Leading Online Travel Agency predicts Millennials will have large impact on 2017 travel trends

 

CheapOair, a leading flights-focused hybrid travel agency, has announced its travel trend predictions for the upcoming year.  By analyzing year-over-year data, and taking factors into consideration such as the economy, demographics of travelers, current events, airline trends and more, CheapOair’s data team is anticipating some fascinating developments for 2017.

 

2017 Travel Trends include:

 

Millennial Travelers: Millennials are transforming the travel space as we know it. Over 80% of Millennials consider online travel reviews important and will shop multiple travel sites before making a purchase. Additionally, 76% seek out the help of friends and family through social media when planning their next getaway. When booking airfare, hotels, and rental cars, Millennials are using their phones or tablets nearly 50% of the time [1]. Consistent with their reliance on social media for planning trips, Millennials post to social media sites about their travel experience with nearly 73% posting at least once a day [2].

 

Business Travel:  In the next 4 years, Millennials will make up more than 50% of global workforce, and they are already the largest segment of business travelers [3].  According to the Global Business Travel Association, on average, business travelers took 6.8 trips last year, a number which is expected to increase to 7.4 next year. In 2016, Millennials were already reportedly taking 7.4 trips compared to 6.4 for Gen Xers and 6.3 for Boomers [4].

 

‘Bleisure’ Travel:  Business people traveling for work who tack on additional leisure travel days are now being labeled as ‘bleisure’ travelers.  Often, a family member or significant other come will along on these business trips so that after the ‘business’ portion of the trip is completed, they can spend a day or two vacationing. While the average age of business travelers is from mid-40s to mid-50s, the biggest increase in ‘bleisure’ travel is due to travelers aged mid-20s to mid-30s. According to a recent survey conducted by Hipmunk, 55% of Millennials said they would extend a business trip into a leisure trip compared to 28% for business travelers aged 35-54 [5].

 

Cuba: U.S. travelers to Cuba rose by 80% during the first 6 months of 2016 [6]. By 2017, ten airlines including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Frontier, Silver Airways, Spirit, Southwest, Sun Country, and United will begin regular daily and/or weekly service to 10 Cuban cities.  The island-nation has the potential to see additional growth in 2017, as long as the political relationship between the U.S. and Cuba remains stable.

 

Air Pricing Forecasts: The cost of airline fuel continues to remain flat, which should help keep airline tickets near record-low prices in 2017. According to the Global Business Travel Association, airfare is expected to increase by an estimated 2.5%, but fares may actually decrease in certain regions.  In recent years, Asia and LATAM (Latin America/Mexico) saw a nearly double-digit increase in capacity, which significantly drove down pricing. This has caused the expected average ticket cost for Asia and LATAM to decrease by 1.1% and 1.9% respectively [7].

 

Ancillary Revenues and Fees: According to a study conducted by IdeaWorksCompany, it is estimated that ancillary fees contributed to 9.1% of airline revenue in 2016, which has nearly doubled in the past six years. In 2017, ancillary products will continue to have an increasing impact, as they could contribute to over 10% of total airline revenue by the end of 2017. Originally, it was low-cost carriers such as Spirit Airlines that capitalized on this model, but it is expected that more airlines and travel companies will be implementing this in the near future [8].

 

Expected Overall Growth: The United States will continue to be the largest single market for domestic passengers, followed by China, which is firmly established in second place. The U.S. is also expected to reclaim the top spot from Germany for contributing the most international passengers [9].

 

By consistently monitoring travel trends, CheapOair’s mission is to educate and aid consumers and travel professionals in both planning their travel accommodations and staying current on the most popular destinations. With a portfolio of products, including rate and schedule information from 450 global airlines, CheapOair is a great way to book the travel that’s right for you.

 

For more information, please visit www.cheapoair.com, www.cheapoair.com/mobile, or our social media pages, facebook.com/cheapoair and twitter.com/cheapoair.

 

About CheapOair

CheapOair is a next generation concierge travel agency (online/traditional) that enables consumers to book travel online, on its award-winning mobile app, by phone or live chat. CheapOair bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified agents available to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and many car rental companies worldwide. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair’s broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less or go to www.cheapoair.com or call 1-646-738-4820).

 

Sources:

[1] http://www.internetmarketinginc.com/blog/millennial-travel-trends

[2] http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140610006008/en/Millennials-Indulge-Luxury-Hotel-Services-Chase-Marriott

[3] https://www.amexglobalbusinesstravel.com/content/millennial-business-travel-trends

[4] https://skift.com/2016/10/27/millennials-are-now-the-most-frequent-business-travelers/

[5] https://www.hipmunk.com/tailwind/generation-gap-what-your-age-says-about-how-you-travel-2/

[6] https://skift.com/2016/11/15/cubas-tourism-sector-sees-double-digit-growth-so-far-in-2016-thanks-to-the-u-s/

[7] http://www.gbta.org/foundation/pressreleases/Pages/rls_071416.aspx

[8] http://www.ideaworkscompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Press-Release-115-Global-Estimate.pdf

[9] http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2013-12-10-01.aspx

Next-generation travel agency uses Amadeus technology to integrate ancillary seat selection into booking process for CheapOair and OneTravel

Fareportal, a high-tech, high-touch travel company powering the next generation of travel, and Amadeus, a leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel industry, announced today that customers booking through CheapOair or OneTravel now have the ability to book preferred seating on select airline partners through Amadeus’ global distribution system.

