Want to jump into the travel industry? Continue reading this blog post as it will help you understand all the important aspects for the flight booking app development process.

Now that there are mobile flight booking apps, people can easily book and plan almost anything with just a few clicks. Even a decade ago, people would never have thought that making reservations would be so easy. Today, though, it’s hard not to give in to the urge to use online booking systems. The ease of using online booking tools is great, and they work well for both buyers and companies. Businesses can manage their schedules through a single app, and customers can easily make plans and appointments. 

One of the most in-demand services in the travel business right now is the creation of flight booking apps. The tourist business has grown and expanded tremendously, particularly after the COVID-19 limitations. So, if you want to create your own travel application by hiring the best custom flight booking app development company. In this article, we will talk about the different kinds of online flight booking apps, the US market stats of these apps, some must-have features, and cost for travel booking app development.

What is a Flight Booking App?

Here, Flight + Booking + Mobile + App defines its sense fully. Flight is traveling by air, booking means making reservations or confirming your seat for traveling, mobile is the cell phone, and the app is your application, which is helping in making the booking and stands for the building of such apps.

 Thus, the whole meaning comes out as the process of making a platform for your cell phone to book or fix your availability at the respective place. It can be a business meeting, vacation, random traveling, etc. So this was all about the meaning. Next would be the existence or the budding of this business segment in the IT sector. With speculation in the market, we have grown stronger and wiser with better products that can help you earn great revenues.

Read More: Travel Planner App Development Cost and Key Features

Origin of Custom Flight Booking Apps

During the 1950s, flight reservations were made using manual systems, which were accessible at consolidated booking centers. A group of individuals operated these in a room with physical cards being inventory (i.e. seats on the plane). 

With the blooming technological environment in the late 1950s, American Airlines wanted to have a suit that initiated real-time accessibility to flight details in all centers. Along with this, the suite should integrate and accommodate the automation of ticketing and booking methods.

So it took 2 years and in 1952, American Airlines announced Magnetronic Reservisor to fulfill all its requirements. Then in 1964, it initiated Sabre which had the capability of maintaining accuracy on inventory in real-time and was accessible to all the agents around the world.

So in this way, the development of systems to book flights and keep accuracy came into play. Now we will be reading the types of mobile app development for the travel business.

U.S. Market Stats for Flight Booking App

• As per the 2024 projections, the US flight booking market is expected to generate a total revenue of $142.8 billion.
• With an annual expected revenue growth rate of 2.44%, the market volume projection by the end of 2029 comes out to be $161.1 billion.
• The flight booking market’s user count is estimated to rise up to 86.37 million by the end of 2029.
• In this market, user penetration rates for 2024 are predicted to be around 21.5% and for 2029 it is around 24.6%.
• The Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) is estimated to be around $1.94k.
• Online sales are expected to provide 92% of the whole income in this market by 2029.
• The United States ($143.0 billion in 2024) is predicted to create globally the most income.
• Low-cost carriers are driving a change in the United States flying market that results in more competitiveness and reduced ticket prices.

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Different Types of Flight Booking App Development

The construction of any app becomes possible when you decide the type of application you want. The application’s type is majorly dependent on your target audience, the service you are providing, its utility, and your budget. The development of such apps is largely focused on three variants:

• Native Flight booking app
• Hybrid Flight Ticket Booking App
• Custom Flight Booking Website

Native Apps

Native Application Development is a specific choice and is developed for a single operating system. So you can have an Android App or an iOS App. The native app utilizes coding patterns from Kotlin, Swift, C++, React, the very popular Python development, etc.

The benefits of native developing an app on a Native platform are apps run faster and give a seamless working experience. One major drawback that comes with it is it requires duplicity of codes which runs up the cost of development.

Hybrid Apps

Hybrid App Development is a handy one that involves fewer costs and is compatible with all platforms like iOS, Android, and Windows. Developing a hybrid app is easy as it utilizes languages like HTML5, Objective C, etc. These apps act as web apps and give a flawless experience to the users.

Most clients prefer owning a hybrid application owing to its utility for a general group of people. With our budget-friendly solutions, you can surely reach your target audience with a ground-breaking product.

Custom Apps

Custom apps are just like native apps but require your phone’s browser to run and perform actions. These are the websites you open on your devices like Desktops or Mobile Phones and they adapt the interface according to the device screen.

The main benefit of choosing the custom flight booking app development is it does not require customization incompatibility with platforms like iOS or Android. Simultaneously, the apps are not downloadable from the Play Store or App Store.

So if you want to develop any flight booking application, you have to decide on the platform first and then read the features given below.

