Industry
Aviation and Travel
Client
UXDI Case Study
Role
UX Designer
Rethinking airline booking: a smoother way to take off
Booking a flight should be simple. Yet, for many travelers, it’s anything but. Clunky interfaces, unclear pricing, and too many steps turn what should be an exciting experience into an exercise in frustration. As part of my UX design professional diploma, I took on the challenge of reimagining the flight booking experience for a new airline entrant using usability as a competitive edge. The mission? Design a booking process that feels effortless.
Goals
Make booking easy, not an obstacle course
Design an intuitive, distraction-free booking where users can move effortly from selecting a flight to checkout.
No more guessing games
Ensure that flight options, fare differences, and policies are presented in a transparent and digestible way, so users always know what they're choosing.
A frictionless checkout
Simplify the final steps. The payment process should be fast, secure, and stress-free, reducing frustration and drop-offs.
Research approach: finding the right insights
To gain both industry insights and real user perspectives, I employed two primary research methods: competitive analysis and usability testing. The competitive analysis allowed me to step into the traveller's shoes, identifying common patterns and friction points without the need for immediate user recruitment. Usability testing revealed how real users interacted with these flows, ensuring the design was shaped by actual behavior rather than only industry norms.
Competitive analysis: streamlined or distracting? Airline apps put to the test
I examinded several airline apps, evaluating how effectively it was to book a round-trip flight. Some apps, like Cathay Pacific, had sleek, minimal interfaces that made navigation a breeze. Others, like Royal Jordanian, overwhelmed users with too much information, while American Airlines struggled with readability due to low contrast. One key issue kept appearing: too many distractions. Instead of guiding users smoothly toward booking, some apps bombarded them with promotions and unrelated features, pulling focus away from the main goal.
Usability testing: seeing the struggles firsthand
Next, I ran usabiliy tests focusing on comparing Cathay Pacific and El Al on the Tel Aviv-Hong Kong route. To identify broader trends, I also analyzed European carriers like Eurowings and Aer Lingus. Here's what I discovered
”I just can't find where to book"
Some users struggled to even start the booking process, especially on El Al’s platform, where the login screen created confusion.
“I still don't know what I am paying for”
Across multiple airlines, fare option were hard to find or compare, with vague descriptions making it difficult to understand what was included.
”Wait... where am I?”
Users often lost track of their progress, unsure which flights they had selected or what the next step was.
Making sense of the data: maping the pain points
With so many insights from usability testing and competitive analysis, I needed to unpack the recurring patterns and prioritize the most pressing issues. I created an affinity diagram in Figma using a custom template I had designed. This tool allowed me to flag the type of finding, dynamically specify its source, and group feedback into clear themes. Recurring issues, such as fare option transparency, quickly emerged as critical areas of focus. Stacking feedback points under shared themes provided a clear view of user pain points and helped highlight patterns that needed attention.
Customer journey map: visualising the booking flow
The customer journey map offered a different perspective, visualizing the entire booking flow from start to finish. By mapping out pain points and areas of focus at each step of the journey, I was able to organize feedback in a way that highlighted where the most pressing issues occurred.
Not all booking frustrations are created equal. Using the themes identified in the affinity diagram, I prioritized the most critical issues based on frequency, impact and alignment with project goals. Issues outside the core booking flow, such as signup difficulties and loyalty program enrollment were deprioritized to keep the focus on streamlining the booking process itself.
Themes
Lost before takeoff
Users hesitated at the start, unsure where to begin their booking. Some mistook login screens as mandatory, while others struggled to locate the booking button. Why prioritize? A clear, easy-to-find entry point eliminates hesitation and aligns with the goal of making booking effortless.
Fare confusion
Users didn’t understand the differences between fare options. Some searched for details that weren’t clearly presented, while others clicked through multiple pages just to compare. Why prioritize? Transparency in pricing supports the goal of removing guesswork and ensuring users feel confident in their choices
Where am I?
Users lost track of their selections and progress. They weren’t always sure which flight they had chosen or what the next step was. Why prioritize? A guided flow with clear progress indicators aligns with the goal of simplifying navigation and reducing friction.