Although planning for a holiday can be exciting, it also comes with its own challenges.

To address these issues early on, the global travel app Skyscanner introduced a new holiday planning widget named the Cheapest Destination Planner on Jan 15.

According to Skyscanner's travel trends and destinations expert Cyndi Hui, January is the peak season for holiday planning, with 57% of Singapore travelers mapping out their year during this period.

"However, our research shows that many travelers feel overwhelmed by the idea of booking (63%), with cost being the primary concern for most (69%)," she explained.

Despite 91% of Singapore travelers planning to go abroad in 2026, only 60% have booked their flights, as indicated by Skyscanner's research conducted with market research company OnePoll.

Furthermore, only 44% have booked accommodations, while 10% have arranged for car rentals.

More than half of travelers (55%) attributed this delay to not deciding on a destination, while 43% are still searching for the best deals before making reservations.

The survey also revealed that Singapore travelers spend an average of 134 hours, or about 5.6 days each year, planning overseas trips.

The new Cheapest Destination Planner is designed to assist travelers in quickly discovering affordable getaways, enabling them to maximize their experiences for less.

According to Cyndi, the tool aims to alleviate the stress of trip planning and help travelers make the most of their budget this year.

"With the planner, travelers can explore the top ten cheapest destinations each month and get inspired for 2026."

Through the widget, users can select their travel month, and the top 10 cheapest destinations for that month will be displayed, along with reasons to visit, average return flight prices, and the most economical travel days.

Phuket, Taipei, and Perth among top 10

In addition to launching the widget, Skyscanner has identified the 10 most affordable destinations for 2026 within a 10-hour journey, all with an average return flight price below $517.

Phuket emerges as the most economical destination, with an average return flight price of $236.

Cities like Xiamen, Chongqing, and Harbin in China also offer budget-friendly average return flight prices.

For those willing to travel a bit farther, Perth stands out with an average return flight price of $503.

Skyscanner's analysis also revealed that, on average, Sunday is the cheapest day to fly in 2026.

Despite this, 28% of Singapore travelers surveyed believed Tuesday was the most cost-effective day to travel, while 23% and 2% thought it was Wednesday and Saturday, respectively.

The survey, involving 1,000 respondents, was conducted in November 2025.

melissateo@asiaone.com