CheapAir has completed an upgraded flight-shopping interface that enables customers to make side-by-side comparisons of available fares, ancillary fees and amenities.
"We think this is a very unique offering, both in the way we show you all the fare brands and in the level of detail we have on the inflight services," says CheapAir CEO Jeff Klee.
On search results, the site offers the usual information -- fares, departure times and flight duration. But the upgraded CheapAir also allows shoppers to easily view lots of additional details for each flight, including bag fees in each fare class and how much legroom is offered.
The interface also gives specific details on a flight's WiFi, showing if it is served by an air-to-ground network or a satellite, how much it costs and how the network measures up to other airline WiFi services from a speed standpoint.
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Similarly, the interface provides rich details on a flight's in-seat entertainment offerings, listing the size of in-seat screens, the price of video and music content and whether passengers get live TV.
Bundled fares are also displayed in search results.
Klee says CheapAir, which sells approximately 1,200 tickets per day, has implemented the upgrades over the course of the last nine months, working in many cases with airlines to compile the information.
Like all OTAs, CheapAir doesn't sell Southwest tickets. Also, Delta chooses not to do business on the site.
Klee stresses the uniqueness of the website's new "Compare Flight Options" function, which allows shoppers to visually compare a long list of details about competing flights within a single screen.
With the Compare function, the airfare, ancillary fees, exchange policies, seat configurations and amenities are all displayed side-by-side.
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Travel technology analyst Henry Harteveldt of Atmosphere Research says he hasn't seen an OTA that offers a comparison function as good as CheapAir's.
"I think that it's very smart in terms of how they present this," he says. "Sometimes the cheapest flight isn't the best option. There may be something that is $10 more or $5 more that is the best option."
Klee says that helping travelers make that choice was his goal in enhancing the site.
"We think it is needed now. Buying airline tickets isn't what it used to be, when a seat was just a seat," he says. "So many times now, by paying a little bit more you can get a better flying experience."
* This article was originally published on Travel Weekly.