{"id":5038,"date":"2026-01-18T12:15:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T12:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apadmi.com\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T12:14:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T12:14:52","slug":"5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"5 things your customer wants from a travel app in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\n\t\t5 things your customer wants from a travel app in 2026\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\n\t<\/div>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t
\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\tIt’s no secret that mobile makes many aspects of travel simpler, more convenient and incredibly accessible (when done right). But with user expectations ever rising, how can you ensure you\u2019re balancing business needs with the needs of your customers?\t\t<\/p>\n\t\n\t\n\t

\n\t\t\n

\n\tTo get better insight on what customers\u00a0really\u00a0<\/em>want from a mobile experience when it comes to travel, we\u00a0surveyed more than 1000 people<\/u><\/a>, digging into their must-haves, what prompts them to download or ditch, and what they\u2019d be open to see more of in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

\n\tHere\u2019s 5 things you need to take note of in 2026 – and how to act on them to unlock new value.<\/p>\n\n\n\t1. Users care most about brand reputation, and want to see positive ratings and reviews<\/h2>\n\n

\n\tThe survey revealed that users valued brand reputation and positive ratings and reviews above all else when it came to choosing their travel apps. These were rated above elements such as discounts and deals, or easy to use interfaces. <\/p>\n\n

\n\tIt\u2019s a sentiment that\u2019s echoed across the industry, with the average user reading at least 3 reviews before deciding whether to download or ditch an app. <\/p>\n\n

\n\tBrand reputation is something that your mobile experience can support, and even boost, when done right. <\/p>\n\n\n\tHow to unlock value with this insight:<\/h3>\n\n\n\t\n

  • \n\tBuild review prompts into moments of success (for example, after a smooth booking or check-in).<\/li>\n\n
  • \n\tInvest in proactive\u00a0app store community management<\/u><\/a>\u00a0to respond to feedback and demonstrate accountability.<\/li>\n\n
  • \n\tUse review data as a product insight channel – it\u2019s not just a marketing metric! <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

    \n\tPositive ratings and reviews are something that can be optimised with an effective community management strategy – we\u2019ve helped\u00a0Domino\u2019s Pizza<\/a>\u00a0maintain a 4.8* App Store rating with 100,000s of reviews over the past several years with these strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\t2. Discounts and points still rule – but users also value personalised surprises and feeling special<\/h2>\n\n

    \n\tWe all know that discounts and points can be a top loyalty tool (when offered on the right items, at the right time), and almost half of respondents agreed. But the survey also revealed that other features such as exclusive offers, priority access, and personalised rewards and surprise perks were not far behind. <\/p>\n\n

    \n\tThe element of surprising and delighting a customer is one that shouldn\u2019t be underestimated. These features tap into a sense of status and appreciation \u2014 emotions that are particularly effective in the context of travel. The opportunity here is to evolve beyond one-size-fits-all incentives.<\/p>\n\n\n\tHow to unlock value with this insight:<\/h3>\n\n\n\t\n

  • \n\tUse behavioural and contextual data to tailor rewards to the traveller and the moment.<\/li>\n\n
  • \n\tIntroduce occasional, unexpected perks to reinforce a sense of exclusivity.<\/li>\n\n
  • \n\tClearly communicate the value of loyalty benefits within the app, not just via emails or other marketing channels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

    \n\tWhen customers feel genuinely recognised, loyalty becomes more emotional, and therefore, more sticky.<\/p>\n\n\n\t3. Be more upfront with costs to earn user trust<\/h2>\n\n

    \n\tRespondents expressed their frustration with hidden costs and fees in travel apps; so much so that it came out as their number one want to have more accurate prices throughout their customer journey.  <\/p>\n\n

    \n\tOf course, travel can be complex with fluctuating prices, third-party fees, and optional add-ons. However, users increasingly expect clarity, consistency, and honesty at every step; especially on mobile, where attention is limited.<\/p>\n\n

    \n\tThis is something that a good mobile experience can help to combat.<\/p>\n\n\n\tHow to unlock value with this insight:<\/h3>\n\n\n\t\n

  • \n\tSurface total prices upfront, including taxes and mandatory fees.<\/li>\n\n
  • \n\tClearly explain optional extras and how they affect the final cost.<\/li>\n\n
  • \n\tAvoid late-stage price changes wherever possible, or explicitly justify them when unavoidable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

    \n\tTransparency is a brand trust imperative.<\/p>\n\n\n\t4. Experiment with new AI-driven experiences, your customer wants them!<\/h2>\n\n

    \n\tOver a third of respondents were open to seeing AI trip assistants in travel apps.  This reflects growing comfort with AI in everyday digital interactions, provided it delivers practical, tangible benefits.<\/p>\n\n

    \n\tFor travel brands, AI presents opportunities to reduce complexity and cognitive load. From itinerary planning and disruption management to contextual recommendations during a trip, intelligent assistance can transform how customers engage with your app.<\/p>\n\n

    \n\tHowever, novelty alone is not enough. Poorly implemented AI risks increasing frustration rather than reducing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\tHow to unlock value with this insight:<\/h3>\n\n\n\t\n

  • \n\tFocus AI features on clear user problems, such as rebooking during delays or answering time-sensitive questions.<\/li>\n\n
  • \n\tEnsure AI outputs are explainable, accurate, and easy to override.<\/li>\n\n
  • \n\tTreat AI as an enhancement to human-centric design and not a replacement for it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

    \n\tThe brands that succeed will be those which deploy AI with clear purpose and genuine use cases. Some airlines such as Ryanair are already exploring these technologies and implementing them with purpose – as we explored at\u00a02025’s World Aviation Festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\t5. 1 in 4 cite technical issues as the main driver for uninstalling – get your tech stable before all else<\/h2>\n\n

    \n\tWhilst we may have highlighted shiny new add-ons and implementing strategies to improve positive ratings and user trust; all of this hard work is futile if your tech simply doesn\u2019t deliver. <\/p>\n\n

    \n\tWithout a stable platform delivering a consistent user experience, you risk losing users (and losing revenue) when bugs strike. Ensuring your tech stack is working for you; whether that be seamless payment integrations when it comes to booking, or frictionless sign-ins at that very first app open – your tech needs to work. <\/p>\n\n

    \n\tKnowing that your product can withstand large user numbers at once, and being able to trust it to perform at every step in a user\u2019s booking process or travel moment is crucial. Regular\u00a0app audits<\/u><\/a>\u00a0can ensure that standards are upheld, and identify any weaknesses or opportunities for optimisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\tHow to unlock value with this insight:<\/h3>\n\n\n\t\n

  • \n\tPrioritise stability and performance before introducing new functionality.<\/li>\n\n
  • \n\tInvest in regular app audits to identify technical debt and optimisation opportunities.<\/li>\n\n
  • \n\tStress-test critical journeys, particularly payments, authentication, and peak-traffic scenarios.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

    \n\tA resilient app protects revenue, safeguards reputation, and creates the conditions for innovation to succeed.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t

    \n\t\t\n\t\n\t
    \n\t\t\n\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTravel Apps Report 2026<\/span>\n\tTr\u00ada\u00adv\u00ade\u00adl Apps Re\u00adp\u00ado\u00adr\u00adt 2026<\/span>\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    \n\t\t\t\t\tLearn what your customer wants and needs from a travel app in 2026. From AI assistants to surprise perks and upgrades, this report uncovers what users value most.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\tDownload now\t<\/span>\n\n\t<\/a>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t

    \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":1035,"template":"","meta":{"es_utils_meta_schema":"","esPageTheme":"default","esPageBackground":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5038","insight","type-insight","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n5 things your customer wants from a travel app in 2026 – Apadmi<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Our recent survey has revealed travel app must-haves - here's how you can turn these insights into actions to drive customer loyalty and engagement in 2026.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 things your customer wants from a travel app in 2026 – Apadmi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Our recent survey has revealed travel app must-haves - here's how you can turn these insights into actions to drive customer loyalty and engagement in 2026.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Apadmi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-23T12:14:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/apadmi.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/abstract-orange-architecture-facade.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/en-nl\\\/insights\\\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/en-nl\\\/insights\\\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\\\/\",\"name\":\"5 things your customer wants from a travel app in 2026 – Apadmi\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/en-nl\\\/insights\\\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/en-nl\\\/insights\\\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/apadmi.com\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/abstract-orange-architecture-facade.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-18T12:15:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-23T12:14:52+00:00\",\"description\":\"Our recent survey has revealed travel app must-haves - here's how you can turn these insights into actions to drive customer loyalty and engagement in 2026.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/en-nl\\\/insights\\\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-NL\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/en-nl\\\/insights\\\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-NL\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/en-nl\\\/insights\\\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/apadmi.com\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/abstract-orange-architecture-facade.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/apadmi.com\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/abstract-orange-architecture-facade.webp\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":900},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/en-nl\\\/insights\\\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/en-nl\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"5 things your customer wants from a travel app in 2026\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Apadmi\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-NL\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Apadmi\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-NL\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\",\"caption\":\"Apadmi\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.apadmi.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"5 things your customer wants from a travel app in 2026 – Apadmi","description":"Our recent survey has revealed travel app must-haves - here's how you can turn these insights into actions to drive customer loyalty and engagement in 2026.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"5 things your customer wants from a travel app in 2026 – Apadmi","og_description":"Our recent survey has revealed travel app must-haves - here's how you can turn these insights into actions to drive customer loyalty and engagement in 2026.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/","og_site_name":"Apadmi","article_modified_time":"2026-07-23T12:14:52+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":900,"url":"https:\/\/apadmi.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/abstract-orange-architecture-facade.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/","url":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/","name":"5 things your customer wants from a travel app in 2026 – Apadmi","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/apadmi.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/abstract-orange-architecture-facade.webp","datePublished":"2026-01-18T12:15:02+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-23T12:14:52+00:00","description":"Our recent survey has revealed travel app must-haves - here's how you can turn these insights into actions to drive customer loyalty and engagement in 2026.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-NL","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-NL","@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/apadmi.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/abstract-orange-architecture-facade.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/apadmi.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/abstract-orange-architecture-facade.webp","width":1600,"height":900},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/insights\/5-things-your-customer-wants-from-a-travel-app-in-2026\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"5 things your customer wants from a travel app in 2026"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/","name":"Apadmi","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-NL"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/#organization","name":"Apadmi","url":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-NL","@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"","contentUrl":"","caption":"Apadmi"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight\/5038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/insight"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight\/5038\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6822,"href":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight\/5038\/revisions\/6822"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.apadmi.com\/en-nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}