Travel App Development Cost, Features & Monetization

Following the lockdown, the demand for travel app development has surged. If you’re here, you’ve likely sensed the market’s renewed vigor. Let’s navigate this bustling landscape together.

So are you all set to be a part of this thriving industry?

If yes, and looking to build a travel app that can help you meet the changing needs of the customers and enable you to stand strong in the competitive market, then you are at the right place. 

Before unlocking the facts about how you can develop a travel app, how much it will cost to build an app, and what feature will help you create an innovative travel app, it is worth knowing why the demand for travel app development keeps surging ….

There are two broad reasons behind its market expansion:

• Firstly, the top choice of technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are making strides and boldly paving their way into the travel industry. These technologies are not just throwing all-new ways of exploring the work but also offering brilliant business opportunities.
• Secondly, after a long span of lockdown, people are in urgent need of change, which is ultimately allowing the online travel booking industry to bounce back to its actual form after almost two years. 

Now that the travel rules have resumed to normal guidelines, therefore, the industry is back in its active mode and expected to make $927.30 billion in 2024 and may hit $1,063 billion by 2028. 

Do you have a brilliant app idea, but don’t know how to build a travel app technically? Hidden Brains offers you top-class travel and hospitality app development services with a free consultation, budget, and time calculation. 

Nearly half of the smartphone users in America depend upon travel apps to manage their travel plans. Though contemporary travel apps offer seamless ways to make bookings and compare prices, therefore the increasing demand for travel apps is quite reasonable.

So if you are also operating a venture in the travel industry, then make sure that you have a dedicated travel app. So let’s get started with the blog guide…

How Mobile Apps Are Transforming The Travel Industry and Business Success?

There is no doubt in this fact that travel app development has taken a central stage over the years and making things feasible for travelers. Whether it’s about booking flight tickets, hotels, and accommodation, checking travel highlights, and more, people don’t think twice before jumping on the travel apps. 

According to reports, more and more travelers are turning to travel apps for accessing everything from planning tours to on-go navigation. This is why the global mobile travel booking market is expected to hit $612 billion by 2031. If you’re still doubting whether hiring a mobile app developer is the right decision for travel app development, then you need to know these stats and facts…

Travel App Market Stats, Facts & Forecast

Source: goodworklabs

• There was $114.30 million of revenue generated from in-app purchases in the travel market. 
• The number of downloads in the travel market has already reached 2.31 billion and keeps expanding. 

These figures are inspiring and encouraging online booking travel agencies to think about travel app development. But the next question is what type of app you should develop and how to develop it.

Choosing Between Dedicated Travel Apps Vs. Multi-Travel App Vs. Segment Apps

As the market is rising and the competition is getting deeper, companies are now preferring to build an app that goes beyond the basic functionalities. Each provider introduces a unique set of functionalities to cater to the different segments of travelers and establish their foothold in a certain segment. So how would you decide what type of apps you need to develop?

Before you hire a software development company in USA, let’s take a moment and compare the options.

No matter what type of travel app you are planning to build, its success is majorly dependent upon the process you follow to build the app. 

Let’s explore what steps you need to take for travel app development…

How to Build a Travel App With Easy Steps?

Travel app development is not rocket science if you know how to get started and what exactly you need to consider. Here are the 6 steps to develop a travel app:

1. Market Research and Idea Generation:

Before you kickstart your project, make sure you know to whom you have to target your app. Secondly, what business goals are you trying to achieve through this app? To make your research work easier, you can review the existing travel apps and understand their features, strengths, and weaknesses. All in all, think of unique features or services your app could offer to outshine the market.

2. Define Features and Functionality

Prioritize the list of features depending on the app category you choose to develop. The prime choice of features such as flight booking, hotel reservation, itinerary planning, etc. Consider prioritizing the features based on user needs and market trends. In case, you are considering the advanced travel app version and have a good budget, then you can include features like AR-based navigation, local experiences recommendations, or social sharing.

3. Create a Wireframe and Design

Keep the travel app interface simple for easy navigation. Use wireframes to visualize layout and flow. Design a user-friendly interface reflecting brand identity. Ensure it appeals to target users for seamless bookings.

4. Choose the Right Technology Stack

Select the appropriate technology stack based on your project requirements, such as programming languages, frameworks, and databases. If you are planning to hire an Android app developer in USA, then consider Kotlin, Java, or in the case of iOS – consider Swift or Objective-C. But here you can save up to 40% cost on travel app development by choosing leading cross-platform frameworks like React Native, Flutter, Xamarin, and more.

5. Development Team Requirement

Choose developers with industry experience and a proven track record. Hidden Brains specializes in Travel app development. Maintain clear communication and consider agile methodology for flexibility in meeting travel app needs.

6. Deployment and Launch

Once your app is developed, entrust our tech team to handle the submission process to the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or deploy it on the web. With meticulous attention, we’ll optimize your app according to the guidelines of store listings, ensuring compelling descriptions, captivating screenshots, and strategic keyword placement. Rest assured, your app will be poised for maximum visibility and success upon launch.

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What Features You Need To Consider While Developing a Travel App?

While there are several travel apps available in the market, how would you make your travel app stand apart in the competitive market? This is where every provider offers a unique set of features. Customers like to access apps that offer extensive and advanced functionalities. But at the same time, each feature would add up to your budget.

