GoFlight

Flight booking website

Project Type

UX Design Project

Date

Aug. 2024 - Mar. 2025

Location

Dublin, Ireland

Context

As part of my UX Design course at the UX Design Institute, I tackled the challenge of creating a Medium-Fi prototype of a flight selection experience for a booking website. This project involved a comprehensive user-centered design process, starting with competitive analysis and usability testing to uncover key areas for improvement. I synthesized these findings through the creation of empathy maps and user journey maps, which provided key information for the development of a medium-fidelity prototype focused on addressing the identified pain points and meeting critical design requirements.

Research Block

Objectives

Evaluate the Strengths and Weaknesses of Competitor Flight Selection Interfaces and Features

Identify Key User Pain Points and Frustrations within Existing Flight Selection Processes

Determine User Expectations and Mental Models for an Ideal Flight Selection Experience

Uncover Opportunities for Innovation and Differentiation in the Flight Selection Process

Competitive Benchmarker

This involved evaluating the websites of three direct airline competitors and one indirect competitor (a hotel booking platform).The primary goal of this analysis was to identify established best practices and conventions within the flight booking industry, pinpoint common usability errors and areas for potential improvement, and determine key aspects where we should maintain focus. My evaluation centered on the "select flight" process, starting from the homepage search bar and continuing through to the point of flight selection. This analysis was structured around Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics, providing a framework for identifying specific insights and general recommendations directly applicable to the design of my project.

Direct Competitors

Indirect Competitor

10 Heuristics Usability Assessment

Key findings from the 10-heuristics usability assessment for the homepage, search flight bar and the search flights results page

Visibility of system status

Critical alerts are clearly displayed on homepages, and loading/progress bars are consistently used
Progress bar included on the flight results page.
Filters on the results page are hard to find and inconsistent. Price display (per person vs. total) lacks clarity.
Selection Confirmation: Selected flights are visually confirmed by a button color change, though fare selection can be ambiguous despite highlights.

Match between system and the real world

Mostly familiar icons and terms used (calendar, passengers, fare, help, etc.). Only one used "travelers".
Airport Code displayed after city names (e.g. CPH) by most at the home page stage.
The flow is mostly consistent and logical (origin-> dates-> passengers).
Flight Details: Generally plain, often missing stop duration/city.

Consistency and standards

Inconsistency of colour used, search bar too plain in one page.
Generally clear and conventional comparative fare table.
One airline, changed the way to select passengers in the other pages.
Overall consistency in the search bar process, follow the conventions, cities -> dates -> passengers.
Airport Selection requires typing, some of them with disorganized list without logical organization.
Unclear Search Bar Filters: Purpose and usage not easily understood.

User control and freedom

Flight summary and edit/changes are top-of-page.
Fare option tables lack confirm buttons.
"Back" to previous page, retains search details in all cases.
No all of the pages you could changes last edits before adding passengers details.
Cities (airports) and passengers are easy to modify in the search bar, but days in the calendar can be difficult)

Aesthetic and minimalist design

In some pages, the search flights bar, is obscured by distracting marketing/interactive banners and pop-ups.
Home page can be a bit overwhelming with all the marketing, tabs, flight information, etc.
Calendars may have confusing departure date displays and thin, illegible fonts.
Passenger selection includes irrelevant details (fares, promo codes, miles).

Error Prevention

Some airport suggestions include destinations without flights, and one system fails to block past dates in date pickers.
Non-refundable warnings are generally clear, but one instance lacks specific exclusions for economy fares.
Two websites lack clarity on whether prices are per person or for multiple passengers.

Recognition rather than recall

While some platforms display recent searches, users often cannot modify or clear them.
Essential flight details like the number of stops are not always directly visible, requiring extra clicks, like "view more".
Once you select a fare, it cannot be reviewed in other states.
Applied filters are not consistently or clearly displayed across all platforms.
Most platforms successfully use top summary bars or editable search bars to help users remember their criteria.

Flexibility and efficiency of use

City auto-recognition is widely implemented.
Calendar loading speed is an issue on some websites.
Filtering options are consistently limited or not comprehensive, especially at early stages.
There's a lack of multi-city search or direct comparison charts.

Help users recognize, diagnose,

and recover from errors

Error messages are often clear for straightforward inputs.
There's a significant lack of explicit error messages for unavailable routes, and some errors only appear after a user proceeds, leading to delayed feedback.
Suggestions on how to resolve errors are inconsistent; sometimes present, sometimes absent.
While a "return" option usually exists, users sometimes can not fix the issues, and forcing them to return to the homepage or restart the entire process.

