Skyscanner introduces new ‘DROPS' feature
During its initial pilot phases, Malé was ranked as the number one destination for the biggest average flight cost savings among UAE passengers in January, while Cairo topped the list for Saudi Arabia in March.
DROPS is an exclusive app-only feature that uses push notifications to provide relevant, timely and personalised flight drops, giving travellers more reasons to search and book via the app time and time again.
In the UAE, Malé was the top dropped destination, followed by Jeddah and Mumbai, with customers saving an average of £264 ($337.92) (AED 1,228) per trip to Malé. In Saudi Arabia, Cairo, Istanbul, and Baku were the most frequently dropped destinations in March, with travellers saving an average of £142 (SAR697), and some deals offering up to £828 (SAR4064.47) in savings.
Dubai and Amman also appeared as top dropped destinations for Saudi-based travellers, reflecting strong intra-Gulf travel demand. Meanwhile, international routes from Saudi Arabia with the highest savings—though less frequent—included Malé (£732, SAR 3,593), Casablanca (£576, SAR 2,627), Kuala Lumpur (£553, SAR 2,714), Washington D.C. (£491, SAR 2,410) and Munich (£415, SAR 2,040).
Wednesday was the most popular day for DROPS in the UAE, with 38% of early bird deals published before 9:00am**, while in Saudi Arabia, DROPS were released consistently throughout the day, with Monday emerging as the most active day—highlighting the differences in user behaviour and travel planning patterns across both markets.
The UAE also remained a highly attractive destination for international travellers. In Germany and India, Dubai ranked second for biggest price drops, with average savings of AED 1,032 and AED 650 respectively, while Abu Dhabi (AED 814) and Jeddah (AED 410) featured in the top three dropped destinations for Italian travellers.
Users can access new DROPS every day, featuring a collection of flights from a nearby airport that have dropped in price by at least 20% that day (compared to the previous seven days). These daily deals are tailored to each user's nearest airport, making flight discovery easier, faster, and more budget-friendly. Travellers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia can now access these exclusive offers directly through the Skyscanner app.
With Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Jeddah being among the top-ranked destinations across several global markets, it reaffirms the region's position as a leading tourism hub. The UAE's commitment to strengthening its tourism sector—targeting 40 million visitors by 2031 and aiming to contribute AED 450 billion to the national GDP, while Saudi Arabia is undergoing a transformation that places tourism at the heart of its future as part of its Vision 2030. Both strategies are aligned with rising demand trends seen through Skyscanner's DROPS data.
Ayoub El Mamoun, Travel Expert at Skyscanner, said: 'The all-new DROPS feature is an exciting and innovative addition to Skyscanner's offerings, and this feature is just the next step to help inspire travellers to explore and book their trip with ease and confidence – no matter the budget.
'In its pilot phase, we have witnessed a strong interest in travel to the UAE from other countries around the world, which signifies the country's position as a leading tourism destination. Furthermore, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is accelerating its efforts to support the growth of its tourism sector by attracting visitors to the country. As both nations continue to grow rapidly, we anticipate there will be more demand for people to visit the UAE and Saudi Arabia with these trips contributing greatly to their national economies.'
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