So here we are prioritizing the essential features that you can consider if you are looking to develop the MVP of a travel app.

User Authentication: Allow users to create accounts, log in securely, and manage their profiles for personalized experiences and booking history. In the basic version, it allows them to log in with their Email or mobile number, but in the advanced version, they can log in with the same credentials used for other social media profiles like Facebook.

Search & Booking: To make it easier, facilitate the users with the seamless searching and booking of flight features. Also let them filter hotels, and activities within the app to simplify the travel planning.

Maps & Navigation: To explore destinations, find directions, and discover nearby attractions, let your users access in-app maps and navigation. This will add up to their travel convenience. 

Itinerary Management: Let your travelers customize their travel plans as per their comfort and choice. So here you can offer the feature to create, edit, and organize their trip itineraries.

Reviews & Ratings: Allow users to read and leave reviews and ratings for accommodations, restaurants, and experiences in the app. This will help other users on your app in decision-making based on the shared feedback.

Payment Integration: Consider including a payment integration feature in your app. It allows users to conveniently pay via multiple payment methods. This will simplify the booking experience for flights, hotels, and activities.

Notifications: Send on-time alerts to users for booking confirmations, flight updates, and exclusive deals, enhancing engagement and providing valuable updates.

Offline Access: Offer offline access to essential features and information, such as saved itineraries and maps, ensuring usability even in areas with limited connectivity.

Language & Currency Support: If you’re targeting multiple locations, make sure your app supports multiple languages and currencies. This will add to the easy accessibility and convenience during travel planning.

Social Sharing: Integrate social sharing functionality to allow users to share their travel experiences, photos, and recommendations with friends and family, fostering community engagement.

So these are the features that you need to integrate when developing the MVP of a travel app. But what if you are competing with the top brands? In that case, you can consider approaching the top travel app development trends to get an edge.

Read More: Best Travel Apps and Business Solutions in 2024

Top Travel App Development Trends To Unlock New Business Opportunities

Several countries will react and respond to the pandemic differently. However, one thing is certainly using technology solutions to ensure public safety during travel will help the travel and hospitality industry survive during tough times.

Let’s check out the top trends in the travel app development industry that you can refer to:

Rise of Touchless travel

Right from the airport to check-in, one of the most evident changes will be a shift to touchless travel. Considering the risks involved during traveling check-in, security, and boarding there is a significant risk for travelers and employees of travel/airline companies.

Rise in automation across the entire sector will become the new reality as biometrics such as fingerprint or hand scanners will be phased out. Moreover, technology for touchless data entry such as IoT-based mobile applications, and voice commands will be implemented to eliminate potential risks. Automation across the entire sector will become the new norm.

Digital Identity Wallets

In the scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic, using digital identity wallets a traveler would be able to access, obtain, and store confidential health credentials such as health status in digital identity wallets. This information can be combined with trusted identity data from public or private entities.

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Rise of Digitalisation

Many organizations are implementing technology solutions for frictionless experience. These steps will help businesses to meet the changed consumer behavior and regain trust. They also allow organizations to seamlessly connect several data points to assess risk profiles, allowing them to effectively manage risks in real-time. Integrated digital identity solutions are key to realizing touchless travel.

Travelers can manage their profiles, collect digital ‘verification’ of data collected, and decide which information to share.

Extensive Use of Analytics for Real-time Information

Analytics can help travel companies gain actionable insights regarding bookings & cancellations in real-time based on geography. This data will act as a goldmine of information in combination with the airline’s experience and data analytics for geo-specific solutions as well as forecasting demand for different categories such as business, leisure, and family.

Read More: 60+ Top Mobile App Development Ideas in 2024

What Is The Average Cost of Travel App Development?

Estimating the average cost to build a travel app is quite challenging especially when you have no idea about what exactly you’re going to build and what features you need to include in.

Travel app development cost completely depends on the complexity of the app, the number of features, functionalities, technology, and platform, and more factors. Even the top software development companies in USA & UK can provide you with exact answers to this question without understanding your business requirements

Building mobile apps for travel agencies requires substantial investment; however positive outcomes of this investment make app development a reasonable choice.

But still, if you are looking for the average idea of developing a travel app, then here we have categorized the cost depending upon the complexities:

• Simple Travel App Development: Ranging between $20,000* to $50,000* with basic functionalities
• Mid-Level Travel App Development: Ranging between $30,000* – $60,000* with all modern features.
• Advanced Travel App Development: Can start from $50,000* and can go anywhere up to $100K depending on the advanced technologies like AR, and VR capabilities. 

Are you confused about what level of travel app you should develop initially? Hidden Brains offers you expert IT consulting services with 30-minute free consultations and lets to discuss the details with technical experts. 

How To Monetize Your Travel App With Best Strategies?

Developing a travel app is an expensive investment even if you choose to develop MVP. But the central question is how you can generate profit from your app. What are the best monetization strategies you need to adopt in your travel app to make a good profit?

Here we have listed two major ways of monetization:

1. In-App Purchase: To make money from your app, let users book tickets for extra activities apart from flight tickets.

2. Subscription Plan: Let users access your app for free with limited access and ask them to opt for a subscription plan to get premium services like special discount offers on every booking, and more. Make sure you charge competitive prices for the subscription plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here is our FAQs section to help you explore more about travel app development and enable you to get the answers to your questions related to travel applications.