The new technology allows travelers booking flights on CheapOair and OneTravel to see a real-time view of the available seats along with any additional costs associated with preferred seating. Due to Fareportal’s history of successfully selling ancillary products, Fareportal was selected by Amadeus as a partner to pilot test this new functionality on American Airlines flights.

“We are proud to offer our customers the option to purchase added value products on our sites,” said Sam S. Jain, CEO of Fareportal. “Working with Amadeus to make its ancillary products available for sale on CheapOair and OneTravel emphasizes our commitment to providing customers with more choices when booking their trip.”

The system integration allows customers to select paid seats through the interactive seat map before checkout for a seamless booking process and an enhanced customer experience. And although this back-end update will go unnoticed by consumers during the booking process, behind-the-scenes connectivity based on the latest NDC standards will help ensure more user satisfaction.

“At Amadeus, we are focused on providing technology and global travel content that enables our industry partners to offer consumers clear and convenient options so they can book their desired travel experience.  The broader the choice, the better it is for the entire travel ecosystem,” said Scott Gutz, Chief Executive Officer, Amadeus North America.

Fareportal is dedicated to continually improving technology as well as providing added value for customers. Fareportal is excited to continue to lead innovation in the ancillary product category to offer customers more choices and more flexibility.

 

About Fareportal

Fareportal is a high-tech, high-touch Travel Company that powers the next generation travel concierge service. Utilizing its innovative technology and company owned and operated global contact center, Fareportal has built strong industry partnerships providing access to over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and hundreds of car rental companies that serve millions of customers every year. With a portfolio of consumer travel brands, including CheapOair and OneTravel, Fareportal’s airline partners can benefit from access to a broad customer base that books high-yield international travel and add-on ancillaries.

 

About Amadeus

Amadeus provides the technology which keeps the travel sector moving – from initial search to making a booking, from pricing to ticketing, from managing reservations to managing check-in and departure processes. Our products and solutions help to improve the business performance of our customers: travel agencies, corporations, airlines, ground handlers, hotels, railways, car rental companies, airports, cruise lines and ferry operators. At the heart of our approach is innovation. Amadeus was recognized in 2014 and 2015 as the leading European investor in R&D for the travel and tourism sector by the EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard, which ranks European companies by total investment in R&D. Over €4 billion have been invested in R&D since 2004. It is this strong commitment that we believe will enable us to continue working with our customers and partners to shape the future of travel.

Amadeus works in more than 190 markets with a worldwide team of more than 14,000 people. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the company reported revenues of €3,913.0 million and EBITDA of €1,465.0 million. Amadeus is listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange and forms part of the IBEX 35 Index.

Online Travel Agency launches 2016 holiday campaign with video documenting surprise delivery of over 1,000 inflatable solar lights and school supplies to village in Nepal

CheapOair, a leading flights-focused, next generation concierge travel service, released the company’s holiday campaign kick-off video today concurrent with Giving Tuesday. The video, titled “Give to New Heights,” highlights CheapOair’s recent philanthropic partnership with Kids of Kathmandu, a non-profit organization helping to rebuild schools in Nepal’s most earthquake devastated areas, to deliver solar-powered lights and school supplies to children in the remote region of Timal, Nepal.

CheapOair provided funding for transportation, logistical support and manpower to deliver over 1,000 Luci® lights provided by MPOWERD, Inc. for the grand opening of Kids of Kathmandu’s first of 50 re-built schools. The children from the local village gathered at the school at dusk for an unknown surprise to find their new school building illuminated for the first time. Each child was also given an individual light to take home, a backpack, personal white board, water bottle, and toy airplane.

“These supplies are imperative to this region due to Nepal’s power shortages that often cut electricity during the evening hours; the time of day a child would usually focus on homework,” said Stefanie Smith, Social Media Director at CheapOair. “The goal of this project was to provide the children with items that will allow them to maximize the benefits of their new school – a personal light for full-circle education, a water bottle to utilize the school’s new water purification system, and white board for sustainable learning.”

The video kicks off CheapOair’s month-long holiday campaign focused on recognizing people who go above and beyond to give back to their families, neighborhoods or communities in special ways. During the campaign, people can nominate friends or family they think deserve special recognition for their spirit of giving. CheapOair will then select a winner each day through December 24, 2016 to receive a $50 CheapOair gift card.

