There are 5 ways to get from Los Angeles to Cairns by plane, train, or bus
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns
best- Fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Cairns (CNS)plane LAX - CNS
21h 50m$481–1,618Train to San Diego International Airport, fly to Cairns
- Take the train from Los Angeles to San Diego Old Town Transportation Centertrain
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Cairns (CNS)plane SAN - CNS
27h 54m$578–1,751Fly Los Angeles International Airport to Townsville Airport, train
- Fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Townsville Airport (TSV)plane LAX - TSV
- Take the train from Townsville to Cairns Central Stationtrain
28h 36m$558–3,120Bus to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, fly to Cairns
- Take the bus from Los Angeles Airport, CA to Santa Barbara Airportbus
- Fly from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) to Cairns (CNS)plane SBA - CNS
29h 5m$581–1,738Bus to Palm Springs International Airport, fly to Cairns
- Take the bus from Fullerton Amtrak Station to Palm Springs Airport Amtrak Bus Stopbus
- Fly from Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) to Cairns (CNS)plane PSP - CNS
29h 42m
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Cairns (CNS) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Los Angeles to Cairns is to fly which costs $480 - $1,700 and takes 21h 50m.
The fastest way to get from Los Angeles to Cairns is to fly which takes 21h 50m and costs $480 - $1,700.
The distance between Los Angeles and Cairns is 11599 km.
It takes approximately 21h 50m to get from Los Angeles to Cairns, including transfers.
Cairns is 17h ahead of Los Angeles. It is currently 8:01 AM in Los Angeles and 1:01 AM in Cairns.
There are 1027+ hotels available in Cairns.
What companies run services between Los Angeles, CA, USA and Cairns, QLD, Australia?
Qantas, Fiji Airways, and four other airlines fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Cairns (CNS) 4 times a day.
- Website
- qantas.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 10m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $650–2,200
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 19h
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $700–2,300
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns via Nadi
- Ave. Duration
- 19h 5m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $550–3,600
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 21h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $750–2,500
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles International Airport, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 40m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $650–2,300
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles International Airport, Nadi
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 41m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $600–3,600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Cairns via Las Vegas, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 11m
- When
- Friday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $700–2,400
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Townsville Airport via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 12m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $500–2,500
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Townsville Airport via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 19h 40m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,600
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Townsville Airport via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 15m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $800–2,700
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Townsville Airport via Nadi, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 55m
- When
- Tuesday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $650–4,100
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Townsville Airport via Brisbane, Mackay
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 5m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $700–2,500
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 21h 45m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $470–1,600
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles International Airport, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 11m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $650–2,200
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Cairns via Las Vegas, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 26h 30m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $700–2,400
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 36m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $600–2,100
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles International Airport, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 13m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $850–2,900
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles International Airport, Nadi
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 13m
- When
- Thursday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $750–4,600
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to Cairns via Vancouver, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $700–2,400
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 15m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $470–1,600
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 15m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $480–1,700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 19m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $490–1,700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles International Airport, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 1m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $480–1,600
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 10m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $470–1,600
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 24m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $600–2,100
- Website
- airnewzealand.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns via Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 19h 45m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $500–1,700
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Townsville Airport via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 10m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $500–1,800
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Townsville Airport via Auckland, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 21h 45m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $550–1,900
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 21h 45m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $470–1,600
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 36m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $600–2,100
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to Cairns via Vancouver, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $700–2,400
- Website
- virginaustralia.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 15m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $470–1,600
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 15m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $480–1,700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 19m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $490–1,700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles International Airport, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 1m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $480–1,600
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 48m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $600–2,100
- Website
- fijiairways.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairns via Nadi
- Ave. Duration
- 19h 5m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $550–3,600
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles International Airport, Nadi
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 41m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $600–3,600
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles International Airport, Nadi
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 13m
- When
- Thursday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $750–4,600
- Website
- aircanada.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Cairns via Vancouver, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $550–1,900
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to Cairns via Vancouver, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 32h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $700–2,400
- Website
- jal.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Cairns via Tokyo Narita
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $700–1,900
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to San Diego Old Town Transportation Center
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 42m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $95–160
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- 1800 872 467
- Website
- Queensland Rail Travel
Train from Townsville to Cairns Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 25m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $45–1,267
- Book at
- Queensland Rail Travel
- Website
- Queensland Rail Travel
- Schedules at
- Queensland Rail Travel
- BQuick
- $45–70
- AChoice
- $60–80
- Gold Class
- $1,012
- Heritage Class
- $1,267
- Phone
- +1 800-470-8818
- [email protected]
- Website
- Central Coast Shuttle
Bus from Los Angeles Airport, CA to Santa Barbara Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $100–120
- Website
- Central Coast Shuttle
- one way non-prepaid
- $110–120
- One-way prepaid 48 hours advance
- $100–120
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from Fullerton Amtrak Station to Palm Springs Airport Amtrak Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Website
- Amtrak
Want to know more about travelling around Australia
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
10 amazing places to get away from it all in Australia
Read the travel guide
4 of the smartest ways to explore Australia
Read the travel guide
Travelling to the US: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide









