Maximizing Mobile & Web Booking Revenue: A GCC Airlines Case Study

Introduction

Ever wondered why some airlines consistently convert lookers into booers, while others struggle with abandoned carts? Travel tech experts and airline strategists have been asking the same question. According to various studies, the answer often lies in two crucial areas:

1. Mobility: Over 7 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide mean travelers can (and do) browse flights anytime, while on break at work, waiting at a coffee shop,     or even riding public transport.

2. Retail Responsiveness: The best “booking paths” actively respond to each traveler’s profile. That could mean prompting a family to add child meals, suggesting an upgrade to a premium seat for a business traveler, or offering a quick baggage bundle to someone who booked a basic fare.

Studies also show that booking abandonment rates can soar to 80% (or more) across e-commerce, including airline sites. Every extra click can cost you a chunk of those precious would-be customers. Meanwhile, airlines that master upselling, like seat selection, baggage, meals, insurance, or lounge access, can see ancillary revenues climb to 40–50% of their total intake.

This case study focuses on thirteen GCC and regional airlines and how they design (or could improve) their mobile booking flows. We reviewed each airline’s user experience, uncovering how they handle:

• Booking flow steps (from flight search to payment).
• Upselling for seat selection, baggage, meals, or even special stopovers.
• Loyalty prompts and data collection for email engagement.
• Responsive design.

As you read, ask yourself: Is my airline making the most of mobile? Are we tailoring the experience for families, solo travelers, or business flyers? Are we leaving revenue on the table by not prompting the right upsell at the right moment? Are we offering too many choices that would confuse the traveller?

Key Observations Across GCC Airlines

Before we drill down into each airline, here are four common threads we noticed:

1. Booking Flow & Steps

• Most carriers aim for 5–7 screens (or clicks). Low-cost carriers (flynas, SalamAir, flyadeal) often have slightly more steps to showcase multiple ancillaries. Full-service carriers (Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad) keep the flow tight, around 5–6 screens, while embedding premium cross-sells (like Doha Stopover or Chauffeur Drive).

2. Upselling Techniques

 
1. Color-Coded Fare Bundles (Basic, Flex, Premium) help travelers quickly see seat or baggage choices (common in flyadeal, Jazeera Airways).
 
2. Dynamic Pricing or in-path upgrades (like easyJet’s “seat map upsell”) aren’t always adopted fully, though Qatar Airways offers seat discounts to loyalty members.
 
3. Extras such as hotels, tours, or stopovers are more common in premium carriers.
 

3. Loyalty Membership & Email Engagement

 
1. Full-service airlines (Qatar, Emirates, Etihad, Saudia) display loyalty programs right in the booking flow, showing potential miles or offering partial      redemption for flights.
 
2. Some LCCs (flydubai, flynas) also mention loyalty, but not as aggressively. Others (like SalamAir or Jazeera) keep it minimal.
 
3. Saudia and flynas impress with email reminders if a booking is abandoned, which can recapture 10–15% of lost sales.
 

4. Responsive Retailing & UI/UX

 
1. A few carriers (like flydubai, Emirates) allow travelers to hold fares for a small fee, boosting conversions from hesitant bookers.
 
2. Multiple pop-ups can overwhelm some users (as seen with SalamAir or flynas baggage/meal screens). Consolidating add-ons on one screen often proves      more efficient.
 
3. Seat maps remain a powerful upsell moment, yet many carriers miss easyJet’s approach of offering a second chance to upgrade once a traveler chooses a      premium seat.
 

Now, let’s see how each airline stacks up.

1. Air Arabia

Flow & Steps

• Usually 5–6 steps to complete a booking. Clean and straightforward.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Fare Families: Basic, Value, Ultimate.
• Clear fare breakdowns but limited dynamic personalization.

Loyalty & Data

• No major frequent flyer program.
• Minimal data collection (name, email, contact).

UI/UX Observations

• Could benefit from a fare lock feature.
• May consider membership or loyalty integration to encourage repeat bookings.

2. Kuwait Airways

Flow & Steps

• 6–7 steps. A bit more screens than some competitors.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• “Just Upgrade” bid for business class.
• Seat selection fees, but no strong bundled ancillaries.

Loyalty & Data

• Oasis Club prompt is mild, could be more visible. No direct pop-up and mentioning of beneifts for members.
• Collects passport info, offers KNET payment for Kuwaiti market.
• No Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Paypal options as payments.

UI/UX Observations

• Seat selection feels cluttered. Consolidating seats + baggage might help.
• Missing a fare calendar for price-sensitive shoppers.

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3. Qatar Airways

Flow & Steps

• About 5–6 steps. Allows date-grid for flexible dates.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Seat upgrades, meat and great, lounge passes, extra baggage.
• Offers seat-fee discounts to Privilege Club members.

Loyalty & Data

• Privilege Club (Avios) integrated throughout booking.
• Gathers passport details for smooth check-in.

UI/UX Observations

• Could add more family-friendly perks (like child-meal prompts).
• Stopover feature is a great cross-sell model for other carriers to emulate.

4. Etihad Airways

Flow & Steps

• 7-8 main screens, with a minimalist look, mpore than other airlines though.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Extra baggage, seat selection, “neighbor-free” seats, Abu Dhabi Stopover.

Loyalty & Data

• No mentioning of memebrship benefits.
• Accepts local wallets, credit cards, installments.

UI/UX Observations

• Lounge pass prompts are subtle.
• Could merge seat + baggage + lounge upsells into fewer steps.

