Skyscanner

Skyscanner, global comparison platform for flights, hotels and car hire

Skyscanner is a travel comparison platform founded in 2003 by three partners who wanted to bring together all available flight options in one place, as an alternative to the confusing booking sites. The company presents itself as a global player in the sector: according to its data, more than 100 million people use its app and website every month, and its network includes more than 1,200 partners worldwide.

Its business model is based on searching and comparing prices for flights, hotels and car hire. The company says it scans more than 80 billion prices a day and maintains that its service applies no hidden fees or added commissions to the user, remaining unbiased regarding the options it displays.

Search features and traveller tools

The platform allows users to compare flights from major airlines and online travel agencies, with search filters such as the number of stops and departure time. Among its historic standout features is 'Search Everywhere', launched in 2006 to show the cheapest destinations travellers can fly to.

The service catalogue is completed with hotel booking — from budget to luxury accommodation — and car hire, added in 2013. The company also offers Price Alerts, created in 2012 to notify users when a flight price changes, and more recent AI-powered tools: Vibes, which categorises and sorts destinations to inspire travel, and Savvy Search, which allows users to search for destinations using natural language. In 2025, DROPS was added, a tool to spot flights whose price has recently dropped.

Company timeline

• 2003: three partners found Skyscanner to compare flights easily.
• 2006: the 'Search Everywhere' feature launches.
• 2009: the site operates in 30 languages.
• 2011: the mobile app launches.
• 2012: Price Alerts are created.
• 2013: car hire is added.
• 2014: hotel booking is added.
• 2016: the company is acquired by Ctrip (now Trip.com Group) in a deal valued at £1.4 billion, the largest European travel tech acquisition at that time.
• 2018: UK consumer organisation Which? names it 'Best flight comparison service'.
• 2019: it reaches 100 million monthly users.
• 2020: it launches a COVID-19 travel map, a hotel cleanliness score and airline safety scores.
• 2021: it joins Valuable 500 and signs the Glasgow Declaration on climate action in tourism; Which? names it 'Best Flight Comparison Website' for the fourth year running.
• 2022: it positions itself as the fastest-growing flight metasearch engine and is recognised as the top flight comparison site in the UK, US and Europe.
• 2023: it creates the Empathy Lab, dedicated to making travel more inclusive and accessible for travellers with additional needs.
• 2024: it adds the AI features Vibes and Savvy Search.
• 2025: it launches DROPS.

Sustainability, accessibility and transparency

The company states its commitment to a more responsible future for tourism in collaboration with its partners. Its initiatives include communicating the environmental impact of flights, sharing unbiased information so travellers can make informed choices, and improving the accessibility of its site and the inclusivity of its organisation. In 2021 it joined Valuable 500 and signed the Glasgow Declaration on climate action in tourism.

On transparency, the company maintains that it applies no hidden fees or secret charges and that it holds its partners to the same standards of honesty.

International coverage and presence

Skyscanner operates internationally with local versions of its site and app. The platform is available in Australia in English with prices in Australian dollars, and maintains specific editions for markets such as the UK, US, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, Russia and China, among others.

Its catalogue of destinations and providers includes cities such as Melbourne, London, Tokyo, Bangkok and Singapore; airports such as Sydney, Bali (Denpasar), Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne Tullamarine; regions such as New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia; and countries such as Japan, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam and New Zealand. Among the airlines and car hire providers featured on its site are Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qantas, Europcar, Bargain Car Rentals, Hertz and Sixt.