Skyscanner Launches Cheapest Destination Planner for Smarter Travel

Skyscanner has launched its Cheapest Destination Planner tool across 19 markets, including India, and in 13 languages. The feature aims to simplify travel planning by helping users make value-led decisions and compare options more easily. Speaking at a news conference in New Delhi on January 15, Neel Ghose, travel trends and destinations expert at Skyscanner, explained that the tool operates through three steps. Users first select the month they wish to travel, which could coincide with a birthday, anniversary or school holiday period. The tool then identifies the 10 cheapest destinations from the chosen departure point, alongside information such as average return airfares and key reasons to visit each destination. Travellers can then explore flight and hotel options to finalise their plans. Ghose said the goal is to reduce the complexity of travel planning and make it easier for users to act on insights and convert interest into bookings. Skyscanner developed the Cheapest Destination Planner following research across several markets, including a survey conducted with OnePoll in November 2025 among 2,000 respondents in India. “The first thing we are seeing is that, of all the people we surveyed, 84 per cent are considering international travel in 2026, which is significant and clearly reflects the growth of the Indian middle class,” said Neel Ghose. The survey found that 89 per cent of Indian travellers are interested in visiting alternative or lesser-known destinations, while 77 per cent are willing to spend more on a luxury hotel stay on the final night of their trip. It also showed that 81 per cent of respondents find planning travel for 2026 daunting. Cost was identified as the main challenge, with 46 per cent citing expenses as a factor that makes booking overwhelming, while 45 per cent said they were unsure when to travel this year. The Cheapest Destination Planner has also been rolled out in other markets including Singapore, Japan, Australia, South Korea, the US, the UK, France and Poland.