5. Emirates

Flow & Steps

• Typically 5–6 pages. Shows a fare calendar for flexible searches.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Seat upgrades, baggage, Chauffeur Drive, and Dubai stopovers.
• Insurance and tours also appear for relevant routes.

Loyalty & Data

• Skywards membership is not promoted.
• Various payment methods (Apple Pay, PayPal).

UI/UX Observations

• Their premium cross-sell strategy stands out.
• Might consider child-friendly seat or meal discounts, as seen in some LCC success stories.

6. Saudia

Flow & Steps

• About 7-8 screens. More than other airlines. Multiple fare families (Guest     Basic, Guest Saver, etc.).

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Baggage, seat, Takaful insurance, and meet & greet add-ons.
• Emails sent if a booking is abandoned, great for re-engagement.

Loyalty & Data

• Al Fursan membership prompt.
• Local payment (SADAD) plus credit cards.

UI/UX Observations

• Pop-ups for baggage or insurance can be merged.
• Family seating policies exist but aren’t strongly highlighted.

7. Gulf Air

Flow & Steps

• 7-8 steps, longer than usual.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Economy Light vs. Smart fares, seat selection, lounge, occasional tours.

Loyalty & Data

• No push for FalconFlyer.
• Collects standard passenger data which makes it quicker, multiple card payments.

UI/UX Observations

• Could unify seat + baggage upsells on a single page.
• Cross-selling hotels or local experiences might add value for certain travelers.

8. Oman Air

Flow & Steps

• 5–6 steps, with a premium brand presentation.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Extra baggage, seat upgrades, Majan Lounge access, and insurance all in one page.

Loyalty & Data

• No Sindbad membership prompt.
• Payment via cards and some e-wallets. No apple Pay and Google Pay.

UI/UX Observations

• Adding a fare hold or partial membership discount could boost conversions.
• Family deals (kids’ meals, child seat freebies) would set them apart.

9. Jazeera Airways

Flow & Steps

• 8-9 steps: flight selection, passenger info, seat/baggage, multiple extras, payment.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Essential, Flex, Flex Plus bundles.
• “Fare Lock” available for a small fee.
• Multiple upselling points, its too many.

Loyalty & Data

• No major frequent flyer program, promoting subsricption program at fare price display.
• Basic data fields.

UI/UX Observations

• Fare lock is a powerful feature that can reduce abandonment.
• Color-coded seat map upgrades could be taken further.

10. flydubai

Flow & Steps

• About 7-8 screens from flight search to payment.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Lite, Value, Flex fares with seat selection, baggage, meals, insurance.
• “Hold My Fare” for 24 hours.

Loyalty & Data

• Skywards integration from Emirates.
• Apple/Google Pay, KNET, credit card acceptance.

UI/UX Observations

• Great synergy with Emirates for loyalty.
• Could unify baggage + seat + meal on one page to cut down steps.

11. Flynas

Flow & Steps

• 8-9 steps, bright branding that appeals to younger travelers. Longest path to     booking.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Light, Value, Plus, Premium fare families.
• Baggage increments, seat upgrades, meal pre-orders, lounge, car rental.

Loyalty & Data

• No membership prompt.
• Payment via Apple Pay, STCPay, credit cards.
• Emails if a booking is incomplete, solid retargeting.

UI/UX Observations

• Could group seat, meal, and baggage upsells on one screen.
• Might introdue child-meal approach for family bookings.
• Get rid of “I am not a robot prompt”.
• Reduce ancillary services.

12. SalamAir

Flow & Steps

• 7-8 steps, typical Low Cost Carrier approach.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Fare families: Lite, Saver, Flexi. Each unbundled: baggage, seat, meals, lounge, check-in fee.

Loyalty & Data

• No membership push.
• Collects contact info, passport details.

UI/UX Observations

• Multiple pop-ups might overwhelm users. Combining them can reduce friction.
• A “family fare” bundle might differentiate SalamAir in the market.

13. Flyadeal

Flow & Steps

• Around 7-8 main screens, bold visuals.

Upselling & Add-Ons

• Bundles: fly, fly+, flyMax. Baggage, seat, meal add-ons.
• “Hold Fare” for 24 hours.

Loyalty & Data

• No large frequent flyer scheme.
• Basic data and local Saudi payment methods.

UI/UX Observations

• Introducing a membership “club” or subscription might drive repeat bookings.

Best Practices & Recommendations

What truly drives conversions? Research, both globally and in the GCC, points to the following:

1. Combine Upsells on One Screen
   
    
   • Instead of forcing travelers through multiple pop-ups for baggage, seats, and meals, offer a unified add-ons page. This cuts clicks and frustration.
 
2. Dynamic, Family-Friendly Deals
   
    
   • If the system sees children in the booking, offer child meals or waived child seat fees.
 
3. Seat     Map Magic
   
    
   • EasyJet’s success shows that a seat map can be more than just seat selection. It can prompt a second upgrade or a fare bump to premium if a traveler      chooses certain seats.
 
4. Fare     Holds and Email Reminders
   
    
   • A small fare hold fee encourages commitment from uncertain buyers. Plus, sending “You left something in your cart” emails can reclaim up to 10–15%      of abandoned bookings.
 
5. Loyalty     in the Flow
   
    
   • If you have a valuable club or membership, present it at the decision point. “Join now to save 20% on baggage” can be more compelling than a random      link to “Join Our Program.”

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