Win $10,000 for planning the cheapest round-the-world trip

Thrifty travellers who spot a bargain a mile off should fare well in this competition - which sees the person who creates the cheapest round-the-world itinerary, bag $10,000.

Last year, a team of engineers from MIT created a flight search engine and interactive map called Escape that uses data from other flight comparison tools like Skyscanner and Kiwi to calculate the cheapest and quickest flights in the world from any destination. They're now building on the success of that tool with an exciting competition for travelers.

Called the Great Escape Challenge, the person who creates the cheapest round-the-world trip will win US$10,000 to spend on their global adventure, bagging the best flight deals as they go along. What's more, 25 runners-up will each win a free flight, worth up to US$500.

To enter, you have to plan a trip using the MIT tool and then share that itinerary with a friend. The trip must include stopovers in every continent, apart from Antarctica. Everyone who enters the competition and shares their itinerary with at least one friend will go into the draw.

Applicants can track their status in the competition with a leaderboard that displays the top 25 players who have created the cheapest itineraries so far. That means if you don't see your name on the leaderboard, you can enter again (and again and again) to create a cheaper itinerary than the last attempt.

The Great Escapes competition is open until 15 March and is available to players all around the world. You can enter here.

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