Scanning the skies for cheaper flights
Andrew Stuckey • May 15, 2020
Holidays aboard are great, but for anyone looking to venture a little further than Western Europe, steep flight prices can often act as a deterrent. For these people, places like Africa, Australia and America remain nothing more than a spot on a map. Until now, that is.
Travelling today is vastly different from travelling in the past– and the internet has played a huge part in helping millions of people find cheap holidays over the past 10 years or so.
Websites such as Booking.com and Late Rooms are just two options that enable users to bag cheaper accommodation, while Skyscanner is the one-stop site to check out when on the hunt for cheaper flights.
If you're on the lookout for a single to New York for less than £200, or fancy a return trip to Bangkok for under £400, it's well worth getting to grips with one of the fastest growing comparison sites on the web.
The basics
Just as Booking.com and Late Rooms compare hundreds of hotel rooms in just a few clicks, Skyscanner compares over 1,200 trusted airlines and travel sites in a bid to provide its users with the cheapest option – meaning that the likes of America, Asia and even Australia become realistic holiday destinations for millions of people throughout the world.
To see how much a certain flight costs, simply enter whether you're looking for a single or return flight, where you're flying to and from, and the dates you wish to travel, then click 'search flights'. You can also select whether you want a standard, first class or multi-city ticket (ideal for travellers visiting several cities in one trip).
Looking for a flight with no changes? Simply click the box next to 'Direct flights only' before submitting your search.
Above and beyond
As well as offering a flight comparison service, Skyscanner also offers discounted city breaks for any would-be traveller looking to explore someplace new. This is done by comparing major airlines as well as hotel providers and other online travel agencies.
The site even offers a range of city guides to help you when you get to where you're going – just check out this handy A to Z of city guides.
Car hire and hotel comparisons (without the flights included) are also available on the Skyscanner site – and to see the cheapest deals available, simply enter your desired location, the date of your arrival and departure, then click 'search'. It couldn't be easier.
60 million and counting
Skyscanner was founded in 2003 and in the 13 years it has been operating, the company has grown from humble origins to one of the world's leading travel search sites.
Due in part to the fact that the site is free to use, Skyscanner boasts figures of over 60 million users each and every month, while the company's app has been downloaded a staggering 50 million times onto various mobile devices.
Skyscanner is available in over 30 different languages, and the site allows users to search for flights to and from various locations across the globe – so you won't be restricted to searching for flights from the UK only. This is particularly handy when you're looking to explore internal flights in places like China, Australia or the USA.
In short, if you haven't given Skyscanner a go yet, why not give it a whirl the next time you fancy heading abroad? Just remember, our blog is packed full of money saving tips, so you know where to find us if you're unsure of the best way to go about saving for your next big trip.