Priceline's latest analysis of booking patterns shows a significant shift in consumer preferences, especially among the younger demographic: cutting the wires of the desktop experience.
Among travelers booking flights via their iOS, Android and other mobile devices, Priceline found that:
- Mobile air bookers averaged 32 years of age while the average age of desktop users was 38.
- Nearly 50% of mobile air bookers purchased a one-way ticket.
- Mobile air bookers also paid, on average, $283 for their tickets - while desktop bookers paid $313.
Priceline's Brian Ek chalks this up to the changing nature of travel for younger generations.
Mobile-equipped consumers are what we call ‘untethered’ travelers. They like to create their travel experiences on the fly, rather than stick to itineraries planned far in advance.
Hotels are typically chosen closer to check-in day (even on the same day), and many bookings are made while on the road or after arrival in town.
Mobile-equipped travelers tend to book their airline tickets a bit closer-in than desktop users. And the choice of one-way tickets allows mobile travelers to adjust their length of stay and even return from a different city.
Regarding the lower price paid on mobile, Ek didn't have a solid answer to this difference.
I wrestled with the price question myself, and there’s probably no one answer to it. Could be they hit fare sales, or it could simply be that they were booking cheaper routes - something I did not look at during this go-round.
Ek points to these emerging data points from younger travelers as a significant opportunity for thoughtful targeting.
I was most intrigued by the data because it complemented vs. conflicted with the earlier data pulls we did for mobile hotel customers. In doing so, it was another body of data supporting the notion that the mobile and desktop travelers approach travel planning and booking differently in many cases, which creates its own set of opportunities and challenges for travel marketers.
When travel providers connect with a mobile user, they might want to tailor their offerings to destinations, dates and price points more attractive to younger consumers.
Priceline recently added the ability to purchase both round-trip and one-way tickets on domestic and international flights on mobile, and the data for these results was derived since the launch of that feature.
NB: Cutting the wires image courtesy Shutterstock.