Founded over 40 years ago, Fareportal began as a traditional travel agency before evolving into the technology company that powers CheapOair, its flagship hybrid travel brand. Headquartered in New York City with 2,000+ global employees, CheapOair combines online booking capabilities with 24/7 personalized travel agent support.
Today, the company partners with 500+ airlines, 1M+ hotels, and hundreds of car agencies worldwide, specializing in complex international airfare distribution and pioneering ancillary service integration for major carriers including American Airlines, Air Canada, and Spirit Airlines.
Travel planning often begins months before actual booking, creating a significant challenge for online travel agencies. Research shows that 82% of Americans actively plan trips in advance, with two-thirds starting their saving journey at least four months before travel. During this extended planning period, travelers frequently shop around and may ultimately book with a different provider than where they started their search, representing substantial revenue leakage for travel agencies.
Additionally, traditional travel savings methods remain inefficient and disconnected from the booking experience. 40% of travelers keep funds in regular checking accounts, while 37% save cash separately, creating a fragmented journey between saving and booking that makes it harder for travel agencies to maintain engagement with potential customers.
CheapOair partnered with Accrue to introduce their branded digital wallet - the “ClubMiles Trip Fund” - that allows travelers to seamlessly save up for future trips directly on CheapOair's platform. This integration addresses two critical business needs:
Secured Customer Bookings, Faster
Improved Marketing Conversion
Higher AOV
20% higher average order value for bookings made through the program
By offering a more directed and engaged customer journey with Accrue, the strategies for customer engagement are evolving for the modern era.
As Carolyn Gong, Senior Marketing Manager at Fareportal, puts it: “With Accrue, CoA is capturing a new type of customer (a saver), and we are now able to tap into a new segment of customers returning from trips, which 2x CoA bookings in the process.”
In today’s landscape where travel remains a priority amidst spending cutbacks and inflation, the Accrue and CheapOair partnership emerges as a proof point of how financial responsibility can lead to wins for both travelers and businesses.
Andrew Stein, VP of Partnerships at Fareportal, explains: “Our partnership with Accrue revolutionizes the way Americans save for travel, making it a more inclusive and enjoyable experience. Now, our travelers have an opportunity to save up to embark on their dream adventures without compromising their budget.”
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