There are 2 ways to get from Wellington to Cairns by plane 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.
Wellington (WLG) to Cairns (CNS) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Wellington to Cairns is to bus and fly which costs $260 - $1,200 and takes 21h 37m.
The fastest way to get from Wellington to Cairns is to fly which takes 11h 51m and costs $500 - $1,100.
The distance between Wellington and Cairns is 3896 km.
It takes approximately 11h 51m to get from Wellington to Cairns, including transfers.
Cairns is 3h behind Wellington. It is currently 7:54 PM in Wellington and 4:54 PM in Cairns.
There are 1029+ hotels available in Cairns.
What companies run services between Wellington, New Zealand and Cairns, QLD, Australia?
Qantas, Jetstar, and Air New Zealand fly from Wellington (WLG) to Cairns (CNS) 5 times a day.
- Website
- qantas.com
Flights from Wellington to Cairns via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 15m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $480–1,700
Flights from Wellington to Cairns via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $450–1,700
Flights from Wellington to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 5m
- When
- Monday to Thursday
- Estimated price
- $440–1,600
Flights from Palmerston to Cairns via Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 19h 10m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,100
Flights from Palmerston to Cairns via Auckland, Gold Coast
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 45m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,900
- Phone
- +64 9 583 5780
- [email protected]
- Website
- InterCity
Bus from Wellington - Central to Palmerston North
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 5m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $16–45
- Website
- InterCity
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


