There are 5 ways to get from Minneapolis to Cairns by plane, bus, shuttle, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns
best- Fly from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) to Cairns (CNS)plane MSP - CNS
25h 14m$904–3,104Bus to Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, fly to Cairns
cheapest- Take the bus from Minneapolis to Brainerdbus
- Fly from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD) to Cairns (CNS)plane BRD - CNS
37h 26m$838–2,619Bus, shuttle to Des Moines, fly to Cairns
- Take the bus from Minneapolis to Amesbus
- Take a shuttle bus from Ames, IA - Iowa State University to Des Moines International Airport, IA
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Cairns (CNS)plane DSM - CNS
31h 52m$946–2,997Fly Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport, train
- Fly from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) to Townsville Airport (TSV)plane MSP - TSV
- Take the train from Townsville to Cairns Central Stationtrain
33h 16m$1,050–4,705Fly Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cooktown Airport, bus
- Fly from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) to Cooktown Airport (CTN)plane MSP - CTN
- Take the bus from Cooktown to Cairnsbus
35h 45m$1,323–3,273
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) to Cairns (CNS) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Minneapolis to Cairns is to bus and fly which costs $800 - $2,700 and takes 37h 26m.
The fastest way to get from Minneapolis to Cairns is to fly which takes 25h 14m and costs $900 - $3,100.
The distance between Minneapolis and Cairns is 13770 km.
It takes approximately 25h 14m to get from Minneapolis to Cairns, including transfers.
Cairns is 16h ahead of Minneapolis. It is currently 5:30 PM in Minneapolis and 9:30 AM in Cairns.
There are 1044+ hotels available in Cairns.
What companies run services between Minneapolis, MN, USA and Cairns, QLD, Australia?
United Airlines, Virgin Australia, and four other airlines fly from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) to Cairns (CNS) 5 times a day.
- Website
- qantas.com
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 1m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,300–4,200
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles, Nadi
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 6m
- When
- Tuesday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $1,200–6,500
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $950–3,300
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via Las Vegas, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 27h 43m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,300–4,400
Flights from Des Moines to Cairns via Dallas/Ft.Worth, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 3m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,600
Flights from Des Moines to Cairns via Dallas/Ft.Worth, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $1,100–3,600
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 56m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $1,000–3,500
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 30h 14m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $1,500–4,900
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport via Los Angeles, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $1,400–4,600
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport via Las Vegas, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 48m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,500–4,800
Flights from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Cairns via Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Vancouver, Nadi
- Ave. Duration
- 36h 50m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- $1,000–5,500
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $950–3,300
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via Las Vegas, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 27h 43m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,300–4,400
Flights from Des Moines to Cairns via Dallas/Ft.Worth, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $1,100–3,600
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 56m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $1,000–3,500
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 30h 14m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $1,500–4,900
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport via Los Angeles, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $1,400–4,600
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport via Las Vegas, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 48m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,500–4,800
- Website
- virginaustralia.com
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 10m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $900–3,100
Flights from Des Moines to Cairns via Houston, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 27h 14m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $800–2,700
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport via San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 5m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $1,000–3,400
Flights from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Cairns via Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, San Francisco, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 32h 5m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,500
Flights from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Cairns via Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Vancouver, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 35h 5m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,600
- Website
- hinterlandaviation.com.au
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cooktown Airport via Seattle, Tokyo Narita, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 31h 17m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,100–3,800
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cooktown Airport via Los Angeles, Nadi, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 27h 46m
- When
- Tuesday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $1,400–7,500
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cooktown Airport via Calgary, Tokyo Narita, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 29h 20m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,200–3,100
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cooktown Airport via Anchorage, Tokyo Narita, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 32h 50m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,200–3,300
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cooktown Airport via Vancouver, Nadi, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 37h 13m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- $1,400–8,000
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cooktown Airport via Tokyo Haneda, Osaka Kansai, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 50m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $1,100–3,700
- Website
- airnewzealand.com
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 1m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,300–4,200
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $950–3,300
Flights from Des Moines to Cairns via Houston, Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 26h 44m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $800–2,700
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Townsville Airport via Los Angeles, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $1,400–4,600
- Website
- fijiairways.com
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 1m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,300–4,200
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Cairns via Los Angeles, Nadi
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 6m
- When
- Tuesday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $1,200–6,500
Flights from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Cairns via Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Vancouver, Nadi
- Ave. Duration
- 36h 50m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- $1,000–5,500
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Des Moines to Cairns via Houston, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 31h 54m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $800–2,700
- Website
- aircanada.com
Flights from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Cairns via Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Vancouver, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 35h 5m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,600
- 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
- +1-858-800-8898
- Website
- jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Minneapolis to Ames
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 10m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $80–120
- Book at
- Jefferson Lines
- Adult
- $80–120
Bus from Minneapolis to Brainerd
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $55–80
- Book at
- Jefferson Lines
- Adult
- $55–80
- Phone
- +1 320.253.2226
- Website
- Executive Express
Shuttle from Ames, IA - Iowa State University to Des Moines International Airport, IA
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $110–280
- Website
- Executive Express
- Schedules at
- Executive Express Coverage Areas for Minnesota and Iowa
- Phone
- (07) 3036 2070
- Website
- Trans North Bus & Coach
Bus from Cooktown to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 30m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $75–110
- Website
- Trans North Bus & Coach
- Book at
- Trans North Bus & Coach
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








