Airfares to and from our great southern land are notoriously expensive and, being so far away from everything, it’s easy to assume we pay more for travel than people do in other countries.
At KAYAK.com.au, we decided to put this myth to the test and set the record straight, by uncovering whether or not Australians really do fork out more for flights than our overseas counterparts. The results are in…and they’re surprising!
United States of America
While many Americans enjoy cheap prices on consumer electronics and at bargain fashion sales, they also pay more than Australians when it comes to international travel between the two countries. Closely analysing the cost of return flights to top US destinations, our research has found that Aussies pay on average 25% less for their return tickets than Americans travelling on the same route in the opposite direction.
For Aussies thinking of booking a US adventure, the biggest difference in airfare costs is found for flights to LAX, where travellers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane save a pretty penny on these flights – 26% on average – compared with Americans heading to these Australian cities. Melbournites travelling to Los Angeles are the most fortunate, paying 29% less for their airfare on this route than American travellers coming the other way.
Asia & the Middle East
Australian travellers are also saving more on routes between Asian countries, such as Japan and China. Travellers from the Gold Coast who are looking to escape the heat and shred the fresh powder on Japanese ski slopes can fly to Tokyo and pay 18% less than Japanese travellers heading down under to catch the summer sun. Melbournites travelling to Hong Kong will also have more cash to splash out on shopping at the city’s many malls, paying a fifth less for their return trip than their Hong Kong counterparts. Sydneysiders, however, aren’t as lucky and on average pay the same price for their tickets to Hong Kong as those coming the other way.
When it comes to getting a fair deal to Singapore, Sydneysiders once again lose out and are hit with higher flight fares, paying a hefty 28% more than Singaporeans travelling to the Harbour City. Melbournites, continuing their lucky streak, pay on average the same rate to travel to Singapore as someone travelling in the opposite direction.
The home of tax-free living, Dubai is a great place to live and work, but when it comes to travel it’s Aussies that come out on top. Aussies pay on average 18% less on airfares to Dubai than travellers departing from the luxurious United Arab Emirates to our shores. Melbournites win again, spending 31% less on flights than those coming from Dubai.
New Zealand
If New Zealand is on your bucket list, the differences in airfare prices really depend on where you’re departing from. Unsurprisingly, travellers from Melbourne are the most fortunate and will spend 5% less on their flights, while Sydneysiders seeking an adventurous escape pay 4% more to visit their Kiwi neighbours.
Europe
As expected, Aussies tend to pay more for flights to European destinations than Europeans do when coming here, but the damage isn’t as bad as you’d think. Aussies pay an average of only 6% more for airfares to European destinations than our continental counterparts. Sydneysiders are forced to fork out the most – the cost of their return flights to London is 9% greater than what Londoners pay when travelling the other way.
South Africa
Johannesburg is the gateway to the natural beauty of South Africa. More than 10,000 kilometres from Australia, Jo’burg tops the list of destinations where Aussies pay a premium price for travel. If you’re travelling from Sydney, you’ll likely pay a whopping 35% more than those travelling on the same route in the opposite direction.
Check out the table below for a full breakdown:
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