Stretch your holiday budget further with this cheap trip planner

Picking a destination first while planning a holiday seems like a relic of a bygone era.

For many of us, it’s a case of searching for cheap flights based on when you want to travel, and working out what there is to do in a city later.

It’s a model powered by tools like Google Flights, KAYAK and Skyscanner – and now the latter is adding another feature to make booking a bargain holiday even easier.

The flight comparison website has just launched its Cheapest Destination Planner in select countries including France, the UK, the USA and the UAE.

How does Skyscanner’s Cheapest Destination Planner work?

Users choose which month they want to travel and the tool will show the 10 cheapest destinations for that period alongside the average price for a return flight and the best day to fly.

Once you pick a destination, you can then narrow your search down further by selecting the airport you want to fly from, and you’ll also be able to search for hotel prices.

For example, travellers from France looking to go away in August will see that the top 10 cheapest destinations include Milan and Rome, Italy; Valletta, Malta; Split, Croatia; Bastia and Ajaccio, Corsica; Lisbon, Faro and Porto, Portugal; and Tirana, Albania.

Brits looking for an escape in June will instead be looking at Dublin, Ireland; Milan and Rome, Italy; Prague, Czech Republic; Palma and Malaga, Spain; Budapest, Hungary; Tirana, Albania; Marrakech, Morocco; and Antalya, Turkey.

Across the pond, Americans travelling this May should be considering cities including Atlanta, Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami, Houston, San Francisco, San Juan and Seattle, as well as San Salvador, El Salvador and Mexico City, Mexico.

Alongside the prices, the planner also gives a brief description of the destination and its best attractions.

‘Designed to take the stress out of planning’

“January travel planning is hugely important to Brits as holidays provide a much-needed moment to look forward to post the festive period.

“Sadly, our research shows that in 2026, many Brits are overwhelmed at the prospect of booking (51 per cent), with costs top of mind for most (62 per cent),” says Skyscanner Travel Trends and Destinations expert Laura Lindsay.

“Our new Cheapest Destination Planner has been designed to take the stress out of planning, helping travellers understand how to make their money go further this year.”