New research has revealed that Australians often win out against overseas counterparts when it comes to flight prices.

A study by travel website Kayak.com.au has found that despite common assumptions, Aussies heading overseas often pay less than foreigners travelling to our waters.

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Flights to the United States are a notable win for Australians, who consistently pay less than Americans wanting to see what Australia is all about.

However, there are still a number of flight routes on which Aussies get the short end of the stick, emphasising the need to always shop around for the best fare.

A welcome surprise

According to Kayak’s research, Australians overwhelmingly fare better on overseas travel than tourists heading here.

“Usually it would be expected that australians pay more for travelling,” said Michelle Hutchison from comparison website Finder.com.au.

“But this research shows that it’s not necessarily the case.”

According to Ms Hutchison, Australians have been conditioned to expect higher prices for most things, being a small country.

“There’s a smaller population, so there’s generally less demand,” she says.

“But it’s clear that Americans really want Australians travelling over there, and that’s great.”

Savings did seem to peak for Australians travelling to and from the US, with Aussies paying on average 25 per cent less than Yanks for identical routes.

The best savings were seen on Melbourne to Los Angeles flights, making a trip to LA even more appealing.

Where we get hit

In news that might not be so surprising to Sydney-siders already paying through the nose for housing and flat whites, they’re more likely to pay more for flights.

You might think our hefty Singapore expat community would render Australia-Singapore flights cheaper on our side, but from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney it’s more costly – with Sydney natives paying a significant 28 per cent more than Singaporeans on the same route.

It’s a similar story on flights to popular Aussie destinations France and London. Aussies flying Sydney to London pay on average nine per cent more than our Commonwealth cousins, and it’s a similar story for Paris.

If you’re thinking about flying to South Africa be aware that all Aussies get stung on that particular route, with Sydney (unsurprisingly) getting hit an extra 35 per cent than South African tourists to Sydney.

Currently one of our favourite holiday destinations, flights from Australia to Tokyo are cheaper for all Aussies except those living in Sydney, who fork out an extra five per cent compared to their Japanese counterparts.

Savings for southerners

According to the research, Melbournites fare best when it comes to airfares, particularly for flights to Hong Kong, Auckland and Dubai.

Michelle Hutchison said it was important to recognise that “average prices” didn’t always give the most accurate reflection of flight costs, particularly seeing as special deals were so frequent.

“It’s important to keep seeking out the deals, particularly if you’re willing to catch flights with more stops or fly off peak for savings,” she said.