The aviation industry is witnessing a significant shift towards digital solutions, with mobile applications playing a pivotal role in enhancing passenger experiences.
IATA’s 2024 Global Passenger Survey highlights the growing digital shift, with 72% of travelers booking flights online. Yet, only 16% use airline mobile apps—a stark contrast to global mobile shopping trends, where 68% of transactions now happen on a mobile. This gap represents a major missed opportunity for airlines to increase engagement, loyalty, and revenue.
With today’s travelers demanding greater control, convenience, and personalization, airlines must rethink how they engage customers through mobile apps.
From a passenger's perspective, a well-designed mobile app offers convenience and control. Younger travelers (under 25) are particularly enthusiastic about digital solutions, with 90% interested in using digital wallets on smartphones for booking . Features such as seamless booking, real-time notifications, and personalized offers enhance the travel experience, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty.
For airlines, mobile apps provide a direct communication channel with passengers, enabling personalized marketing and ancillary sales. A high-performing app is also a key indicator of an airline's reliability and professionalism, earning trust from both passengers and stakeholders and demonstrating that the airline is a serious and dependable player in the market. Oman Air, for example, partnered with Branchspace to revamp its mobile app, enhancing dynamic retailing and ancillary capabilities. This resulted in improved loading speeds, effective payment orchestration, and expanded revenue opportunities.
To meet evolving demands, airlines are accelerating their transition to modern retailing strategies. With millennials now forming a significant portion of business travelers, airlines must engage them effectively while also achieving cost savings and increasing ancillary revenue.
Modern travelers, especially younger generations, expect services on demand and on the go. The IATA survey found that:
Branchspace’s Triplake On the Go platform empowers airlines to meet these demands by offering a frictionless, fully integrated mobile experience—from inspiration and booking to day-of-travel services and post-flight engagement.
A great mobile app is not just a booking tool—it is an airline’s flagship digital store, enabling seamless travel experiences while increasing conversion, retention, and ancillary sales.
We are already helping airlines embrace mobile-first retailing with measurable success:
Mobile adoption in travel is accelerating, and airlines that act fast will gain a competitive edge. With Triplake On the Go, Branchspace helps airlines build high-performing, customer-focused mobile solutions that drive engagement, revenue, and loyalty.
*Find out more about Branchspace's engagement in the IATA's Strategic Partnership Program on the partners directory.
