Skyscanner is the dominant European travel search engine — flights, hotels, car rentals across hundreds of partners. Owned by Trip.com Group. The interview emphasizes search aggregation, real-time pricing, and the unique challenges of integrating with diverse partner systems.
Process
Recruiter screen → 60-minute coding phone (DSA medium) → onsite virtual: 2 coding, 1 system design, 1 craft deep-dive, 1 behavioral. Cycle: 3–4 weeks.
What they actually ask
- Design a flight search aggregator with sub-second results from many partners
- Design price prediction for flight deals
- Design a recommendation engine for travel suggestions
- Coding: medium DSA, often with caching or graph framing
- Behavioral: customer focus, ownership, working in mature platform
Levels and comp (2026)
- SE II: £65K–£85K total (Edinburgh / London)
- Senior SE: £95K–£130K
- Staff: £135K–£175K
- Principal: £180K–£240K
UK comp scale; below FAANG-Europe. Strong work-life balance.
Prep priorities
- Be fluent in Python (legacy services) or Go (newer)
- Understand travel data: GDS, ATPCO, fare construction
- Brush up on caching and search aggregation patterns
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Skyscanner remote-friendly?
Hybrid in Edinburgh (HQ), London, Glasgow, Barcelona. Some engineering roles fully remote within EU.
How does Skyscanner compare to Hopper or Booking.com?
Skyscanner is search-aggregator-focused. Hopper is mobile-first. Booking.com is broader OTA. Skyscanner comp is European-tier; below US peers.
What is the engineering culture?
UK / European engineering: collaborative, calm pace, strong work-life balance. Mature platform with stable team.