Competition is tight in Australia’s aviation leisure market.

The Qantas Group is giving Virgin Australia a run for its money, the latest data revealing Australia’s flag carrier and its low cost counterpart coming up trumps in Australia’s domestic aviation leisure market.

The latest Roy Morgan Air Travel Report for October revealed 38.8 percent of Australians used Virgin Australia on their last domestic holiday or leisure trip, while 38.4 percent flew with Qantas.

Jetstar seized a 36 percent share of the leisure market in October 2012, up from 32.5 percent in October 2011.

Only 5.4 percent of Australians chose Tiger Airways, down 2.7 percent since October last year.

““Virgin Australia is being seriously challenged by the Qantas Group in the domestic leisure market,” Roy Morgan Research international director of tourism, travel & leisure Jane Ianniello said.

But, according to Ms Ianniello, Virgin Australia is fighting back, recently announcing that it isseeking to take a 60 percent stake in the discount carrier Tiger Airways.