Who acquired Skyscanner?

Skyscanner was acquired by Ctrip (Trip.com Group) for $1.7B on November 2016. Ctrip acquired Skyscanner for £1.4B (~$1.74B) November 2016. Continued operating independently within Trip.com Group.

How long did it take Skyscanner to reach $100k arr?

Gareth Williams, Barry Smith & Bonamy Grimes took 5 years to reach $100k arr with Skyscanner.

Was Gareth Williams, Barry Smith & Bonamy Grimes a solo founder?

No. Gareth Williams, Barry Smith & Bonamy Grimes built Skyscanner with co-founders.

What marketing channel did Skyscanner use to grow?

Skyscanner grew primarily through SEO / Contenu.

Gareth Williams, Barry Smith & Bonamy Grimes: Skyscanner to $100K ARR

L'histoire complète

TL;DR

Three friends frustrated by expensive ski flights built Skyscanner on the side, bootstrapped it to £1,000/day, then sold for £1.4 billion.

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+

Points clés à retenir

Wait to go full-time until the business can support you

SEO can be the primary growth engine for comparison sites

Solve your own problem - the best ideas come from personal frustration

Patience over 15 years can lead to billion-dollar outcomes

Publié à l'origine surProduct Mint

L'histoire complète

TL;DR

Three friends frustrated by expensive ski flights built Skyscanner on the side, bootstrapped it to £1,000/day, then sold for £1.4 billion.

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.