CheapOair has a longstanding commitment to helping communities in need through charitable donations and volunteer work. The company is always seeking out new opportunities to get involved with charity organizations both at home and abroad.

 

About CheapOair

CheapOair is a flights-focused hybrid travel service that enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (http://www.cheapoair.com, 1-646-738-4820) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair’s broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less.

Leading Online Travel Agency uses cutting-edge data science to help customers find the best holiday travel deals

CheapOair, a leading flights-focused, next generation concierge travel service consisting of a traditional travel agency with a digital front end, has released predictive data on when consumers can get the best deals on their holiday airline tickets.

For the upcoming December holiday season, CheapOair predicts that travelers can save up to 15% on flights if booked November 7th through November 9th. Delay the purchase any longer and prices could rise up to $60 more per ticket.

According to CheapOair’s data, average ticket price for round-trip, domestic airfare over these three days is predicted to be $410.25. Beginning November 10^th, prices steadily increase through the end of December and reach an average price of $471.93*.

“Our fare predictions for holiday travel are meant to help travelers determine the best time to book and to get them the best deals possible,” said David Chodniewicz, AVP of Data Science at CheapOair. “Airfares typically increase in price as demand increases and seats fill. Our fare predictor tool uses cutting edge data science technologies, historical data from the past six years, and over 10 trillion flight searches to learn when airfares are expected to increase and when airline discounts are expected to expire.”

While this predictive model has historically been accurate within $10, fares may vary by route and travel dates.

 

About CheapOair

CheapOair is a flights-focused hybrid travel service that enables consumers to book online, on mobile apps, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (http://www.cheapoair.com, 1-646-738-4820) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair’s broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less.

API integration allows customers to compare Amtrak rail routes to flights on CheapOair

 

NEW YORK, October 26, 2016: SilverRail, the technology company powering global rail with its next generation retailing and distribution platform, has partnered with Fareportal, a high-tech, high-touch travel company powering the next generation of travel. This new partnership will expand Fareportal’s offering to travellers in the US by incorporating rail options alongside flights for the first time.

With the simple integration of SilverRail’s API, travelers can now compare and book Amtrak rail tickets online via CheapOair, a subsidiary of Fareportal. For the first time ever, CheapOair customers can find the most convenient and affordable travel options based on their origin and destination with one easy search on one website. Currently, customers can compare and book Amtrak rail tickets on the following routes:

• New York, NY and Boston, MA
• New York, NY and Washington, D.C.
• New York, NY and Buffalo, NY
• New York, NY and Providence, RI
• New York, NY and Albany, NY
• New York, NY and Philadelphia, PA
• Boston, MA and Washington, D.C.
• Seattle, WA and Portland, OR

“Fareportal is the 10^th largest global travel company according to Travel Weekly’s 2016 Power List and with their brand CheapOair they will be amongst the first leisure online booking platform to offer Amtrak tickets alongside airfare results,” said Cameron Jones, Chief Commercial Officer at SilverRail. “We are excited to support Fareportal as they expand and enhance their offering to customers. This partnership helps raise the profile of rail in the US and provides Amtrak a new marketing channel to attract new customers that might have otherwise flown.”

Werner Kunz, Chief Operating Officer at Fareportal said “Rail carries as many passengers as air between some of the major US cities like Boston and New York, and so it’s a natural fit for us to offer rail options alongside air, allowing customers to comparison shop with one search on CheapOair.com”.

 

About Fareportal ()

Fareportal is a high-tech, high-touch Travel Company that powers the next generation travel concierge service. Utilising its innovative technology and company owned and operated global contact center, Fareportal has built strong industry partnerships providing access to over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and hundreds of car rental companies that serve millions of customers every year. With a portfolio of consumer travel brands, including CheapOair and OneTravel, Fareportal’s airline partners can benefit from access to a broad customer base that books high-yield international travel and add-on ancillaries.

 

About SilverRail Technologies (www.silverrailtech.com)

SilverRail is powering global rail with its next generation retailing and distribution platform.

SilverRail’s proprietary technology offers a simple and common digital infrastructure for rail. Our product suite spans the rail e-commerce customer experience: journey planning, inventory management, scheduling, pricing, booking, payment, ticketing, reporting and administration.

The SilverCore API is the world’s first unified platform for global rail, it connects the carrier content and retailing to any distribution partner, on or offline.

• SilverRail is currently processing over 1 billion online rail searches per year.
• Over 35 providers and carriers are connected via the company’s ‘SilverCore’.
• More than 25 million bookings are made on SilverRail’s various systems each year.
• SilverRail is currently serving over 1,500 corporate customers worldwide.

SilverRail was founded in 2009 by Aaron Gowell and Will Phillipson, is headquartered in London, but also has offices in Boston, Stockholm and Brisbane.