MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner: Which Offers the Best Flight Prices?
MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner, this is easily the most debated question in every Indian travel group, WhatsApp chat, and office coffee break. I’ve been booking flights for the past several years, and trust me.I have had my share of “I thought I got a good deal” moments followed by a quiet cry at checkout. So I […]
MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner, this is easily the most debated question in every Indian travel group, WhatsApp chat, and office coffee break. I’ve been booking flights for the past several years, and trust me.
I have had my share of “I thought I got a good deal” moments followed by a quiet cry at checkout. So I finally decided to stop guessing and actually compare both platforms, flight by flight, fee by fee, so you don’t have to.
Whether you’re planning a quick Goa trip or your first international solo adventure, understanding the difference between MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner can genuinely save you thousands of rupees. Let’s break it all down.
MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner: Which One Do I Personally Prefer?
After years of booking flights for both domestic and international trips, I have realized that there is no single winner in the MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner debate. Both platforms serve different purposes, and I often use them together rather than choosing one over the other.
If my goal is to find the cheapest flight booking site in India, I usually start with Skyscanner. It allows me to compare fares from multiple airlines and travel agencies in one place, making it easier to spot the lowest prices.
I also find the flexible date search useful when I am planning trips around a budget rather than fixed travel dates.
However, I rarely book immediately after finding a deal on Skyscanner. Instead, I compare the same flight on MakeMyTrip. Sometimes, MakeMyTrip offers bank discounts, coupon codes, or cashback deals that make the final price even lower.
One thing I always pay attention to is MakeMyTrip hidden charges on flights. While the platform is convenient, add-ons such as seat selection, travel insurance, and premium support can increase the final amount if you are not careful. I always review the fare breakdown before making payment.
For international travel, my process is slightly different. I use Skyscanner to research routes and understand the best time to book flights. Indian travelers can benefit from. The fare alerts and price trends often help me decide whether to book now or wait for a better deal.
When it comes to actually completing an international booking, I generally prefer MakeMyTrip. The customer support, payment options, and travel assistance make it one of the best apps to book international flights India travelers, especially for first-time international trips.
My personal strategy is simple: use Skyscanner to search and compare, then check MakeMyTrip before booking. By combining both platforms, I usually get the best value and avoid paying more than necessary.
What Is MakeMyTrip and How Does It Work?
MakeMyTrip (MMT) is one of India’s most trusted online travel agencies (OTAs). Founded in 2000, it operates as a one-stop platform where you can book flights, hotels, holiday packages, cabs, and train tickets, all in one place.
When you search for a flight on MakeMyTrip, the platform shows you available fares from 500+ airlines, lets you filter by price, stops, and departure time, and allows you to complete your entire booking, payment included, without ever leaving the app or website.
MakeMyTrip earns through convenience fees (₹249–₹499 per passenger on domestic bookings), service charges, and brand partnerships. It’s a direct booking platform, not just a search engine.
Key Numbers:
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Airline Partners | 500+ |
| Domestic Hotel Options | 60,000+ |
| International Properties | 500,000+ |
| Countries Served | 27+ |
| Franchise Stores (2025) | 146+ |
What Is Skyscanner and How Does It Work?
Skyscanner is a global flight search engine, and that’s an important distinction. Unlike MakeMyTrip, Skyscanner does NOT sell you the ticket directly.
It aggregates flight data from hundreds of airlines and OTAs (including MakeMyTrip itself), shows you the lowest available prices, and then redirects you to the partner site to complete the booking.
Think of Skyscanner as a super-smart price comparison tool. It’s free to use, and its “Everywhere” and “Cheapest Month” search features are genuinely game-changing for flexible travelers.
Skyscanner’s Indian website (skyscanner.co.in) saw approximately 4.6 million visits in June 2025 alone, which tells you that a massive chunk of Indian travelers are already using it as their starting point.
Key Features:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Airlines & OTAs Searched | 1,000+ |
| Fare Tracking | “Price Alert” feature |
| Flexible Date Search | “Cheapest Month” tool |
| Booking Fees | No booking fees of its own |
| Flight Coverage | Strong global and international flight data |
MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner: Head-to-Head Comparison
Let me lay this out clearly, because this is where most travel articles get vague and unhelpful.
