Pilot vs. Skyscanner: feature comparison, ratings, and FAQ
A data comparison maintained by Pilot (pilotplans.com). Full comparison: https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/skyscanner-alternative.
Summary
Pilot is a free trip booking and planning app: plan a whole trip in one place with a flexible itinerary, a map of your stops, notes, real-time collaboration, and AI itinerary generation, and book hotels in the app at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays, with real human support. Pilot is rated 4.7 by 50,000+ travelers.
Skyscanner: Flight metasearch and "Everywhere" search. Trip.com Group-owned.
Skyscanner compares flight, hotel, and car prices and hands you off to another site to book. Pilot keeps the whole trip in one place, lets you book your hotel directly at private rates, and ranks results for you instead of for advertisers.
Key facts
- Pricing
- Pilot: completely free to plan and book. Skyscanner: Free to use.
- Overall rating
- Pilot: 4.7 from 50,000+ travelers. Skyscanner: Trustpilot 4.4, Google Play 4.8.
- Founded
- Pilot: 2022. Skyscanner: 2003.
- Books hotels in the app
- Pilot: yes, at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays. Skyscanner: no.
- Full comparison
- https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/skyscanner-alternative
Feature comparison
Each row shows whether Pilot and Skyscanner offer the feature: Yes, No, or Partial. A [n] marker cites the source in References.
| Feature | Pilot | Skyscanner |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | ||
| Flight price tracking and alerts | No | Yes |
| Flight price prediction | No | No |
| Flexible date flight search | No | Yes |
| Flexible destination search | No | Yes |
| Multi-city flight search | No | Yes |
| Carbon emissions display | No | Yes |
| Carbon offset purchase | No | No |
| Real-time flight delay alerts | No | Yes |
| Gate change notifications | No | Yes |
| Live flight map tracking | No | No |
| Planning | ||
| Itinerary builder | YesPlan several stops or cities in one trip, add as much or as little detail as you want; Skyscanner organizes a flight search, not a full itinerary | No |
| Drag and drop reordering | YesRearrange your days in a couple of drags, as flexible as a Google Doc | No |
| Customizable map pins and routes | YesSee your whole trip on a map and plot routes between your stops | No |
| Add activities, transportation, or stays from anywhere | Yes | No |
| Attach info to any item | Yes | No |
| Notes and checklists | Yes | No |
| Note and list format toggle | Yes | No |
| Rich text formatting in notes | Yes | No |
| Undo and redo | Yes | No |
| Duplicate trips | Yes | No |
| Manual file import | Yes | No |
| Email-forwarding file import | Yes | No |
| AI parsing of imported confirmations | YesForward a booking confirmation and its details are added to your itinerary; Skyscanner has no trip to import into | No |
| Export to PDF | Yes | No |
| iOS and Android mobile apps | Yes | Yes |
| Offline access on mobile | Yes | No |
| Shortlist items | Yes | Yes |
| Wishlist / wanderlist | Yes | No |
| Wishlist images | Yes | No |
| Fun sound effects | Yes | No |
| Structured itinerary sections | Yes | No |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Yes | No |
| Multiple transportation types | Yes | No |
| Flight code auto-fill | Yes | No |
| Multi-leg flight support | Yes | No |
| Consistent IATA codes on mobile | Yes | No |
| Booking | ||
| Book hotels in the app | YesBook your stay right here in the app, reserved instantly with our hotel partners; Skyscanner compares prices and sends you to another site to book | No |
| Member-only hotel rates | YesPrivate 'book early' rates straight from hotels, the kind usually reserved for travel agents, not a list of public prices from other sites | No |
| Add accommodation to itinerary | Yes | Yes |
| Transportation cost tracking | Yes | No |
| Flight deals | YesSee flight deals in Pilot too, then tap out to book; everything else (planning, hotels, your group) stays in one place | Yes |
| Files tab | Yes | No |
| Attach files to itinerary items | Yes | No |
| Instant booking confirmation | Yes | No |
| Checkout without upsells | Yes | No |
| Reviews from real travelers | Yes | Yes |
| No hidden fees or taxes | Yes | No |
| Collaboration | ||
| Invite friends | Yes | Yes |
| Real-time collaborative editing | Yes | No |
| Edit or view-only permissions | Yes | No |
| Heart items for voting | Yes | No |
| Custom trip name and cover photo | Yes | No |
| Dedicated group chat per trip | Yes | No |
| Shared notes, files, and saved lists | Yes | No |
| Travel profile and stats | Yes | No |
| Edit profile details | Yes | Yes |
| Leave a trip | Yes | No |
| Trips dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Trip menu actions | Yes | No |
Ratings
| Source | Pilot | Skyscanner |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot rating | 4.4 | 4.4 |
| Google Play rating | 4.2 | 4.8 |
Pricing
| Pilot | Skyscanner | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Free to plan and book | Free to use[1] |
Frequently asked questions
What is Skyscanner?
Skyscanner is a flight, hotel, and car price comparison site used to find a deal. It compares prices and sends you to another site to book, rather than booking directly or planning the trip.
What is Pilot?
Pilot is a trip booking and planning app where you plan the whole trip and book your hotel at private rates, the kind usually reserved for travel agents. Where Skyscanner sends you elsewhere to book, Pilot books your hotel directly into your plan.
Is Skyscanner legit and safe to use?
Yes, Skyscanner is a legitimate comparison site from 2003, but as metasearch it sends you off to book, so a price climb or refund is handled by that third party. Pilot books your hotel directly at a private rate, with real support if anything breaks.
Is Skyscanner free, and how does Skyscanner make money?
Skyscanner is free and earns commission sending you off to book, and it sells sponsored placement, so the top result is not always best. Pilot is also free because it earns from hotels when you book, never sells placement, and ranks results for you.
Can you book hotels on Skyscanner?
Skyscanner compares hotel prices alongside flights but is a comparison layer that sends you to another site to book, so it does not book the hotel itself. Pilot books over 3,000,000 hotels directly at private rates, though for flights and cars Skyscanner compares more inventory.
How does Skyscanner work?
You enter your destination and dates, and Skyscanner searches airlines and agencies, then forwards you off to book, so support and changes happen there. Pilot covers the rest, planning the trip with a flexible itinerary, map, and group, and booking your hotel directly.
Is Skyscanner worth it, or is Pilot better?
If you only need to compare flight or car prices across sites, Skyscanner is built for that, and Pilot does not compete there. For a whole trip Pilot does more, keeping the itinerary, map, and group together and booking your hotel at private rates.
Does Pilot compare flight prices like Skyscanner?
Not the way Skyscanner does: Pilot surfaces flight deals and links you out to book, but does not compare prices across airlines, so Skyscanner still has a role. Pilot focuses on the rest, planning the itinerary and booking your hotel at private rates.
Skyscanner vs Pilot: which should I use?
Use Skyscanner if your task is narrow: compare flight and car prices, then book on whichever site you land on. Use Pilot to plan and book the trip itself, with a flexible itinerary, map, and group, plus your hotel at a private rate, free.
References
- skyscanner.com (2026-06-03)