Global travel app Skyscanner has announced the launch of its Cheapest Destination Planner, a new travel planning tool aimed at simplifying decision-making for travellers amid growing demand for value-led trips. The tool has been rolled out across 19 markets, including India, and is available in 13 languages.
Designed to reduce the stress associated with planning travel, the Cheapest Destination Planner helps users identify affordable destinations and optimal travel periods by drawing on Skyscanner’s extensive pricing and search data. The company said the feature responds to increasing traveller demand for clarity around costs, timing and destination choices.
Speaking at the launch in New Delhi, Neel Ghose, Travel Trends and Destinations Expert at Skyscanner, said the tool is built around a simple three-step process. “Travellers begin by selecting the month they wish to travel, whether it aligns with personal milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries or school holiday schedules. Based on this input, the tool then presents the 10 cheapest destinations from the chosen departure point, along with details such as average return airfares and key reasons to visit each destination. Users can subsequently explore flight and hotel options to complete their booking,” he shared
Ghose said the objective is to remove complexity from the planning process and help travellers turn inspiration into action. “There is strong intent to travel, but there is also a growing sense of overwhelm. Our aim is to replace that uncertainty with clarity and confidence,” he noted.
The launch of the Cheapest Destination Planner is underpinned by research conducted across multiple markets, including a study carried out with OnePoll among 2,000 respondents in India. The findings highlight strong outbound travel intent, with 84% of Indian respondents considering international travel.
January has become a clear planning inflection point for Indian travellers, with 73% mapping out trips at the start of the year. Driven by an emotional need to slow down, 67% plan holidays in January specifically to recharge, and create breathing space after an intense year.
Fourty nine per cent of Indian travellers say they’ve made personal financial sacrifices, from skipping meals out to forgoing haircuts, to make their last holiday possible. When saving for trips, 46% are even willing to skip buying new clothes, while 32% are open to cutting back on socialising with friends.
Many Indian travellers haven’t confirmed their 2026 trips yet simply because they’re overwhelmed: 46% are worried about costs, 45% are struggling when to travel, and 40% are unsure where to go.
Skyscanner’s data further shows a growing appetite for global exploration, with year-on-year increases in search volumes to destinations such as the UAE, Vietnam and Oman. At the same time, travellers are increasingly planning trips earlier in the year, driven by the desire to secure better value and maximise limited holiday time around weekends and public holidays.
The Cheapest Destination Planner has also been introduced in several other global markets, including Singapore, Australia, United States, France, United Kingdom and Poland.
Skyscanner said the new tool reflects its continued focus on traveller-first innovation, using data-driven insights to make travel planning more intuitive, transparent and accessible.