Help and documentation

Help resources are present (e.g., top left corner, chat icon, FAQs), but their effectiveness and accessibility are inconsistent.
Chat features are limited in functionality and often require personal details to initiate, while FAQs are frequently small and relegated to the footer.
Detailed information (e.g., passenger specifics, fare inclusions) is often missing or displayed in a way that disrupts user flow and requires restarting processes.
"More info" icons are sometimes non-functional.

Competitors Usability Test

This research presents key insights from usability testing conducted on competitor airline websites. The primary research objective was to observe and document user interactions with the online flight booking processes of four competitor airlines: Ryanair, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Eurowings. I focused specifically on the selection of round-trip flights. By analyzing participants' experiences navigating similar scenarios on these websites, our aim was to identify usability issues, areas of user frustration, and gather insights into user mental models and expectations when searching for and booking flights online.

The usability test revealed two main categories of observations: Recurring Usability Issues and Key User Expectations.

Recurring Usability Issues consistently showed that users struggle with ambiguous information, often finding flight details, fare benefits, and baggage policies unclear. Many features go unused due to poor discoverability or understanding. Intrusive pop-ups and excessive marketing significantly detract from the user experience. Websites also suffer from a lack of personalization, failing to recognize user data or preferences, and poor visual design which impacts overall appeal. Navigation and interaction problems are common, leading to user frustration with calendars, pop-ups, and progress tracking. Furthermore, complex fare and baggage options create confusion, and trust and transparency concerns arise from third-party sites and unclear chat support.

Key User Expectations emphasize a strong desire for clarity and simplicity in all aspects of the booking process, from flight details to fare comparisons. Users rely on familiar UI patterns for intuitive interaction (e.g., standard calendar layouts, "X" buttons). Efficiency and time-saving are highly valued, with users preferring streamlined processes and effective filters. They expect personalization and recognition from websites, and a visually appealing interface contributes significantly to satisfaction. Users also seek value for money through clear fare justifications and demand control and confidence over their booking decisions. Finally, transparent and helpful customer support (whether human or bot) and easily accessible, clear information are crucial for a positive experience.

For more in-depth details and specific examples, please refer to the comprehensive points outlined below.

Recurring Usability Issues

Ambiguous Information: Users were confused by unclear flight times, vague fare option benefits (especially regarding baggage), and obscure hand luggage policies. The type/model of aircraft was deemed unnecessary for a user.
Unused Features: Many features like "Not sure where to go?", promo code fields, "Flexible Days" in the calendar, and search filters were overlooked or misunderstood.
Intrusive Pop-ups & Marketing: Users disliked unexpected pop-ups (e.g., selected country of current location), large homepage banners, excessive cookie consent requests, and overwhelming marketing content with constant pop-ups.
Lack of Personalization: Websites failed to recognize user location or pre-populate basic information, leading to repetitive input. Misspellings were poorly handled, requiring manual correction.
Poor Visual Design: Sites were often perceived as "plain," lacking color, or "basic." Overwhelming homepages and the display of unavailable premium fares were also noted.
Navigation & Interaction Problems: Users struggled with date selection in calendars, closing pop-ups, selecting destinations, and navigating across months. Issues included losing progress when using the back button, confusion post-fare confirmation, and illogical city organization in dropdowns.
Complex Fare & Baggage Options: Fare options lacked clear value propositions, and baggage details within Smart Fares were unclear.
Trust & Transparency Concerns: Users distrusted third-party sites due to past negative experiences and expressed uncertainty about the nature of chat support (human vs. bot), generally preferring human interaction for problems.

Key User Expectations

Clarity & Simplicity: Users expect clear, unambiguous information for all critical details (flight times, stops, fare inclusions, baggage). They desire straightforward processes, easy comparison of prices, and a flight summary before proceeding with passenger details. Quick and logical city/airport search results are also highly valued.
Familiar UI Patterns: Users rely on familiar website and operating system interfaces, expecting standard calendar displays and "X" buttons to close pop-ups. They anticipate real-time search results as they type, it is a must.
Efficiency & Time-Saving: Users prioritize features that save time, such as clear airport selection, efficient passenger input, and intuitive calendar interactions. Unnecessary pop-ups and unclear navigation that lead to losing progress are frustrating. They also desire effective search filters.
Personalization & Recognition: Websites should recognize user preferences and location to minimize repetitive inputs.
Visual Appeal: A visually pleasing interface with adequate color, clear buttons, and well-marked selections is preferred. Users want clear information on flight results and simple, useful content on the homepage.
Value for Money: Users want to clearly understand the benefits and justification for different fare options, especially regarding baggage inclusions.
Control & Confidence: Users want to feel in control of the booking process, make their own decisions without suggested fares, and ensure flight availability early on.
Transparent Customer Support: Users expect to know if chat support is human or a bot, and they generally expect a positive and helpful interaction.
Helpful Information: Users appreciate clear passenger type descriptions but are frustrated by inaccurate age classifications (e.g., 12-year-olds as adults). They want a summary before adding passenger details.

