Inspiration

Planning group trips with friends who live in different cities and have different budgets is always a challenge. We wanted to simplify that process by using AI to find a destination that works for everyone — not just geographically, but financially too. The idea was born from our own struggles trying to coordinate group travel plans across time zones and wallets.

What it does

SkyApp allows users to create a "party" with friends, each entering their travel preferences — including origin city, budget, and travel dates. The app then uses Gemini to recommend the best destination that fits everyone’s criteria, including real-time flight prices for each user. It ends with a fun, interactive Tinder-style voting system to make the final choice together.

How we built it

We built the frontend using React for a fast and responsive user experience. The backend runs on Django and handles the party logic, user preferences, and communication with the Gemini API. The system collects inputs, processes them through Gemini to evaluate travel feasibility, and integrates with flight APIs to show real options. We also implemented session handling to keep each user's input synced within a party.

Challenges we ran into

Coordinating real-time input from multiple users across sessions. Structuring the data for Gemini in a way that generates useful, optimized results. Designing a UI that remains intuitive while managing complex group data.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Seamless integration between React and Django. Dynamic AI-driven destination recommendations based on multi-user input. An engaging user experience that makes trip planning social, intelligent, and fun.

What we learned

How to fine-tune prompts for Gemini to return structured, actionable suggestions. Managing external API data and synchronizing it with user interactions.

What's next for SkyApp - HackUPC2025

Add hotel and activity suggestions tailored to group interests. Improve voting logic and make party sessions persistent across devices. Launch a mobile version for on-the-go trip planning. Explore more AI models for multi-criteria decision-making.