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Key Features for a Successful Flight Booking App Development

An eye on the feature always helps in setting up the business goals. Features are the aspects that drive your business and help in earning the desired business objective. When you enter the market with a unique feature set, you are way ahead of your competition. 

With their technical skills and industry experience, our Android and iOS app developers deliver solutions that set benchmarks in the industry. Here are some key features that will play a significant role in making your flight booking app more scalable and user friendly.

Quick Signing-Up

The first impression becomes the last impression, and hence this goes with the app development too. When users start entering into the app, the very first step comes as the Sign-Up. Flawless application development is when customers quickly log in to the app. Easy sign-ups are the ladders to success.

This process should remain as easy as possible. It must not involve complexities and entering the website should be as quick as possible. The log-in should be made with an Email ID or Contact No. and Password.

Flight Scheduling

Thanks to this feature, consumers can easily get up-to-date flight itineraries that depart from their desired airport on the exact day and time they want. Customers might be greatly inconvenienced by even a single missed trip, especially for essential personal or commercial events, hence this functionality is vital for any flight booking app.

Travel Bookings

Flights are booked just in a few taps. You enter your destination, then the respective date and you are good to go with flight bookings. Flight bookings are easy and can be done from every corner of the world with our custom flight booking app development.

AI in Flight Booking

Another great feature integrated into the online flight booking system is the Artificial Intelligence (AI) solution. It helps in forecasting the right time, best flights, fares, etc. things for you. AI in the Travel Industry is mushrooming like anything.

Nowadays, apps have built-in humanoids that guide users on many aspects of their travels. This allows them to make some quick decisions and gain the best experience of traveling.

Flight Confirmation Status

Once you have booked any flight, you can check its immediate status i.e. confirmed or not. This helps in availing of other options if the flight has remained on hold or is not being booked by the app. There are many big names like Expedia, Skyscanner, Agoda, Tripadvisor, etc. which confirm bookings to a particular destination.

Multi-Lingual Support

The main need is the sign-up language setting; the language used within the flight booking app is of great relevance. It should be a hassle-free approach so end users may easily choose their favorite language and move between languages as needed.

The finest online flight booking app can save you time and money with a user-friendly design, large inventory of flight choices, and features like price notifications. Download the finest flight booking app to guarantee a flawless booking experience whether your travel frequency is high or you are planning a vacation.

Secure Payment Gateways

Since flight ticket buying involves payment transactions, payment gateways connected with the application must be very secure to guard consumer payment information. Widely used and favored payment methods include Google Pay, PayPal, and other internationally known systems.

Hotel Availability By Review

The hotels or villas at the respective places are displayed on the app based on the Star Ratings or Reviews of the customers. Top locations and stays are based on the 4+ Star rating and commendable reviews. The ratings and reviews go down until 3 or 2. The app does not highlight the locations or places that have bad customer reviews or ratings.

Hence, you will get priority listings only on the app itself. With such features and cutting-edge technology in functioning, we make it a point that you stand out of the crowd in the market. Enter the market with price as the solutions that are delivered to you are not just well-tested and uniquely developed, but they are also technically way ahead.

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Get Cutting Edge With Scalable Airline Application Development

Advantages or benefits are something that everybody seeks when it comes to the development of any application. The sections give enough knowledge on the benefits you get with travel booking app development. With these advantages, it becomes easier for the mobile app development team to enter the market with high ROI-generating results. You can connect with our team around the clock in case of any confusion or doubt.

 Multi-Language Support

The login language setup is something that is the basic requirement when it comes to entering into the app. There should be no complexities. Any applicant can set up their language preferences and change them with ease anytime.

The app development gives a minimum of 7-8 language support and our executives are also comfortable with all the languages.

Multi-Tickets Booking

You can book multiple tickets at a time. The app construction today is so advanced that the multiple ticket confirmation feature has also been added. Users can pre-book their locations while traveling for a vacation or a business meeting. This facility has been included in the app development for the last 3-4 years.

Similarly, each location with the best pricing and location insight is also shared with the users.

This cutting-edge technology gives a complete overview of what you are paying for and what you will be getting.

Exceptional Booking Offers

When it is your or someone’s big day, you can request special packages on stays, dining, or traveling. The application development allows any user to confirm as many tickets as possible. It means you need not roam here and there in search of other options for booking tickets. You can book multiple tickets at one place with the same login details.

Easy Access to Flights

Many apps do not offer Domestic and International Flights at the same time. This can be a troublesome situation and you can lose a huge amount of business. The advanced flight app development offers Domestic as well as International flight booking through one single place.

You need not bother about Domestic flights as well as International Flights. All will be confirmed at this one-stop destination.

