Skyscanner was born out of frustration. In 2001, I was trying to book a cheap flight to a ski resort and couldn't find a good comparison site. So I decided to build one.

The Part-Time Years

The three of us - Gareth, Barry, and Bonamy - worked on Skyscanner in our spare time while holding down other jobs. We couldn't afford to go full-time until the business could support us.

The £1,000/Day Milestone

By 2005, the business was raking in £1,000 a day. That's when we knew we could finally go full-time and focus entirely on growth.

SEO as the Engine

Our growth was driven almost entirely by SEO. When people searched for "cheap flights to Barcelona" or "London to New York flights," we wanted to be the top result.

Global Expansion

We expanded beyond the UK to Europe, then Asia, then worldwide. Each market required localization but the core product remained the same.

The Ctrip Acquisition

In 2016, Chinese travel giant Ctrip acquired Skyscanner for £1.4 billion. From a ski trip frustration to a billion-pound exit.

• Founded: 2001
• Full-time: 2005 (£1,000/day revenue)
• Acquisition: 2016 (£1.4 billion)
• Monthly users at exit: 60M+
• Countries: 30+