Affinity Diagram

The data collected from the Competitive Benchmarker and Usability Test were then systematically organized into an Affinity Diagram, which proved instrumental in surfacing patterns and identifying critical insights related to common user frustrations and design opportunities. These findings are elaborated upon in the subsequent sections.

User Frustrations

Confusing Navigation & Inconsistent

Interactions

Users struggle to locate key actions like "book a flight" or "confirm flights," and often misunderstand button labels.
Date selection and calendar navigation are difficult, with confusion on how to move across months and inconsistent date displays.
Filters on results pages are hard to find and don't follow conventions; the purpose and usage of search bar filters are unclear.
Inconsistent methods for selecting passengers across different pages.
Illogical city organization in dropdowns, making airport selection bulky and disorganized.
Users experience confusion after fare confirmation, indicating a non-linear flow.
Inconsistent color usage and overly plain search bars contribute to a disorienting experience.

Functional & Technical Glitches

Broken back buttons reset progress, forcing users to restart processes, which is highly frustrating.
Non-working features (e.g., flight sharing) and unhelpful chatbots diminish trust and utility.
The inability to automatically remove default cities or recognize misspelled inputs adds to user effort.
Websites fail to recognize user location or pre-populate basic information, leading to repetitive data entry.

Lack of Clarity & Transparency in Information

Unclear pricing (e.g., per person vs. total) and obscure hand luggage policies lead to frustration.
Hidden information (e.g., flight stops, airport changes) and unexpected pop-ups create uncertainty.
Missing or unclear flight details, particularly stop duration/city, cause uncertainty before confirmation and require extra clicks.
Unnecessary display of aircraft type/model clutters the interface.
Inaccurate age classifications (e.g., 12-year-olds as adults) for passenger types cause confusion.

Poor Usability & Accessibility

Low contrast on critical text (like calendar days) and Call-to-Action (CTA) buttons, combined with small icons, make websites difficult to read and interact with.
Non-responsive design hinders the experience on various devices.
Users face difficulty closing pop-ups (e.g., Flight Details, iBot), contributing to a clumsy experience.
Confusing departure date displays and illegible fonts in calendars impede usability.
One airline was perceived as "plain" or "basic" due to lack of engaging visual design and color.

Information Overload & Intrusive Elements

Homepages often present too much information at once, with overwhelming banners, tabs, and marketing pop-ups.
Dense fare options and persistent pop-ups (e.g., location confirmation, cookie consent, subscribe options) distract from the core task.
The display of unavailable premium fares causes unnecessary frustration.

Performance & Efficiency Issues

Slow calendar loading speeds on some websites.
Limited or non-comprehensive filtering options, especially at early stages, which reduces user efficiency. (Moved from "Unused & Undiscovered Features" for better thematic alignment, as the primary frustration here is inefficiency.)
Absence of crucial features like multi-city search or direct comparison charts hinders efficient planning. (Moved from "Unused & Undiscovered Features" for better thematic alignment, as the primary frustration here is inefficiency/lack of flexibility.)

Ineffective Help & Trust Concerns

Inconsistent effectiveness and accessibility of help resources (chat, FAQs).
Limited chat functionality, often requiring personal details to initiate, and FAQs are frequently small and relegated to the footer, making them hard to find.
"More info" icons are sometimes non-functional, leading to dead ends.
Detailed information (e.g., passenger specifics, fare inclusions) is missing or disrupts user flow.
Distrust of third-party sites due to past negative experiences.
Uncertainty about chat support (human vs. bot), with a strong preference for human interaction.

Unused & Undiscovered Features

Several potentially useful features (e.g., "Not sure where to go?", promo code fields, "Flexible Days" in the calendar, price lock, stopover options, multi-city search, direct comparison charts) are either difficult to find, poorly explained, overlooked, misunderstood, or simply not used.
Limited or non-comprehensive filtering options, especially at early stages, reduce user efficiency.
Passenger selection includes irrelevant details at this stage (fares, promo codes, miles), adding unnecessary complexity.

