From OTAs, travelers want more price predictability, travel updates

Fifty-nine percent of North American travelers say the main way online travel agencies and travel apps can improve the booking experience is through better price predictability, according to new research by travel data provider OAG.

Fifty-three percent say more real-time travel updates, including advance notice of delays and cancellations and probability for making connections, would make the biggest difference. Fifty percent call for more nontraditional connecting flight options at better prices.

Just 18% of survey takers say enhancing personalized travel and activity recommendations would improve the traveler experience.

The survey of 1,442 travelers in Canada, the United States and Mexico was conducted in April and May 2022 via OAG’s flight tracking app, FlightView. OAG is based in the United Kingdom.

OAG’s findings reveal that sustainability is not a priority for many North American travelers. Sixty-two percent of respondents say sustainability does not factor into their booking decision, and 48% say they would not pay extra for a more sustainable flight.

Fifty-nine percent of respondents are willing to share biometric data – through facial recognition, fingerprint and retina scanning – to get through security lines faster. Fifty-six percent are willing to use biometrics to streamline customs and immigration. Only 28% report being moderately to extremely concerned about sharing their data for airport processing.

However, biometric screening doesn’t exist everywhere and uptake is slow, says OAG chief analyst John Grant.

“For many medium/small-size airports the business case doesn’t make sense,” Grant says, “and for the larger airports investment in anything has stopped for the last two years because of COVID.

“Everyone in the travel process would like to see [biometric screening] being used more and more, but it will take time.”

OAG’s report shows that 63% of North American travelers are booking international flights, and nearly 60% are flying to a brand-new destination this year. Respondents say $50 and $100 ticket price increases aren’t likely to discourage them from booking. Once at the airport, flight delays, cancellations and customer service issues rank among the biggest areas of impact for consumers.