Navigating the Skies:

71 Essential Online Travel Booking Statistics for 2023

In 1996, Travelocity revolutionized travel bookings, reshaping how we explore the world. Dive into explosive industry growth and uncover data’s vital role in shaping your travel adventures.

Who is Booking Flights Online?

Starting off with the most commonly asked questions, who is booking flights online and why?

Online Booking Preference:

As of 2022, 83% of consumers prefer online booking over in-person or phone reservations.

Enjoyment Gap:

While 64% revel in the joy of traveling, only 26% find the same enjoyment in the booking process.

Dislike for Booking Travel:

Surprisingly, 43% of Americans don’t like booking travel.

Age Demographics:

Demographic data shows that people under 35 years of age are more inclined to use online travel agencies for booking hotel rooms.

Common reasons for booking online

  • Convenience
  • Diverse Flight and Hotel Options
  • Price Transparency
  • eliance on Customer Reviews
  • aster Process
  • ll-in-One Solution

Factors expected to boost travel over the next month

  • Mobile apps offering on-trip alerts (44%)
  • Self-service check-in (41%)
  • Contactless payments (41%)
  • Flexible Cancellations (40%)

How People Book Online

Now that we know the who, and a little bit about the why, how about how people are booking online?

Device Dynamics:

In 2022, 64% of online bookings occur on desktops, up from 59% in 2021. Mobile devices contribute significantly, accounting for 44% of online bookings.

Subscription Adoption

In the U.S. 17% of individuals embrace travel app subscriptions for enhanced travel planning.

Mobile Research:

70% of customers initiate travel research on mobile devices, despite 55% of overall online traffic coming from mobile.

Mobile Booking Growth:

Mobile bookings show a consistent increase:

  • 2019: 31%
  • 2020: 37%
  • 2021: 41%

Extended Booking Duration:

Travelers spend more time booking trips in 2022 compared to 2019, with varying increases across regions:

  • America (+29%),
  • Australia (+16%),
  • Germany (+6%).

Regional Research Focus

Singapore travelers dedicate 68% of their research time to local travel review sites, while Australians allocate 60% to trip planning.

Research Priority:

52% of Americans and 55% of Britons prioritize research time over other factors in the booking process.

Customer Behavior and Preferences

Understanding customer behavior and preferences sheds light on the factors influencing booking decisions, popular booking times, and the extent to which consumers follow through on their travel purchases.

Direct Booking Preferences

29% of travelers prefer making direct travel reservations, driven by various factors:

Opportunities to request extra amenities (28%)
Securing the best available price (21%)
Access to loyalty programs (21%)
Ability to negotiate better prices (18%)
Benefits associated with direct booking (11%)

Ticket Purchase Trends

Customers predominantly opt for round-trip tickets, as recent research indicates that buying two one-way tickets can cost 20% more than a single roundtrip.

Popular Booking Times

Monday emerges as the most popular day for booking travel, reflecting heightened activity and decision-making.

On the contrary, Saturday is the quietest day for booking.

Purchase Abandonment Rates

46% of travelers indicate that previous experiences significantly influence their choice of booking platforms, underscoring the impact of positive or negative encounters with service providers.

85% of shoppers that utilize a desktop abandon their purchase.

While, a whopping 91% abandon the purchase on their mobile device.

Payment and Pricing Trends

Preferred Payment Methods

Globally, the transition to cashless systems is evident, with platforms such as PayPal, Alipay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay facilitating seamless payments for airlines, hotels, car rentals, and other travel services.

Perception of Hidden Costs

60% of surveyed travelers express concern about hidden costs and fees in travel options, emphasizing the need for transparency in pricing.

Integrated Booking Preferences

Streamlined Experience: 45% prefer one-stop booking for flights, accommodations, car rentals, and extras, emphasizing demand for convenience.

Influence of Previous Experience

  • Past Experiences: 46% choose booking platforms based on previous experiences.
  • Customer Reviews: 41% consider reviews in decision-making.
  • Price Influence: Only 39% prioritize pricing in their bookings.

Effect of Reviews and Ratings Summary

Influence of Visual Content:

During the consideration stage for corporate travel, videos and photos play a crucial role in global travelers’ decisions. The hotel’s ability to showcase amenities and positive guest experiences is a key factor in the decision-making process.

Deal Breakers:

Three significant deal breakers for most travelers include unappealing hotel rooms, non-aesthetic food photos, and boring content presentation.

Impact of Reviews:

Reviews heavily influence booking choices, with 41% of customers stating that available reviews play a crucial role in their decision-making process.

Mobile Research Dominance:

A substantial 70% of all customers conduct their travel research on mobile devices before finalizing their purchase, highlighting the importance of mobile-friendly review platforms.

Review Reading Behavior:

On average, individuals read nine reviews before deciding to book a hotel or restaurant, underscoring the significance of comprehensive review analysis in the decision-making journey.

Airlines and Customer Satisfaction

Key Factors Influencing customer satisfaction

  • Call center experience,
  • Flight schedule availability
  • Overhead storage space
  • Food and drink availability
  • Entertainment options
  • Seat comfort

Punctuality Rankings:

  • United States Department of Transportation’s February 2023 Air Travel Consumer Report:
  • Delta: 83% on-time arrival rates
  • Southwest Airlines: 82.1% on-time arrival rates
  • American Airlines Network: 79.4% on-time arrival rates
  • Frontier: 69% on-time arrival rates (lowest among marketing carriers)

Customer Satisfaction Rankings:

In a customer satisfaction survey, airlines were ranked as follows:

  • Alaska Airlines
    81%
  • American Airlines
    78%
  • Delta
    78%
  • US Airlines
    76%
  • JetBlue
    76%
  • Allegiant Air
    76%
  • Frontier
    67%
  • Spirit Airlines
    64%

Impact of COVID-19 and Other World Events Summary

Traveler Concerns:

  • The aftermath of COVID-19 continues to influence booking patterns with ongoing concerns, including:
  • Fear of contracting COVID-19 (41%)
  • Quarantine or self-isolation mandates in different regions (41%)
  • Last-minute cancellations or charges due to travel restrictions (37%)

Flight Price Changes:

  • A study published in PubMed at the end of 2022 revealed that flight prices dropped from pre-COVID-19 costs. Notably, discount airline carriers like Ryan air experienced more noticeable price drops.

Conclusion

Online travel statistics help us to understand the trends and activities of travelers.
Some key takeaways from our research include:

  • ○ While most travelers research their flights online, most book through their computers.
  • ○ Though most people don’t enjoy booking vacations, they still spend ample time on online research to ensure they secure the best trips possible.
  • ○ People under the age of 35 are more likely to book online because it’s convenient, and they enjoy online tools that help them manage their trips.
  • ○ When booking flights, customer satisfaction is essential.
  • ○ A combination of excellent photography and reviews will bring in more business when booking hotels.
  • ○ Online payments are increasing and becoming easier, even though many customers believe there are hidden fees throughout the process.
  • ○ Covid-19 still impacts travel, even as we continue to return to pre-pandemic levels and pricing.