Our inspire map exists for anyone who has ever thought “I need a holiday” followed immediately by “where should I go on holiday?” To answer your question, simply type in your departure airport and month of travel to get an entire map of the world featuring cheap flights.
Warning: Do not head over to the Skyscanner inspire map unless you have a little self-restraint and a lot of free time on your hands. Before you know it, you’ve booked yourself a trip to the Dominican Republic and are dancing around the room to merengue. But hey, that’s just what happens when inspiration meets practicality.
Tips for using the Skyscanner inspire map
To get started, head over to Skyscanner New Zealand and click where it says “Map” in the search panel.
Search with an open mind
When you imagine yourself on holiday, are white sand beaches the only thing that come to mind? A different type of vacation might be less pricey but just as relaxing – like a retreat in a forest or desert oasis instead. If a cheap flight price pops up from a destination you’ve never heard of before, you might be destined to go there. Use the inspiration map as a brainstorming platform to plan trips to exotic locales you might never have considered otherwise. (I see you, Namibia.)
Filter by price
Want to book a flight from New Zealand to somewhere new but don’t have a massive budget? No worries. At the bottom of the search box, you can adjust the scale to show destinations that match your price range. When you see a plot point that you like, hover your mouse over it to get the price instantly. Click on the point to choose your dates and get essential details about the flight.
Search by direct or indirect flights
As much as we love airplanes and airports, the less time we spend in them, the better. Automatically, the inspiration map will show green plot points for direct flights, and red plot points for flights with one or more stops. Click the box to show only direct flights to keep your airtime as short as possible.
Discover cheap last minute flights
The inspiration map is not just great for trips in the late future, it’s perfect for finding last minute holiday deals as well. If you click on the current month in the search bar, the map will show flight prices valid for the next few weeks.
There’s a common belief that last-minute flights are always more expensive than flights booked well ahead of time. Though this is sometimes the case, it’s not always true. Use the inspiration map to find flights that are affordable even if you’re booking them last minute.
Find your starting point for an entire region
If you’re flexible, this map is perfect for showing the best place to fly into for any region. Despite cities being geographically close together, they can often differ by hundreds of dollars in price when it comes to flights. The map can help you find the perfect entry point for a region you’re planning to explore, shaving money off of your airfare.
Let’s say you’re planning a trip to Europe from Auckland. Automatically, the Inspire Map will highlight the cheapest fares in that region. At a glance, it’s easy to see that flying into Paris is cheaper than flying into Berlin, London, or Amsterdam. This means Paris is probably a great place to start a journey through Europe. The same can be done for departure.
