Skyscanner helps users search routes, compare prices, and view offers from airlines and booking websites. In most cases, it does not directly sell the ticket itself.

That difference matters.

When you click on a flight inside Skyscanner, you are typically redirected to:

• The airline’s official website
  
• Or another online travel agency
  

Payment is completed on that external site. That provider creates your reservation and becomes responsible for managing the booking.

Understanding this structure helps travelers know who to contact if plans change after payment.

How the Process Actually Works

The flow is simple:

• You enter your travel details on Skyscanner.
• Skyscanner displays flight options from airlines and online travel agencies.
• You select your preferred option.
• You are redirected to the airline’s or agency’s website.
• You complete the payment on that external provider’s platform.

Once payment is processed, the airline or agency you booked with becomes responsible for issuing the ticket and managing any changes, cancellations, or refunds.

Skyscanner Travel Agency’s role is mainly at the search stage.

It doesn’t normally:

• Issue the ticket
• Process refunds
• Change bookings
• Control airline schedules

Those responsibilities belong to the provider you pay.

Understanding this structure is important because booking through a third-party platform can affect how changes, refunds, or travel disruptions are handled later.

Is Skyscanner a Real Travel Agency?

Not exactly.

In travel terms, Skyscanner is known as a “metasearch engine.” It gathers results from different sources and displays them in one place. It doesn’t typically hold your payment or manage the booking lifecycle.

That’s different from an online travel agency, which processes transactions directly.

If you’re comparing other online booking platforms, it helps to understand whether you’re dealing with a seller or a comparison tool. The experience after payment can be very different.

Who Handles Refunds and Changes?

This depends entirely on where you completed your booking.

If you were redirected to an airline’s website and paid there, the airline manages:

• Cancellations
• Date changes
• Refund eligibility
• Delays

If you booked through a third-party agency listed on Skyscanner, its policies apply instead.

Skyscanner itself usually doesn’t step into refund disputes or schedule changes because it didn’t process the payment.

This is why checking the booking source before confirming is important. It tells you who you’ll be dealing with later if something shifts.

Airlines typically manage delays, cancellations, and compensation in accordance with applicable passenger protection regulations, including guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation or relevant regional aviation authorities, depending on where the flight operates.

When Skyscanner Makes Sense

Skyscanner Travel Agency is useful if you want a broad overview quickly. It works well for:

• Flexible travelers comparing multiple dates
• People who want to scan different airlines in one search
• Anyone trying to identify the lowest available fare

It may feel less straightforward if you prefer dealing with one company from start to finish.

Some travelers don’t mind being redirected to another website to complete payment. Others would rather book directly from the beginning.

There’s no universal “better” option – just different levels of involvement.

Booking Direct vs Booking Through a Skyscanner Listing

Here’s where confusion sometimes happens.

When you use Skyscanner, you’re not really “booking through Skyscanner travel agency.” You’re booking through whichever airline or agency appears after you click.

If that’s the airline :	If it’s a third-party agency :
You deal with them directly	That agency sets the rules
Their policies apply	Refund timing may vary
There’s no middle layer	Communication can involve an extra step

Understanding this before payment can prevent frustration later. 

Is It Safe to Use?

Skyscanner is widely used as a flight comparison and search tool. The safety of your booking depends primarily on the airline or travel agency you choose, rather than on the comparison platform itself.

Skyscanner itself does not typically hold customer payments in most standard bookings. Instead, payment is processed directly by the airline or online travel agency you are redirected to at checkout.

Before confirming any ticket, it’s worth checking:

• Who you’re paying
• The cancellation policy
• Change fees
• Baggage rules

Five minutes of reading terms can save hours of stress later.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Disclaimer : CruiseTidbit is an independent travel information website and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Skyscanner. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.