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Push Notification

The real business of travel works on fliers, e-brochures, SMS, email marketing, and others. The flight booking app development provides you the benefits of sending timely notifications and performing aforesaid promotional activities. These motivate users to book their trips with your app and hence generate business in the short run.

Flawless Payment Gateways

When it comes to booking, it directly tells about the payment options. The payment gateways integrated with the apps are highly secure and trustworthy and your payment details remain as secure as possible. Simultaneously, you have got all the payment options like Google Pay, Paypal, Payzapp, etc. which are universally accepted gateways.

Predictive Analysis ( advanced features to be included in Flight Booking App Development)

As the article conveys about the implementation of AI in the travel world, applications are making their way towards the predictive analysis of traveling. One can accommodate what is the right time or season for traveling when the trip will be economical, what will be the Air Fares, Train Fairs, etc.

This is best done with the help of the Hopper Business Module. This is doing well when it comes to anticipating the right time for enjoying with loved ones.

When talking about flight ticket booking apps they must have some interesting characteristics that make them a big name in the market. Our experts ensure that we develop applications that are flawless and have a brand identity. We understand that your application would be the face of your business, and our Android and iOS app development solution providers make sure your identity is not spoilt.

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How to Develop a Flight Booking App With a Business Model

On the verge of time, every industry has faced some shift in its trends. So in the flight booking app. To grill with the industry norms, the marketplace gives wide opportunities to new entrepreneurs, business tycoons, and service providers.

So let’s check them out.

Dedicated Model

In this kind of business model, a single platform is responsible for serving people. Get the best deal under one platform, quick searching, easy cancellation, time-saving journeys, and everything allowed within the platform on the phone.

Aggregator Model 

Under this model, businesses, merchants, and service providers are all combined with a list of prices mentioned for every category. Once the user books any of the flights, he is redirected to the payment gateways.

Monetization Models in Custom Flight Booking Application

There are many ways of obtaining money or business revenues from custom flight booking app development. These include some strategies or business modules that boost your flight sales and provide a sustainable client base.

These strategies may include implementing the following features:

Merchant Model:

Users can book flight tickets for a one-way journey or round trip at their convenience.

Commission Fees:

You can list the top hotels on top and can earn good incentives or commissions.

Advertising Model:

Hotels and airlines display their ads on the app, and users get pay-per-click.

Social Media Campaigns or Promotions:

Users place their app’s promotional offers on various social media platforms. Earn money on a social media promotion basis.

Since you have entered the market to gain maximum profitability, the airline application development process needs to include maximum features in your web application.

So, this is the overall money-making process involved in the flight booking app. Users who are up to their travel app development can get enough knowledge from this article.

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How to Build A Custom Flight Booking App like Expedia, Skyscanner, or Justfly?

The ratio of people who downloaded apps 5 years ago has become 196 Billion via the Google Play Store in 2021 and continues to rule. Flight booking app solutions reflect the same trend in the market. With a lot of new travel apps mushrooming in the market, applications like Expedia, Skyscanner, Justfly, etc. are ruling the app store.

Let us put an eye on the major things to consider while custom flight booking app development:

1. Decide Business Niche 

Any development happens for a cause. You must have a precise understanding of your business objective. After this only, you can achieve the best results from the development. Hence, decide whether you want to have your hotel booking app, or it will be a complete travel booking app. Once you have made up your mind, also add some quick login or registration pages to your application.

2. Choose a Platform for Development

It is compulsory to decide whether your app would be a Native App or it will be a Hybrid or a Web App. Decide the platform according to which your budget for the app development will also be impacted. Native in comparison to the other two, will be slightly costly as it is designed for a specific OS.

But if you are looking for an app to be compatible with all platforms like iOS, Android, or Windows, then Hybrid will best suit the business. Hence, a quick decision on the app deployment platform is also necessary.

When it comes to online airline reservation app development, it becomes quite crucial that your team integrates some unique perks into your application for better results. Our experts have worked in the same domain over the years and have experience working on such projects. We study your competition well to know what customers need and then bring on the screen an experience that resolves all the problems.

3. Flight & Destination Integration

Now the development must have popular destinations, places, and domestic as well as flight booking options. A user who gets everything in one place just like the travel giant Skyscanner earns handsome business options. You might receive good funding and tie-ups from brands like Indian Airlines, and other companies.

4. Maps & Directions 

The flight ticket booking application also encourages locations on the maps and travel directions. This helps any user estimate the duration of traveling, and plan things accordingly. Maps also provide a glance over the sub-locations you can visit.

5. Secure Payment Gateways

Security is something that is highly recommended these days. Whether you want it in app development or using payment gateways, security is the pioneer thing one should consider. The details any user adds while doing transactions or flight bookings must be as safe as gold in the lockers.

