Gamification has emerged as a powerful tool for enhancing customer experiences in various industries, and the airline industry is no exception.

With fierce competition and the growing demand for personalized and engaging interactions, airlines are seeking innovative ways to captivate and retain customers. One such way is integrating gamification in aviation.

Gamification in aviation involves incorporating game elements and mechanics into non-gaming contexts to motivate and engage travelers. By infusing the customer journey with elements like challenges, rewards and interactive experiences, airlines can create a more enjoyable and memorable travel experience. 

This article looks at how gamification can be used in various aspects of the airline industry, including customer onboarding and loyalty programs.

Implementing Gamification in Aviation

Airline companies can introduce gamification to their customer experience in several ways, including:

Ticket Booking

One of the most common ways of gamification in aviation is offering loyalty points for completing certain tasks, such as purchasing or flying a particular route. The loyalty points can then be exchanged for discounts or rewards, such as free flights or upgrades. This encourages customers to make more frequent purchases, boosting airline sales. On the customer's side, they enjoy perks that enhance the customer experience. Many airlines already have gamification embedded in their loyalty programs, a great way to reward and incentivize customers.

Check-in and Security

Airport procedures are tedious, especially check-in and security ones. Airlines can implement gamification to speed up the process and make it more enjoyable for customers. For example, airlines can add a leaderboard or scoreboard to the check-in process, which rewards customers for being the fastest and most efficient with their check-in. Customers can also receive rewards for completing security quickly and correctly. This will help to both speed up the process, as well as make it more enjoyable for customers.

Flight and Onboard Experience

Gamification can also make the flight and onboard experience more enjoyable for customers. Airlines can add rewards and recognition systems for passengers who are the most efficient with their time while in flight, such as those who take off their seatbelts and stow away items the quickest during takeoff or landing. Airlines can also reward passengers who are more involved with the in-flight entertainment system. Additionally, airlines can add achievements and rewards for passengers who provide feedback about their flight experience. By doing this, airlines can incentivize customers to be more involved and engaged, thus providing a more enjoyable overall journey.

Wrapping Up

The use of gamification in aviation is a great way for airlines to improve customer experience and loyalty. By offering rewards and achievements, customers are more likely to engage with the airline’s services and enjoy their travel experience. This strategy also benefits the airline as it can reduce customer complaints, increase overall customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Airlines should consider implementing a gamified customer experience to help foster a more interactive and enjoyable journey for their passengers.