Statistics on Melbourne-Cairns flights: what is the right price and when to buy your plane ticket?
Best time to go: what is the RIGHT price for a round-trip flight to Cairns (from: Melbourne)
The average price to go to Cairns from Melbourne airport is $ 255 (round trip). However, there are variations depending on the departure month. Thus, it is possible to pay for your plane ticket on average between $ 224 (in may) and $ 309 (in september), which is a saving of $ 32 or a surplus of $ 54 (compared to the average price) depending on the period you leave.
The analysis of all the prices reveals that the most frequent price is between $161 to $215 and that it is generally more economical to leave on a monday and return on a wednesday on a direct flight.
Be careful, the cheapest months may correspond to unfavorable weather periods . Check out our page best time to go to Cairns before booking your flight.
If you want to know when to book your flight at the best price, go straight to the second part of this page: When to buy your Melbourne-Cairns plane ticket.
How are these data calculated?
We have studied a sample of 60979 airfare prices from previous years for flights to Cairns from Melbourne and can thus establish precise and credible price variation trends based on different parameters. Of course, prices can vary from year to year, but the seasonal aspect of this data (recurrence of school holidays, events... from year to year) makes these statistics quite reliable.
Average price depending on the departure month
Data analysis:
By leaving in may, the price of the plane ticket will statistically be the cheapest ($ 224, saving $ 32 compared to the average price over the year which is $ 255). Conversely, september will be the most expensive ($ 309).
Flight Melbourne-Cairns: when is the best time to go for the best price?
| Month | Good price* | Average price | Our opinion |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | $ 235 | $ 268 | fair price |
| February | $ 198 | $ 225 the cheapest | very good price |
| March | $ 202 | $ 226 | good price |
| April | $ 233 | $ 258 | fair price |
| May | $ 182 | $ 224 the cheapest | very good price |
| June | $ 203 | $ 256 | fair price |
| July | $ 222 | $ 276 | fair price |
| August | $ 184 | $ 225 | good price |
| September | $ 228 | $ 309 the most expensive | very high price |
| October | $ 182 | $ 237 | good price |
| November | $ 198 | $ 257 | fair price |
| December | $ 226 | $ 287 | fair price |
*great price to buy your plane ticket: if you see this price or cheaper during your flight search, go for it and buy it!
Price breakdown to travel from Melbourne to Cairns
Data analysis:
The prices for flights from Melbourne to Cairns range from $107 to $536. 5% of tickets were purchased at the minimum price (from $108 to $161), 1% at the maximum price (from $482 to $536). The majority of plane tickets were purchased in the range of $161 to $215 (41% of tickets).
Cheapest airlines for the Melbourne->Cairns flight
There are 3 companies that serve Melbourne from Cairns airport: Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Qantas.
Data analysis:
Of the 60979 flights analyzed in previous years, Jetstar was the airline that offered the best fare most often in the flight ticket search results (81% of the time) on the Melbourne->Cairns route.
Direct flight or flight with layover?
Data analysis:
To get the best price for the Melbourne-Cairns flight, you should take a direct flight (saving an average of $ 95 compared to a flight with one or more layovers).
Which day of the week to leave?
Data analysis:
Statistically, Melbourne-Cairns flights departing on a monday are cheaper than on other days of the week. By choosing a monday as your departure date, you can save an average of $7. On the other hand, departing on a friday may cost you an additional $11.
Which day of the week to come back?
Data analysis:
Statistically, return flights from Cairns to Melbourne departing on a wednesday are cheaper than on other days of the week. By choosing a wednesday for your return date, you will save an average of $5. Conversely, departing from Cairns on a friday may cost you an additional $10.
Top prices Melbourne-Cairns
| Round trip | Dates | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne → Cairns | 10-08 to 31-08-2024 | $ 174 | direct flight with Jetstar |
| Melbourne → Cairns | 26-08 to 31-08-2024 | $ 174 | direct flight with Jetstar |
| Melbourne → Cairns | 12-11 to 26-11-2024 | $ 165 | direct flight with Jetstar |
| Melbourne → Cairns | 14-11 to 19-11-2024 | $ 165 | direct flight with Jetstar |
| Melbourne → Cairns | 19-11 to 26-11-2024 | $ 165 | direct flight with Jetstar |
| Melbourne → Cairns | 01-12 to 10-12-2024 | $ 165 | direct flight with Jetstar |
| Melbourne → Cairns | 07-12 to 11-12-2024 | $ 174 | direct flight with Jetstar |
| Melbourne → Cairns | 02-02 to 12-02-2025 | $ 165 | direct flight with Jetstar |
| Melbourne → Cairns | 05-03 to 15-03-2025 | $ 165 | direct flight with Jetstar |
| Melbourne → Cairns | 14-03 to 21-03-2025 | $ 165 | direct flight with Jetstar |
When to book your flight Melbourne - Cairns to get the cheapest price?
Statistically, you will make the biggest savings by buying your plane ticket between 3 to 4 months in advance. However, you may end up paying a high price if you book between 11 to 12 months in advance.
Did you know: the price of plane tickets not only varies depending on how far in advance you book, but also on the day of the week you book! So, to maximize your chances of getting the best price for a Melbourne-Cairns flight, it is recommended to book your ticket on a tuesday.
How far in advance should I buy my flight?
Data analysis:
To get the cheapest flight ticket from Melbourne to Cairns, it is recommended to buy it 3 to 4 months before departure (it is then on average 223 $, which is a saving of 32 $ compared to the overall average price). On the other hand, if you buy your ticket 11 to 12 months in advance, you will pay the full price (108 $ more than the average price).
