring central Melbourne, home to major institutions, public events, and one of the city's best-known meeting places.
Historic riverside promenade lined with arts venues, public spaces, and skyline views, ideal for an easy central city walk.
Lively laneway famous for ever-changing street art, making it a classic stop for photos and a quick taste of Melbourne's creative side.
A Melbourne cafe staple of toasted sourdough topped with seasoned smashed avocado. It reflects the city's influential brunch culture and produce-driven dining.
A crisp, buttery croissant prized in Melbourne's French-inspired bakeries. It is a local breakfast favorite and showcases the city's strong pastry scene.
Melbourne is known for expertly textured espresso drinks, especially the flat white. Its coffee culture is central to daily life and local identity.
Iconic market deli for large continental sandwiches, cheeses, and cured meats. Casual, busy, and beloved for quality produce and quick lunches.
Celebrated fine dining restaurant by the Yarra River, known for inventive tasting menus and polished service in a refined contemporary setting.
Historic Italian institution on Lygon Street, famous for generous pasta, steak, and old-school hospitality in a lively classic dining room.
Moderate for Australia: stays are a major cost, dining is mid-priced, and public transport is reasonable for tourists.
Tipping is optional. Restaurants may round up or leave 5-10% for great service. No tip is expected at cafes; taxis can be rounded up.
Official public transport app
Melbourne Airport -> Southern Cross Station
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Cairns to Melbourne by flight. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest flight, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Melbourne, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Most Cairns to Melbourne flights use the Cairns to Melbourne airport pair. Use this guide to compare Cairns and Melbourne airports on this route, check city-centre transport, alongside checking practicalities like airport facilities and services.
Cairns is 5 km from Cairns city centre. Public transport options include:
Cairns has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Shopping, Parking, Dining, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Hotel, Shower, Lounge, Lost and Found Office, and Car Rental.
Food options include: Restaurants are located in both domestic and intertiol terminals, offering options like fast food and cafes.
Free Wi-Fi available throughout the airport. ATMs are located throughout the airport, including major banks like ANZ and Commonwealth Bank.
Lost and found is available at the station.
Available at Cairns: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Available at Cairns: Car Rental.
Accessibility facilities are available at Cairns: Elevators, ramps.
Nearby hotels include Hotels such as the Cairns Airport Hotel within walking distance..
Melbourne is 6 km from Melbourne city centre. Public transport options include:
Melbourne has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Shopping, Parking, Dining, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Hotel, Shower, Lounge, Lost and Found Office, and Car Rental.
Food options include: Various restaurants in terminal 2, including Asian and Italian cuisines.
Free Wi-Fi available throughout the airport. ATMs are located in all terminals.
Lost and found is available at the station.
Available at Melbourne: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Available at Melbourne: Car Rental.
Accessibility facilities are available at Melbourne: Ramps, assistance.
Nearby hotels include Hotels within walking distance, including ParkRoyal Melbourne Airport..
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need