The extent of traveler frustration with booking air travel? Honestly, mind-blowing.
And I’m not just talking about the mental stress travelers experience when researching flights and comparing prices.
I’m talking about time. Wasted time.
Here are 5 stats that paint the picture:
1️⃣ According to Expedia Group, the average traveler spends 128 minutes, so more than 2 hours, researching before buying a flight.
2️⃣ In 2023, travelers visited 141 different webpages before booking a trip (flight + hotel + etc.), up from just 38 in 2013.
3️⃣ In the U.S., that number jumps to a staggering 277 pages per trip.
And by the way, it’s a myth that most travelers enjoy this excessive planning phase. Maybe a few do, but not the majority. Case in point:
4️⃣ According to Travelport, 3 in 4 travelers say comparing flight prices across different airline websites is way too time-consuming.
5️⃣ As a result (and here comes the cherry on the cake): Airlines and hotels are now seen as the second most misleading industry when it comes to pricing transparency.
⚠️ My take: This isn’t just a transparency issue anymore. It’s a trust problem.
And that’s exactly what I find missing in the current #AI debate.
So many recent thought leadership posts argue that AI will solve the complexity of travel booking.
Yes, AI can streamline search. It might make comparing options faster.
But will it solve the trust gap travelers face?
The hidden fees, the fine print, the feeling that you’re being tricked?
That’s a whole different challenge.
Booking needs more than automation.
It needs clarity. It needs simplicity. It needs trust.