Depending on the departure month
The best time to buy your Melbourne to Cairns flight ticket may vary depending on your departure month. Therefore, we offer you statistics on when to book your flight month by month.
| Departure on... | How far in advance should I book? |
|---|---|
| January | Best time: 4 to 5 months before departure (average price: 224 $) Other interesting period(s): 3 to 4 months ($ 226), 5 to 6 months ($ 231), 6 to 7 months ($ 248), 8 to 9 months ($ 260), 9 to 10 months ($ 249), 10 to 11 months ($ 249) |
| February | Best time: 5 to 6 months before departure (average price: 178 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 210), 3 to 4 months ($ 202), 4 to 5 months ($ 196), 6 to 7 months ($ 181), 7 to 8 months ($ 200), 8 to 9 months ($ 189), 9 to 10 months ($ 178), 10 to 11 months ($ 182) |
| March | Best time: 7 to 8 months before departure (average price: 192 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 205), 3 to 4 months ($ 204), 4 to 5 months ($ 204), 5 to 6 months ($ 209), 6 to 7 months ($ 207), 8 to 9 months ($ 201), 9 to 10 months ($ 198), 10 to 11 months ($ 212) |
| April | Best time: 7 to 8 months before departure (average price: 206 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 254), 3 to 4 months ($ 226), 4 to 5 months ($ 257), 8 to 9 months ($ 208), 9 to 10 months ($ 230) |
| May | Best time: 8 to 9 months before departure (average price: 185 $) Other interesting period(s): 3 to 4 months ($ 208), 4 to 5 months ($ 193), 5 to 6 months ($ 192), 6 to 7 months ($ 189), 7 to 8 months ($ 195), 9 to 10 months ($ 187) |
| June | Best time: 8 to 9 months before departure (average price: 204 $) Other interesting period(s): 3 to 4 months ($ 256), 4 to 5 months ($ 235), 5 to 6 months ($ 222), 6 to 7 months ($ 213), 7 to 8 months ($ 207), 9 to 10 months ($ 213) |
| July | Best time: 7 to 8 months before departure (average price: 235 $) Other interesting period(s): 3 to 4 months ($ 256), 4 to 5 months ($ 272), 5 to 6 months ($ 250), 6 to 7 months ($ 253), 8 to 9 months ($ 253), 9 to 10 months ($ 241), 10 to 11 months ($ 268) |
| August | Best time: 3 to 4 months before departure (average price: 191 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 221), 4 to 5 months ($ 205), 5 to 6 months ($ 205), 6 to 7 months ($ 207), 7 to 8 months ($ 205), 8 to 9 months ($ 191), 9 to 10 months ($ 206) |
| September | Best time: 6 to 7 months before departure (average price: 258 $) Other interesting period(s): 3 to 4 months ($ 307), 4 to 5 months ($ 280), 5 to 6 months ($ 262), 7 to 8 months ($ 269), 8 to 9 months ($ 288), 9 to 10 months ($ 274) |
| October | Best time: 2 to 3 months before departure (average price: 187 $) Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 219), 3 to 4 months ($ 222), 4 to 5 months ($ 189), 5 to 6 months ($ 192), 6 to 7 months ($ 205), 7 to 8 months ($ 195), 8 to 9 months ($ 212), 9 to 10 months ($ 219) |
| November | Best time: 10 to 11 months before departure (average price: 200 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 227), 3 to 4 months ($ 212), 4 to 5 months ($ 228), 5 to 6 months ($ 228), 6 to 7 months ($ 220), 7 to 8 months ($ 202), 8 to 9 months ($ 210), 9 to 10 months ($ 206) |
| December | Best time: 2 to 3 months before departure (average price: 224 $) Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 261), 3 to 4 months ($ 228), 4 to 5 months ($ 249), 5 to 6 months ($ 265), 6 to 7 months ($ 257), 7 to 8 months ($ 254), 8 to 9 months ($ 274), 9 to 10 months ($ 257), 10 to 11 months ($ 272) |
What day of the week should I book my flight ticket?
Data analysis:
Statistically, tuesday is the day when plane tickets for Melbourne->Cairns are the cheapest. So, by buying your plane ticket on a tuesday, you will save $3. Conversely, by buying it on a saturday, you may end up paying $4 more.
Melbourne to Cairns: flight price when booking today
Information: this data is not statistics but comes from real prices collected less than 7 days ago. Some months may not be available as we do not have enough data for them.
| Month | Current price | Our opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $ 387 $231 to $715 | very high price | Find a flight |
| June 2024 | $ 341 $186 to $659 | very high price | Find a flight |
| July 2024 | $ 295 $198 to $510 | high price | Find a flight |
| August 2024 | $ 202 $174 to $251 | very good price | Find a flight |
| September 2024 | $ 236 $174 to $363 | very good price | Find a flight |
| October 2024 | $ 219 $197 to $334 | very good price | Find a flight |
| November 2024 | $ 209 $164 to $291 | very good price | Find a flight |
| December 2024 | $ 239 $165 to $333 | very good price | Find a flight |
| January 2025 | $ 220 $175 to $345 | very good price | Find a flight |
| February 2025 | $ 179 $165 to $187 | very good price | Find a flight |
| March 2025 | $ 189 $165 to $213 | very good price | Find a flight |
Data analysis:
Compared to the average price, august, september, october, november, december, january, february and march are cheaper to travel to Cairns. So it may be interesting to book now to leave during these months!