Coronavirus: EDreams ODIGEO launches flight price index to highlight best deals

European OTA says it wants to offer transparency to customers

European OTA giant eDreams ODIGEO is to help consumes determine the optimal time to find the best flight deal in a post-COVID-19 market with a new price index.

The Opodo parent has introduced the service, which it says is powered by artificial intelligence, today to bring transparency to bookers.

The feature means consumers will be able to identify and track the most affordable time to book flights as well as the most cost-effective destination to visit.

Users will be able to use a dashboard that aggregates over 14 billion datapoints from 660 airlines to compare current flight prices with average prices one year ago.

The dashboard enables consumers to identify the most affordable times of the year to book domestic, continental and intercontinental flights ahead of time.

Price comparisons can be made between bookings made one month, three months and six months before departure.

The new service also signposts flexible bookings and provides an interactive map for travellers, offering a visual search the most discounted options. In coming weeks price prediction functionalities will be added to the platform.

ODIGEO said as travel restrictions start to lift globally, it expects demand to return.

The new functionality allows eDreams ODIGEO customers to save money, both when deciding the best moment to book as well as when identifying the most affordable destination to visit,” the firm said.

Current data suggests travellers planning a trip within Europe in the next three months can now enjoy the highest price reductions at -29% in comparison to a price reduction of just -3% for those looking to book a domestic flight in the same period.

Christoph Dieterle, chief product and retail officer at eDreams ODIGEO, said: “We are confident that the challenging times that we are living in will be over sooner than later.

“Once movement restrictions are lifted, people will be taking trips to discover the world and reconnect with their loved ones again, and there needs to be choice and flexible travel options available to them when that moment comes.

“As one of the largest flight retailers in the world, we are proud to continuously leverage our tech capabilities to offer transparency and excellence to the millions of travellers who regularly book with us.

“With this new tracker service, savvy consumers can feel confident in their travel decisions; our new dashboards empower our customers to plan further ahead and save money when embarking on their much-awaited post-lockdown travels”