Simplifying Travel Bookings With Bundles and Unified Checkout
Description
Designed travel bundles and new checkout flow for Access Development users to simplify the fragmented process of booking multiple travel services.
Team
Timeline
Tools Used
About Access Development
Access Development is the largest network of private discounts, offering deals on travel, dining, and lifestyle services. Users can save on flights, hotels, and more, while businesses use the platform to enhance loyalty and drive new customers.
Figure 1: Access' business model stakeholders
The Problem
Users spend unnecessary time navigating multiple disjointed checkout experiences
jumping between separate carts for hotels, flights, and attractions, managing fragmented transactions instead of a unified booking flow.
Users struggle with unclear pricing constantly cross-referencing costs across platforms, lacking a transparent breakdown of fees, taxes, and total savings before checkout.
The Challenges
Maintaining technical feasibility while enhancing the user experience, merging multiple checkout processes into one without overcomplicating backend development.
Aligning the new design with the existing design system working within predefined UI components and technical limitations, balancing consistency with necessary improvements.
Making it easy for the users to seamlessly book travel in a single, intuitive checkout flow while ensuring clear pricing transparency is the core challenge we set out to solve.
Research
10 Participants
Competitor Analysis
Contextual Inquiry
We analyzed key industry players (Booking.com, Expedia, Orbitz) to identify best practices in checkout experiences, pricing transparency, and bundling strategies.
We conducted interviews and observed 10 participants booking travel on Access Development to uncover usability pain points and behavioral insights.
User Journey Stages
Trip Exploration
Logistic Research
Final Booking
During the concept ideation phase, we initially explored ideas around travel boards and customizable bundles, allowing users to build tailored travel experiences. However, given the nature of the discount platform, we pivoted to focus on the final booking stage.
Concept Ideation
During the concept ideation phase, we initially explored ideas around travel boards and customizable bundles, allowing users to build tailored travel experiences. However, given the nature of the discount platform, we pivoted to focus on the final booking stage.
We analyzed user behavior throughout their journey, from trip exploration to logistics research, and ultimately to the final booking. Our main focus was on optimizing the final booking process by addressing common pain points, such as complex checkouts and unclear pricing, to ensure a seamless and trustworthy experience for users.
Solution
View Prototype
Unified Checkout
The platform now offers a cohesive checkout process by consolidating multiple shopping carts into a single, seamless flow. This reduces confusion, builds user trust, and simplifies the booking experience across flights, hotels, car rentals, and attractions.
Price Transparency
A detailed breakdown of costs, including fees and taxes, is now presented during checkout. This feature not only fosters trust but also allows users to make informed decisions about their bookings.
Favorites Bundles
The Favorites feature allows users to save their preferred travel options, such as flights, hotels, and activities, into a personalized list. These favorites are then used to create tailored bundles that reflect the user’s tastes and travel habits. Users can further customize these bundles to ensure alignment with their travel needs, streamlining decision-making and adding convenience.
Trending Bundles
The Trending Bundles feature highlights pre-curated travel packages based on popular destinations, seasonal trends, and user preferences. These bundles serve as inspiration, providing users with ready-to-book options while still allowing for customization to fit individual requirements.
Both features aim to enhance user engagement, simplify planning, and provide personalized solutions for varied travel needs.
Next Steps
In the next steps, the Access Development solution can further address the key insights identified. For example, simplify guest experiences by providing additional customization options, such as tailored travel bundles or incentives for local markets during off-peak seasons. The platform could also guide users in decision-making, offering personalized recommendations and enhancing trust through clearer pricing and booking processes.
A long-term goal could be to expand service offerings, including more booking categories like cruises or multi-city trips, paving the way for a comprehensive travel planning solution.
Using their Design System
By leveraging Access Development’s existing design system, we ensured consistency across all touchpoints while reducing design and development time. Using predefined UI components, typography, and color palettes allowed us to maintain visual and functional harmony, aligning with the brand’s identity. This approach improved scalability, facilitated seamless collaboration between teams, and enhanced the overall perceived quality of the platform. Adopting the design system also enabled us to focus more on addressing user needs and improving usability rather than recreating foundational elements.