Skyscanner
A Scottish-founded travel metasearch engine for flights, hotels and car hire.
Skyscanner at a glance
Skyscanner is a travel website and one of the most visited sites in United Kingdom, currently ranked #166 in the country. It was founded in 2003 by Gareth Williams, Barry Smith, Bonamy Grimes and is headquartered in Edinburgh, UK. Today Skyscanner is owned by Trip.com Group. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 80 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through referral fees, advertising. Its closest rivals include kayak.co.uk, expedia.co.uk, booking.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 75.2 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 77.6 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 80 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 84.8 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct43%
- Organic search32%
- Paid search16%
- Metasearch referral6%
- Social3%
Audience & demographics
- Men52%
- Women48%
- Age 25-3431%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5420%
The audience is concentrated in United Kingdom, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United Kingdom86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 24 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United Kingdom
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| skyscanner | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| cheap flights | Top 10 | High | — |
| hotel booking | Top 10 | High | — |
| train tickets | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United Kingdom web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 71% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading travel apps in United Kingdom
Company information
- Website
- skyscanner.net
- Sector
- Travel
- Owner
- Trip.com Group
- Owner type
- Subsidiary of public company
- Founders
- Gareth Williams, Barry Smith, Bonamy Grimes
- Founded
- 2003
- Headquarters
- Edinburgh, UK
- Employees
- 1,000+
- Ownership
- Trip.com Group controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $600 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English, many others
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, paid search
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $600 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Skyscanner operates a travel booking platform focused on United Kingdom. A Scottish-founded travel metasearch engine for flights, hotels and car hire. Revenue comes mainly from referral fees, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Referral fees
- Advertising
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United Kingdom
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United Kingdom)
- #166 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading travel site in United Kingdom
- Global rank
- 900
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| kayak.co.uk | ≈ 48 million / month | #167 class competitor | — |
| expedia.co.uk | ≈ 36 million / month | #168 class competitor | — |
| booking.com | ≈ 24 million / month | #169 class competitor | — |
What is Skyscanner?
Skyscanner (skyscanner.net) is a travel booking platform serving users in United Kingdom. A Scottish-founded travel metasearch engine for flights, hotels and car hire. It ranks #166 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the travel category.
Who owns Skyscanner?
The site is operated by Trip.com Group, founded by Gareth Williams, Barry Smith, Bonamy Grimes. The company was established in 2003 and is headquartered in Edinburgh, UK. It employs around 1,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Skyscanner at roughly 80 million visits per month, about 2.7 million per day. Around 71% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 7.8 pages per visit with an average session of 7 min.
How Skyscanner makes money
Revenue comes primarily from referral fees, alongside advertising.
Competitors in United Kingdom
Its closest rivals include kayak.co.uk, expedia.co.uk, booking.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 2003
Skyscanner is founded in Edinburgh, UK.
- Growth phase
Expands its travel offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #166 among the most visited websites in United Kingdom.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad inventory of routes, hotels or tickets
- Transparent price comparison across dates
- Local payment and installment support
- Mobile check-in and booking management
Cons
- Prices fluctuate quickly during peak seasons
- Change and cancellation rules are restrictive
- Add-on fees appear late in the funnel
- Support pressure during disruptions
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Skyscanner?
Skyscanner is operated by Trip.com Group. Subsidiary of public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Skyscanner headquartered?
Skyscanner is headquartered in Edinburgh, UK.
When was Skyscanner founded?
Skyscanner was founded in 2003 by Gareth Williams, Barry Smith, Bonamy Grimes.
How many employees does Skyscanner have?
Skyscanner employs approximately 1,000+ people.
What is Skyscanner's revenue?
Skyscanner's revenue: ≈ $600 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Skyscanner's competitors?
Main competitors in United Kingdom include kayak.co.uk, expedia.co.uk, booking.com.
How does Skyscanner make money?
Mainly referral fees, advertising.
Is Skyscanner publicly traded?
Skyscanner's ownership: Subsidiary of public company.
How many visitors does Skyscanner get?
Third-party estimates place Skyscanner at roughly 80 million visits per month, mostly from United Kingdom, with 71% mobile traffic.
Is Skyscanner safe?
Skyscanner is an established travel site founded in 2003 and ranked #166 in United Kingdom; use the official domain skyscanner.net and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsskyscanner.net
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited Kingdom and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos