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Merging trip management experiences in one seamless app

When I travel, I typically use multiple apps to book flights, accommodations, and restaurants. This approach gives me the flexibility to compare options and find the best deals. However, I realize I might be in the minority.

Date: 2025, Skills: user testing, user flow, prototyping

According to TravelPerk,80% of OTA users in 2023 booked their trips through a single platform, demonstrating strong brand loyalty.

Using one platform for all travel needs not only saves money but also fosters trust, making users more comfortable spending and providing a sense of security in case of unexpected changes.

Now, imagine booking your trip with one provider – only to be redirected to three different apps and websites just to manage your reservations.

Not exactly a smooth experience, right?

Graphic shows an old flow requaring a user to login multiple times to access their travel information and manage their booking

Why Travel Shouldn’t Be a Puzzle

Before I was asked to support a team responsible for optimizing app experience for cruise customers, the existing solution made managing travel plans feel like a juggling act.

To be able to book, manage, and handle their trip throughout the whole customer journey, they had to use three different apps. This back-and-forth created inefficiencies, accessibility issues, and unnecessary hassle.

The goal was to bring everything into a single, user-friendly flow with a consistent UI. We set out to create a seamless experience by improving accessibility and usability and cutting down on unnecessary steps for users. Long story short – the goal was to make travel management effortless and frustration-free.

Let’s once again break down the pain points

  • Users had to constantly switch between three different apps to manage different parts of their trip.
  • Technical limitations also made accessing some of the apps difficult, which was especially problematic for users who needed quick and reliable updates during their journey.
  • Navigating through the technical complexity and unfriendly UX prevented older users, who were the majority of the customers, from completing the necessary steps or even considering using the app in the first place.

Finding the Right Path Forward

I kicked things off with in-depth desk research, analyzing existing documentation and past user studies. I also looked at competitor apps to see what worked well and compared those insights with our own app’s technical capabilities that would allow users to log in once and access all apps.

Graphic shows a new, simplified flow allowing user to log in once

Improvements

  • We were able to allow users to log in once without having to provide their credentials every time they switch to a different app.
  • Thanks to UI re-design, the user felt like they stay in a single app
  • Thanks to personalization we could show only the most relevant information at each stage, helping users avoid cognitive overload and provide quick access to trip dashboard once they start their journey.
  • We also added onboarding screens to ensure users are aware of all mandatory actions required before departure.

Testing the Journey

To make sure we were on the right track, we conducted moderated user testing with people who matched our target audience. We observed how they accessed key travel information, when they turned to the app during their journey, and what features they expected to see.

We also tested how intuitive the navigation felt, how easy it was to complete key tasks, and whether confirmation emails and instructions were clear.

The results confirmed my hypothesis – users wanted to see only the most relevant information at any given moment, skipping the rest of the app.

Testing gave me valuable insights, leading to further streamlining the check-in and cutting out unnecessary steps and screens.

Graphic shows login flow including six screens allowing user to access their trip dashboard before travel

App’s flow before the trip. Users access the dashboard through the bottom navigation.

Graphic shows flow including nine screens demonstrating app's behavior after user starts their trip.

App’s flow during the trip. After user accesses the app, dashboard opens automatically. User is still able to go back to the main app and return to dashboard using the new floating button.

One feel, one seamless experience

Merging three separate apps into one flow provided a much-needed streamlined experience for travellers. The consolidation significantly reduced friction, eliminating the need for multiple logins and making navigation more intuitive.

By delivering dynamic content based on the user’s journey phase, we leading to higher engagement and reduced cognitive load.