Cheap flights from Cairns to Sandakan from £274

Cheap flights from Cairns to Sandakan from £274

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3 stops
Mon, Aug 3
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£274
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3 stops
Wed, Jul 29
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£322
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3 stops
Wed, Jul 29
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£322
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3 stops
Tue, Jul 28
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£334
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2 stops
Wed, Jul 29
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£341
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2 stops
Wed, Jul 29
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£378
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3 stops
Wed, Jul 29 – Mon, Aug 3
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£665
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3 stops
Wed, Jul 29 – Tue, Aug 4
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£666
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2 stops
Wed, Jul 29 – Mon, Aug 3
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£676
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2 stops
Wed, Jul 29 – Mon, Aug 3
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£684
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2 stops
Wed, Jul 29 – Mon, Aug 3
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£686
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2 stops
Wed, Jul 29 – Tue, Aug 4
Cairns CNSSandakan SDK
£686
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How much do flights to Sandakan cost?

Cheapest one-way trip

£274

Cheapest round-trip

£665

Average round-trip

£750

Includes rare itinerary

Travel hack

Most popular airline

AirAsia

Getting from Sandakan airport to the city center

Fastest options: taxi or ride-hailing services. Budget travelers often choose airport shuttle buses.

Sandakan is served by Sandakan Airport (SDK), located approximately 11 km west of the city center. As the gateway to wildlife attractions like the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, this airport sees steady tourist traffic. Airport transfers to city center destinations include taxis, ride-hailing services, hotel shuttles, and rental cars. Journey times typically range from 15 to 30 minutes depending on traffic conditions and your final destination within Sandakan.

Transport Option

Typical Time

Typical Cost

Frequency

Best For

15-25 min

MYR 30–45 (USD 6–10); fixed fare to city center

on-demand 24/7 (traffic dependent)

convenience and speed

15-25 min

MYR 20–35 (USD 4–8); varies with demand

on-demand (traffic dependent)

budget door-to-door service

15-30 min

MYR 0–50 (USD 0–11); often complimentary or included

by arrangement (traffic dependent)

hotel guests

15-25 min

MYR 100–200 (USD 22–44) per day

by reservation (traffic dependent)

exploring Sabah independently

15-25 min

MYR 50–100 (USD 11–22); pre-booked service

by reservation (traffic dependent)

groups or families

Notes:

  • Prices in MYR; table created in 2025 and subject to change.
  • Sandakan Airport is a small regional airport with limited public transport options.
  • Taxi fares are typically fixed from the airport; confirm the price before departure.
  • Grab availability may be limited during off-peak hours.
  • We recommend checking official transport websites for your travel planning.

Updated: December 2025

Key info about flying to Sandakan

Depart from
Cairns
Arrive to
Sandakan
Average flights per week
302
Flight distance

Check-in for a flight from Cairns to Sandakan

NameCarrier codeIATA CodePassport needed during booking
AirAsiaAXMAKNo
Jetstar AirwaysJSTJQNo
Virgin Australia AirlinesVOZVANo
Malaysia AirlinesMASMHNo
ScootTGWTRNo

Online check-in is not available for these airlines.

Weather in Sandakan

Average Weather

MonthAverage monthly max temperatureAverage monthly min temperature
January28°C24°C
February28°C24°C
March29°C24°C
April30°C24°C
May30°C25°C
June30°C25°C
July30°C24°C
August30°C24°C
September30°C24°C
October30°C24°C
November29°C24°C
December29°C24°C
Hottest Month
30°C
May
Coldest month
24°C
February
Sunny days
109
days per year

14 day forecast

Saturday
11 Jul
70%
32°C24°C
18 Jul
84%
32°C25°C
Sunday
12 Jul
81%
31°C24°C
19 Jul
78%
33°C25°C
Monday
13 Jul
65%
31°C24°C
20 Jul
83%
31°C25°C
Tuesday
14 Jul
71%
33°C24°C
21 Jul
60%
33°C24°C
Wednesday
15 Jul
73%
31°C24°C
22 Jul
70%
32°C24°C
Thursday
16 Jul
78%
33°C24°C
23 Jul
67%
27°C24°C
Friday
17 Jul
79%
34°C25°C
24 Jul
16%
29°C24°C
The most popular airlines for this route are AirAsia, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and Scoot. Cairns and Sandakan have 302 direct flights per week.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most popular routes to and from Cairns?
Travelers frequently search for route combinations, such as Cairns and London, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Denpasar, Manchester, Bangkok, Bali, Perth, Auckland, Proserpine, Singapore, Manila, Queenstown, Phuket City, Uluru, Gold Coast, City of Newcastle, Canberra, Kochi.
What are the most popular routes to and from Sandakan?
Travelers frequently search for route combinations, such as Sandakan and Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Kota Kinabalu, Bali, Denpasar, Johor Bahru, Bangkok, Penang, Tawau, Langkawi, Gunung Mulu National Park, Kuching, Manila, Bandar Seri Begawan, Sibu, Borneo, Hong Kong, Sydney, Phuket City, Davao.
What airports are near Cairns?
The main airport in Cairns is Cairns. It is also served by Cairns.
What airports are near Sandakan?
The main airport in Sandakan is Sandakan. It is also served by Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu.
Which airlines fly between Cairns and Sandakan?
Currently, you can fly between Cairns and Sandakan with AirAsia, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Scoot.
When’s the best time to travel between Cairns and Sandakan?
If you don’t have specific dates for your trip between Cairns and Sandakan, you can enter a date range into the departure and return fields. Most carriers on the Kiwi.com website allow you to search and book up to six months from the day of your search. Order the search results by the best, cheapest, or fastest route, or find the cheapest outbound and return combination in the pricing table.
What flights operate between Cairns and Sandakan?
Traveling between Cairns and Sandakan, you can choose between direct (nonstop) flights or flights with one or more stops. You can select the number of stops on your journey, including an overnight stopover, and the duration of the stopover. What’s more, you can also select where you want to have your stopover. Want to say "Hi" to a friend in another city en route to your destination? Or fancy a quick round of shopping? Go Multi-City or Nomad and add places to your search that you wish to visit.
How many airports are there near Cairns?
There are a number of airports in and around Cairns. The main one is Cairns and other nearby airports include Cairns
How many airports are there near Sandakan?
There are a number of airports in and around Sandakan. The main one is Sandakan and other nearby airports include Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu.
What time do nonstop (direct) flights between Cairns and Sandakan depart?
What time do nonstop (direct) flights between Cairns and Sandakan arrive?
What time do flights between Cairns and Sandakan depart?
What time do flights between Cairns and Sandakan arrive?

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