Direct booking has become slower and more complicated than ever before

Although travel providers favor direct connections with consumers, the sheer number of choices overwhelms travelers, making them feel less confident in their booking decisions. This is the main conclusion of a study conducted by Travelport. Eighty-eight percent of respondents would prefer to see all options and fares on a single screen.

The report is a combination of independent international research, cross-industry comparisons and consumer insights. According to Jen Catto, Chief Marketing Officer of Travelport, "instead of feeling excited after booking a trip, most travelers feel anxious, wondering if they got the best deal."

For the travel industry, "this indicates a growing need and opportunity for travel agencies. Their expertise in comparing options helps travelers confidently book the best option based on their personal preferences,”, añade.

RESULTS

• Air travel options have grown from approximately 500 economy/business class options available in 2010 to more than 10,000 options in 2024, including hybrid categories. This represents an increase of 1,900%.

• Most travelers (58%) feel the volume of options is overwhelming.

• 56% say airline offerings are more difficult to understand now than they were 10 years ago.

• 61% also believe there are more penalties now when changing a flight than 10 years ago, and 66% cite that there are too many hidden fares.

• Most respondents (71%) sometimes feel anxious about whether they got the best deal after they booked their trip, with 42% feeling that airline offers have become ‘less suitable’ over time to suit their personal preferences.

DTC “Direct to Consumer” feels more like “Difficult”to Compare”

• Most travelers (80%) agree that comparing fares from different airlines” is time-consuming, with more than half of travelers (80%) agreeing that comparing fares from different airlines is time-consuming, with more than half agreeing that comparing fares from different airlines is time-consuming, with more than half agreeing that comparing fares from different airlines is time-consuming, with more time-consuming;

• Most travelers (80%) agree that comparing fares from different airlines is time-consuming, with more than two-thirds (69%) feeling that information is often restricted on some airline booking sites.

• When it comes to researching all components of their trip, 60% spend an average of one to four hours planning, while more than a third (36%) spend more than five hours researching and comparing options before booking.

• 88% agree that they would prefer to see all flight options and fares on a single screen, which is likely why more than half (54%) said they frequently use a comparison site to search for information before buying their ticket.

• Most Millennial (70%) and Gen X (64%) travelers often use online travel agencies (OTAs) to book, citing variety and price transparency as the main reasons.

Services that matter most

• When booking flights, respondents said baggage allowance (63%), cancellation and change policies (50%) and seat selection (50%) are the most important factors to compare.

• 63% also said they feel airlines do not put the customer first on customer service issues, such as flight cancellations, changes, etc.

• The most important hotel features to travelers were availability of wifi (48%), free breakfast options (47%) and facility facilities (45%).