Planning a trip can feel like a full-time job, but it doesn't have to be. Skyscanner acts like your personal assistant, searching every corner of the internet to find the cheapest flights, the best hotel deals, and reliable car rentals all while you sip your coffee. In a nutshell, Skyscanner is a powerful, unbiased travel search engine that streamlines your planning by comparing thousands of options to ensure you don't overpay for your next adventure.

Whether you're a seasoned globetrotter or a first-time flyer, here is everything you need to know about how this tool works and why savvy travelers worldwide use it to start their travel planning.

What is Skyscanner?

Think of Skyscanner like a search engine for travel. Much like how you use Amazon to find a product and compare prices, you use Skyscanner to look up and compare flights, hotels, and car rentals at home and abroad.

It’s important to know that Skyscanner isn't an online travel agency (also called an OTA). We don't book reservations or process payments. Instead, we're a comparison tool. Here how Skyscanner works:

• The search: We scan hundreds of travel provider and booking sites simultaneously so you don't have to open 20 different tabs.

• The selection: Once you find a deal you like, we redirect you over to the provider (like Delta, Expedia, or Sixt).

• The booking: You finish your reservation and make the payment directly on the provider's website. Skyscanner just helped make the introduction.

Where does Skyscanner get all airline, hotel, and car rental prices?

The prices you see on Skyscanner are the same ones you'd see if you searched a provider directly. We pride ourselves on being transparent and having more direct partnerships with online travel agencies, airlines, hotels, and car rental companies than any other travel search website. We also build all of our own technology so that we can reliably search the internet to bring you the best travel deals.

Does Skyscanner vet the companies that are shown?

We have a very strict process to check that any travel agency, airline, hotel, or car rental company that we show you prices for are giving their customers the best experience. We set the standards pretty high and remove any online travel agencies that we find are not adhering to these standards. Our fantastic customer service team constantly monitors this, and they’re happy to help you with any specific feedback you’d like to give.

Why is Skyscanner free?

When you find the deal you want, we connect you to the provider or travel agency to make your booking directly with them. The provider or agency then pays us a small referral fee. This fee does not get passed onto you. The price you see on Skyscanner is the price on the provider or agency's site.

How does Skyscanner work when making bookings?

You'll never book directly with Skyscanner. After you select the search result you like most — whether it's a flight, hotel, or car rental — we'll send you over to the provider's website. Once there, you'll complete your reservation, make payment, and confirm your booking all through that provider. If you need help with your reservation or to make a change, you'll reach out to their customer service team directly.

Why should I use Skyscanner instead of another travel search site?

We could list reasons all day, but here are the top three that we think are most important:

1. We are unbiased and show you all of your travel options in one place, saving you time and money.

2. The price you see on Skyscanner is the price you’ll pay. There are no hidden taxes or fees.

3. We've built powerful advanced search tools to help you find the best prices and book with confidence. These include our Everywhere search, Price Alerts, and Whole Month search.

Final thoughts: Is Skyscanner legit?

Yes! Skyscanner is a legit travel search engine that compares flight, hotel, and car rental options from across the web to save travelers time and money. You'll never book directly with Skyscanner. Instead, we'll send you over to the provider's site so that you can complete your reservation and payment with them. It's that simple, and we hope you love using our site to plan your vacations!