Checkout Multipliers: Keep Travel Bookings On-App and Grow Take Rate
Most apps send users to a partner site the moment things get interesting—right at checkout. That click-out is where revenue leaks, attribution breaks, and intent fizzles. The fix is simple: keep travel bookings on-app and layer the right “checkout multipliers” so your take rate climbs with every reservation.
Here’s a practical playbook.
1) Eliminate the click-out
Problem: Deep links to public OTAs feel like hand-offs, not a product.
Move: Stand up a white-label travel portal from Custom Travel Solutions (CTS) behind your own brand—embedded webview or native module. Users search, select, and pay without leaving your app. CTS supplies the inventory (hotels, resort weeks, flights, cruises, tours), payments, and 24/7 concierge under your name. You keep the journey and the revenue share.
2) Make payment feel native
Wallet first. Surface Apple Pay / Google Pay and your in-app wallet before card entry.
Saved profiles. Store traveller details for one-tap forms.
Transparent totals. Show taxes/fees up front; last-screen surprises kill conversion.
SSO, not sign-ups. Use existing app identity; no new passwords at purchase.
3) Add multipliers that raise AOV and retention
Smart bundles. After hotel selection, pre-check relevant add-ons (airport transfer, late checkout, lounge pass).
Earn/burn in one place. Let users redeem points or earn boosted credit at checkout; it locks them to your ecosystem.
“Book now, decide later.” Free cancellation windows or rebook credits reduce hesitation.
Post-purchase journeys. Auto-offer a return stay, car hire, or local tours 24–48 hours after confirmation.
4) Nudge at the right moments
Price-drop prompts. Notify when a saved property dips below a threshold; open straight into checkout.
Scarcity with integrity. Limited resort-week inventory and honest timers push decisions without feeling spammy.
Contextual cues. Payday Friday, school breaks, long weekends—tie notifications to real user moments.
5) Ship fast, prove it, then scale
With CTS you can launch on a branded subdomain or in-app module in weeks, not quarters. Start with hotels and resort weeks, measure conversion, then layer flights, cruises, and premium concierge.
Metrics to watch:
Checkout start → success rate (target +15–25% after removing click-outs)
Take rate per booking (AOV × margin × attachment rate)
Repeat bookings inside 90 days
Share of travel revenue earned on-app vs. external partners
Why this works
Keeping travel on-app preserves trust, reduces friction, and gives you surface area for upsell—exactly where take rate lives. CTS handles inventory, PCI-compliant payments, and service; your team focuses on brand, UX, and growth.