1. Flight Price Comparison
Here’s the truth that no one tells you upfront: the base fare shown on both platforms is usually similar, because airlines control their own pricing. The difference lies in what gets added on top.
MakeMyTrip charges a convenience fee of ₹249–₹499 per passenger on domestic bookings. On a return trip for a family of four, that’s potentially ₹3,992 extra, just in fees. For international flights, these charges can be even steeper.
Skyscanner, on the other hand, charges zero platform fee. But since it redirects you to another OTA (often MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, or Yatra) to complete the booking, that OTA’s convenience fee still applies. So you may see a “great price” on Skyscanner, click through, and find the same fees waiting at checkout.
Pro Tip from my own experience:
When Skyscanner shows you a fare and redirects to an airline’s own website (like IndiGo or Air India), you often get the cleanest price, no OTA markup on top.
2. Domestic Flights: Which is Cheaper
For domestic Indian flights, MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner often ends in a tie on base fare, but MakeMyTrip can win when you factor in its exclusive bank discounts and coupon codes.
MakeMyTrip offers 10%–20% discounts with banks like Axis, HDFC, ICICI, and Amex, along with EMI options. If you have the right card, your ₹5,000 ticket could drop to ₹4,000 or lower.
Skyscanner doesn’t have its own discount ecosystem. However, it’s brilliant for finding the cheapest available OTA or airline fare at a glance, especially if you don’t have a specific date in mind.
Data point:
A Mumbai–Goa IndiGo fare shown at ₹3,299 on Skyscanner was once redirected to MakeMyTrip with an added ₹249 processing fee. The same fare was available directly on IndiGo’s app at ₹2,849 with a promo code. Always cross-check.
3. International Flights: Who Wins
This is where MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner gets really interesting, and Skyscanner clearly has the edge for international travel.
Skyscanner aggregates fares from global airlines and hundreds of international booking platforms that MakeMyTrip simply doesn’t have tie-ups with. If you’re flying Delhi to London or Mumbai to New York, Skyscanner will almost always surface cheaper or more varied options.
MakeMyTrip does have a strong international offering, but its edge is in bundled packages, flight + hotel deals, visa assistance (a feature Skyscanner doesn’t offer at all), and travel insurance add-ons.
For the best international flight search, Skyscanner wins. For the best international travel bundle, MakeMyTrip wins.
MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner: Hidden Charges You Need to Know
One of the biggest pain points for Indian travelers is the MakeMyTrip hidden charges on flights. I’ve seen so many people share screenshots where the final checkout price is 15%–25% higher than the original search result.
Here’s a breakdown of what to watch out for:
MakeMyTrip charges to watch:
- Convenience fee: ₹249–₹499 per passenger (domestic)
- Seat selection fee: ₹100–₹600 per seat (route-dependent)
- Meal add-on: ₹150–₹400
- Travel insurance (often pre-selected): ₹299–₹599
- Credit card surcharge: varies by card
Skyscanner charges to watch:
- Skyscanner itself charges nothing
- But the OTA redirects to add its own fees
- Always read the final checkout page carefully before paying
My rule:
I use Skyscanner to discover the cheapest fare and which OTA or airline is offering it. Then I visit that site directly (or the airline’s own app) and look for promo codes before completing the booking.
Best Time to Book Flights Using Both Platforms
The Skyscanner best time to book flights India question has a pretty consistent answer: for domestic flights, book 1–3 months ahead; for international, aim for 2–6 months ahead. Mid-week searches (Tuesday or Wednesday) tend to surface lower fares.
MakeMyTrip runs flash sales during festive seasons (Diwali, Holi, Independence Day) and frequent “SALE” events where domestic fares can drop by 30%–40%. Signing up for MMT’s email alerts or enabling fare notifications is worth it.
Skyscanner’s “Price Alert” feature is genuinely one of the best tools in the game. Set an alert for your route, and you’ll get notified the moment fares drop, completely free.
MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner: Features Comparison Table
| Feature | MakeMyTrip | Skyscanner |
|---|---|---|
| Type | OTA (books directly) | Search Engine (redirects) |
| Domestic Flights | 500+ airline partners | Aggregates airlines & OTAs |
| International Flights | Good | Excellent |
| Booking Fees | ₹249–₹499 per passenger | ₹0 (own fees) |
| Hotel Booking | Yes | Yes |
| Holiday Packages | Yes | No |
| Visa Assistance | Yes | No |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| “Cheapest Month” Search | No | Yes |
| Loyalty Program | MyRewards | No |
| Bank Discounts | 10–20% discounts available | No |
| Customer Support | 24/7 support | Limited (via OTA/airline) |
| Cancellation Transparency | Upfront details shown | Depends on OTA |
Which App Is Better for International Flights From India
When it comes to the best app to book international flights in India, Skyscanner has a structural advantage; it searches across thousands of global partners in one shot, including budget carriers that Indian OTAs may not list.
However, if you’re a first-time international traveler who also needs a visa, hotel, cab, and travel insurance sorted, MakeMyTrip is far more convenient. You can manage the entire trip from one app, get 24/7 support, and even use the “Pay Later” feature for flexibility.
My recommendation: Start on Skyscanner. Find your best fare and note which OTA or airline is selling it at that price. Then go directly to that platform or the airline website to book.
MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner for Domestic Flights: A Real Example
Let’s say you want to fly Delhi to Mumbai on a weekend in peak season.
- Skyscanner shows ₹4,800 on IndiGo (redirects to MakeMyTrip) and ₹4,650 on SpiceJet (redirects to SpiceJet’s own website).
- On MakeMyTrip directly: ₹4,800 + ₹399 convenience fee = ₹5,199 total.
- On SpiceJet’s website: ₹4,650 + ₹0 fee (UPI payment) = ₹4,650 total.
- Add an HDFC 10% discount on MMT: ₹5,199 – ₹480 = ₹4,719.
In this case, Skyscanner helped you find the cheapest base fare (SpiceJet), and booking directly saved you ₹549 compared to MakeMyTrip without a bank offer.
This is why using MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner together, not in isolation, is the smartest strategy.
Conclusion
After comparing MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner across pricing, features, fees, and real booking scenarios, here’s my honest verdict:
Use Skyscanner when:
- You’re booking international flights and want maximum fare visibility
- You have flexible travel dates and want to find the cheapest month to fly
- You want to compare fares across multiple OTAs without committing to one
Use MakeMyTrip when:
- You need a complete travel package (flight + hotel + cab + visa)
- You have a bank card with exclusive MMT discounts
- You’re a frequent traveler building up MyRewards loyalty points
- You want transparent cancellation terms and 24/7 customer support
The MakeMyTrip vs Skyscanner debate doesn’t have one winner. The smartest travelers use both, and that’s exactly what you should do.
FAQs
What is the best time to book flights on Skyscanner from India?
For domestic flights, book 1–3 months in advance. For international routes, aim 2–6 months ahead. Enable Skyscanner's Price Alert for your route to get notified automatically when fares drop.
Is Skyscanner cheaper than MakeMyTrip for Indian domestic flights?
Skyscanner itself doesn't charge booking fees, but since it redirects to OTAs (often MakeMyTrip), those OTAs add their own convenience fees. For the absolute cheapest domestic fare, use Skyscanner to find the lowest price, then check if you can book directly with the airline.
Does MakeMyTrip charge extra fees over the base fare?
Yes. MakeMyTrip charges a convenience fee of ₹249–₹499 per passenger on domestic flights. Additional charges for seat selection, meals, travel insurance (sometimes pre-checked), and payment method surcharges can push the final price significantly higher.
Which is better for international flights MakeMyTrip or Skyscanner?
Skyscanner is generally better for finding the cheapest international fares because it aggregates global carriers and hundreds of OTAs. MakeMyTrip is better if you want a complete travel bundle with visa assistance, hotel, and 24/7 support.
Can I trust Skyscanner for flight bookings from India?
Yes, Skyscanner is a globally trusted platform. However, since it redirects you to third-party OTAs for the actual booking, always verify the cancellation policy, baggage terms, and total final price on the OTA's checkout page before paying.
