Airlines have mastered the logistics of moving people across the globe, but when it comes to digital experiences, many are still stuck in the past. In an age where consumers expect the convenience of Amazon and the personalization of Shopify, airline websites and apps fall painfully short. Here's why airlines must start thinking like ecommerce brands—and how they can start.

Treat Booking Like Checkout

Amazon knows: reduce clicks, remove friction, and you’ll boost conversions. Shopify’s data shows a 4x faster checkout using Shop Pay. Now compare that to airline booking portals plagued by endless forms, unclear pricing, and required logins.

Key Takeaway: Simplify the booking experience. One-click checkout should be the goal, not a dream.

Personalization Isn’t a Luxury, It’s a Baseline

Shopify merchants use customer data to deliver product recommendations, retarget with relevance, and offer tailored discounts. Meanwhile, airlines rarely even acknowledge return customers unless they're part of a clunky loyalty program.

Action Step: Airlines must leverage customer data to deliver personalized offers, upsells (e.g. seat upgrades, lounge access), and booking reminders—automatically.

Embrace the Full Funnel

Amazon tracks every touchpoint—from product view to purchase to review. Airlines typically focus on the ticket sale and forget the post-purchase journey. What about real-time updates, boarding tips, or even offering lounge discounts when flights are delayed?

Smart Move: Build out the post-purchase layer with order tracking, proactive support, and personalized upsell moments (like Shopify’s Shop app does).

Monetize Like a Marketplace

Amazon thrives on add-ons—gift wrap, protection plans, related products. Airlines have the same opportunity: in-flight WiFi, priority boarding, insurance, bag pickup, and even carbon offsets. But the flow is disjointed and poorly optimized.

Opportunity: Use modern Offer & Order platforms (like IATA’s framework) to bundle intelligently and monetize like a modern retailer.

Understand Lifetime Value, Not Just Price Per Seat

Shopify merchants are obsessed with LTV. Airlines? Still chasing one-off ticket sales. But recurring travelers are gold. The key is retaining them through value, experience, and data-driven strategy—not just cheap fares.

Action Plan: Track customer behaviors, segment based on intent and value, and invest in loyalty that feels personalized, not transactional.

Final Thought

Airlines don’t need to become e-commerce companies—but they do need to start thinking like them. The brands that deliver fast, frictionless, and personalized digital experiences will win not just more bookings—but lifelong loyalty.

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