Unmet Expectations & Lack of Control

Users expect clear calls to action for confirmation and proactive alerts about crucial details like single daily flights, different airports, and stops.
Aggressive marketing tactics (e.g., urgency messages, pre-selected higher fares) feel manipulative and erode trust.
Users cannot modify last edits before adding passenger details on all pages, limiting their control.

Design Recommendations

Intuitive Navigation & Consistent

User Interface

Implement clear and consistent labeling for all buttons, navigation elements, and actions, making it easy for users to find "Book a Flight" and "Confirm" flows.
Design an intuitive and consistent calendar functionality for date selection and modification, ensuring easy discovery, clear indication of selected dates, and logical navigation across months.
Optimize airport and destination selection with organized, searchable lists, auto-recognition, and real-time search results as users type.
Standardize passenger selection methods for a predictable experience across all pages.
Ensure the back button reliably retains user progress and previous selections to prevent users from having to restart the process.
Organize city/airport dropdowns logically (e.g., alphabetical, by region, by country).
Ensure "X" buttons consistently close pop-ups and other overlays.
Maintain consistent branding and design elements (e.g., color usage, search bar appearance) across the entire website.

Enhanced Clarity & Transparency in Information

Provide clear, unambiguous, and upfront information regarding pricing (per person vs. total, all-inclusive pricing), fare inclusions (especially baggage), and any exclusions for non-refundable fares.
Prominently display all essential flight details (stops, stop duration, baggage info) without requiring extra clicks.
Simplify fare option presentation with clear value propositions and easy comparison of benefits.
Proactively alert users to important flight specifics (e.g., single daily flights, different airports, and stops) and clearly distinguish between one-way and round-trip options.
Offer a concise flight summary before proceeding to add passenger details

Improved Visual Design & Accessibility

Prioritize high contrast for key information (like calendar days), Call-to-Action (CTA) buttons and flight details.
Ensure all icons are appropriately sized and easily identifiable, using familiar iconography.
Develop a responsive design that functions seamlessly across various devices.
Optimize calendar design with clear departure date displays and legible fonts.
Develop a visually appealing interface with adequate color, clear buttons, and well-marked selections.

Robust Functionality & Error Prevention/Recovery

Ensure all interactive elements and features (e.g., flight sharing, chat bots) are fully functional and helpful.
Implement smart input fields that recognize misspelled cities and automatically remove default city selections when a user starts typing.
Provide immediate, clear, and explicit error messages for unavailable routes or invalid inputs, guiding users on how to resolve them rather than forcing restarts.
Allow users to easily modify all search parameters (cities, dates, passengers) at any stage before final confirmation.

Performance & Efficiency Optimization

Optimize calendar loading speed to reduce user waiting time.
Implement features that enhance efficiency such as effective filtering, multi-city search capabilities, and direct flight comparison charts.

Optimized Information Architecture & Minimalist Design

Reduce visual clutter on homepages and other key pages by streamlining content and avoiding overwhelming banners and tabs.
Present information concisely, prioritizing essential details and using progressive disclosure for additional information (e.g., detailed fare breakdowns).
Design non-intrusive ways to handle cookie consent and subscription options, avoiding persistent or excessive pop-ups, like subscribe or change fare option.
Streamline passenger selection by focusing only on relevant details and eliminating irrelevant information (fares, promo codes, miles) at this stage.
Avoid displaying unavailable premium fares to prevent unnecessary frustration.
Integrate marketing subtly rather than through intrusive pop-ups or overwhelming banners.

Building Trust & Empowering User Control

Avoid manipulative marketing tactics such as urgency messages or pre-selected higher fares; instead, focus on providing value and transparent choices.
Empower users with clear choices and upfront information to foster a sense of control over their booking process.
Clearly indicate the nature of chat support (human or bot) and provide options for human interaction when needed.
Build trust through clear, consistent information and reliable functionality, particularly by avoiding issues common to distrusted third-party sites.
Ensure accurate and understandable passenger type descriptions, especially regarding age classifications.

Promoting Feature Discoverability & Utility

Integrate and highlight beneficial features (e.g., promo codes, price lock, flexible dates, stopovers, "Not sure where to go?", multi-city search, direct comparison charts) in intuitive and easily discoverable ways.
Provide clear explanations or contextual help for less common features to encourage their use.
Prioritize and develop robust, comprehensive filtering options that are clearly visible, intuitive to use, and consistently update results, even at early stages of the search.

Working in Progress...

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