AI discovery among new Skyscanner product releases

Summer releases respond to traveller needs

Skyscanner, a global leader in travel, today launches new beta tools and updated product features, in response to changing traveller needs.

In 2026, the company has continued to innovate across its app and website, which has seen the firm experiment with new traveller tools and build smarter features designed to make discovering and planning the "perfect trip easier and more budget-friendly than ever".

“For more than 20 years, innovation has been at the heart of Skyscanner’s mission to be the world’s leading travel ally,” said Bryan Batista, CEO of Skyscanner. 

“At a time when travellers are navigating an increasingly complex travel landscape, we’re focused on building tools that help them plan and book with confidence.

We’re experimenting with how AI can make every stage of the journey simpler and more intuitive, from discovering new destinations to road trip planning," he said.

We’re also continuing to test and evolve how we present flight information, including live flight tracking and trialling mapping price insights.

"By combining our deep travel expertise with the latest technology, our goal is to support travellers in making confident decisions and creating trips that are right for them, transforming travel planning into a seamless part of the adventure."

Available on Skyscanner’s website, Explore with AI is the first travel discovery tool currently in beta testing.

It helps travellers find deals on flights using natural language. Instead of entering specific destinations and dates, travellers can describe what they're looking for such as, "help me find cheap flights to Japan in December,” then receive personalised recommendations based on their preferences.

It is currently available in English-speaking markets, which the company has plans to expand. The tool uses intelligent data-backed suggestions to help prompt travellers in smart ways, including destination preferences, travel dates and travel style. 

Travellers can compare destination data side-by-side with smart visual display of flight pricing, weather, flight duration and destination vibes, alongside AI-generated insights such as "September is typically 24% cheaper than December" and "Best of both: beaches and family trips."

Early testing showed strong engagement, with 60% of travellers clicking through to view flight options generated through Explore with AI searches.

Designed to help travellers explore further and discover new destinations, Skyscanner’s second new offering is Road trip planner, which creates personalised itineraries tailored to different travel styles, while helping travellers find the best car hire deal for their journey.

Travellers enter their car hire pick-up location, travel dates and preferred route type. They can choose from a range of AI-generated journey styles, including Scenic Route for breathtaking views, Fastest Route for efficient travel, Cultural Exploration to uncover historical landmarks and local heritage, Adventure Trip for thrilling experiences and outdoor activities, or a Relaxing Getaway featuring peaceful stops and slower-paced travel.

Using these preferences, the AI creates a road trip itinerary that is unique to the traveller, suggesting stops, attractions and points of interest along the way, while also recommending the best car hire options to match the journey.

Alongside these new products, its also updated some popular features including DROPS, Flight Tracker and Stays.

DROPS was one of the most popular app features launched exclusively on app last year. Travellers can now see up to +822% more deals a day with Skyscanner scouring 100 billion prices to find flights that have dropped by 20% or more in the last seven days.

Skyscanner’s latest real time flight information includes more information for travellers including; departures, arrivals, flight status, gates, terminals and baggage belt details for millions of flights, helping travellers find peace of mind on the day of travel, while its newly rebranded Stays platform has evolved to offer much more than just the traditional accommodation options, with more than five million properties - up from 3.5 million. Travellers can compare from hostels to five-star hotels, campsites to capsule accommodation and farm getaways to floating stays.