6. 24*7 Technical Support

Technical support is the primary element of any development. But when we ask for technical support for flight booking app development, it should be around the clock and must accompany multilingual support.

Our airline IT application development team takes care of the fact that each feature plays a significant role in building an impact on your audience. The experts ensure that all the important aspects are covered in the product that is deployed to you.

Required Tech Stack for Custom Flight Booking App Development Journey

People get inspired by your app and are astonished by its presence. Every business owner wishes to cater to the best services and technology on their platform. To get your app market-ready, it should be supported with a top-class tech stack by the technologist. Let’s understand the ground support behind its success.

• Front End Languages; HTML5, CSS3, Angular.js, React.js, Kotlin, Swift
• Back End Services: PHP, Node.js, Flutter
• Platforms: Android, or iOS
• Database: Postgre, Mysql, MongoDB
• Real-Time Analytics and Server; Amazon AWS, Google Search Console, Cloud, Hadoop, Hive, Big Data, and IBM
• Payment Integration: Paypal, Braintree, and Stripe
• Push Notifications; Twilio, and Nexmo for the verification

Cost of Flight Booking App Development

The mobile app development cost to make an app for flight booking can be estimated from the features integrated. The core features of any travel app involve the features mentioned above in the article. Let’s checkout the estimated price of the custom flight booking app development process.

Based on these features, the cost incurred in the development of the travel booking app is as follows:

• It takes 1000 hours to develop a flight booking app system.
• If we estimate the cost according to feature, it would range between $50 to $100 per hour.
• So, the overall estimation costs between $50,000 to $100,000.

When talking about the cost estimation of the flight ticket booking app development, the cost of entering the market may seem a little higher. Still, the revenue it generates is worth the investment. We offer you the best on-demand mobile app development services within a budget that is within stringent deadlines. We understand how important it is for you to enter the market at the right time for maximum profits.

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Popular Flight Booking Apps in 2024

1. Skyscanner

Among the top flight booking applications and websites available for airlines, Skyscanner is somewhat well-known. From hundreds of various providers, you can rely on them to search the internet for the best available rates on flight, hotel, and car rentals.

Enter your location and select the “Cheapest month” option to save money on flight, the simplest and most reasonably priced method. Skyscanner would then let you know when flying is least costly. Along with affordable airfares, the flight ticket buying tool also identifies hotels and rental cars allowing for free adjustments and cancellations.

Pros:

• They fly a lot in search of the ideal mix of cost and convenience.
• Create pricing alerts.
• Visitors to the website may search for choices of hotel and transportation.

Android

iOS

2. Kayak

Using Kayak airline booking tool, search for airfares, hotels, auto rentals, and flight + hotel packages on many booking sites. Enter a desired destination, departure, and return date to rapidly identify the greatest value and fastest flights within that time window.

Kayak airline booking app also covers you should you choose to monitor fares and be informed of any changes via email. Additional tools allow you to look for vacations within your budget and design a travel schedule.

Pros

• Obtaining a pricing alert.
• The Kayak airline booking app lets you quickly evaluate routes and pricing.
• a thorough online platform for exploring eating choices, hotel, and transportation.

Android

iOS

3. Priceline

Priceline is a flight booking tool that provides low-cost airline tickets, discounts on car rentals, and special deals at hotels. Now all the data you need to book a reservation in one handy location, and you are given particular recommendations depending on your requirements and preferences.

Priceline flight booking app lets you enter your vacation dates and location to see the best and most reasonably priced choices for hotel, transportation, and flights, with a user experience similar to most other flight applications. Booking your airline ticket and hotel stay combined might provide even more savings.

Pros

• Some reservations let you save up to 80%.
• One may book directly via the Priceline website or flight booking app.

Android

iOS

What’s New in the Flight Booking Industry?

• Rebooking is an easy-going option, including fragile timelines and more destinations to add, so people can now reschedule their last-moment tickets without risk of any financial loss.
• Travomint has introduced an automatic refund system just by filling in the details and reason for cancellation, and there you go. Voice search capabilities minimize the time for searching with accuracy. Using such a facility, the user gets their details directly without asking for technical assistance. Web check-ins for the automatic check-in at the airport.

Related Article: How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Bus Ticket Booking Mobile App?

FAQs About Custom Flight Booking App Development:

Conclusion:

Custom Flight Booking App Development is the new strain that is blowing like the wind in each part of the world. Everybody who once enjoyed naps or breaks from life now prefers traveling over resting at home. Hence, flight booking development has become the new segment for gaining great business revenues, business visibility, and brand value in a short span. If you want to enter the market to monetize the trends that travelers are currently following then you surely are at the right place. Just make sure you hire a custom flight booking app development company that can help you earn the best rewards.