Sia's 2025 Airline Mobile Application Benchmark

In a context where digital technology is becoming a key strategic lever for improving the customer experience in the airline industry, Sia conducted a benchmark study in 2025 to evaluate the completeness and degree of innovation of airline mobile apps. This initiative aims to provide a comparative overview of best practices in the sector in terms of mobile services, while identifying opportunities for improvement to strengthen loyalty, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

The analysis covers 24 mobile apps from major airlines across four major geographic areas: 8 in Europe, 6 in Asia and Oceania, 3 in the Middle East and Africa, and 7 in North America. These airlines were selected for their representativeness in terms of market share, digital innovation, and international presence.

The benchmark evaluation is structured around 4 main themes, each representing a strategic goal airlines seek through apps:

• Digitize
• Inform
• Foster Loyalty
• Sell

It evaluates 80 criteria divided into 10 functional categories, covering the main components expected of an airline mobile app:

• Digital presence
• User navigation
• Travel companion and assistance
• Onboarding
• Loyalty
• Trip planning
• Flight search
• Search results
• Ancillaries and upselling
• Booking and payment

This analysis provides a comprehensive resource for comparing airline apps and identifying best-in-class players. The 2025 benchmark reveals significant disparities in the maturity of airline mobile apps.

If you are interested in the global ranking of airline apps, reach out to our teams. 

The category score ranking has also been a focus in this benchmark. Results show that the ‘Sell’ topic (including 5 categories) is the one with the highest average grade within the 4 topics. Within this topic, the Booking & Payment category emerges as the highest-performing category, reflecting solid functionality and user-friendly flows across the 24 apps. In contrast, Ancillaries & Upselling category ranks lowest, revealing untapped potential for enhancing revenue and customer personalization through better integration of extra services. 

These results suggest that while core booking journeys are generally well-optimized, many airlines still lag in leveraging digital channels to drive ancillary sales and offer tailored upgrade options.

The analysis was conducted from the end user's perspective, with a particular focus on functional depth, facilitation of use, and innovation. In particular, airline players going the extra mile to enhance the traveler journey with features that stand out from their competitors were rewarded. With 80 criteria analyzed across 24 apps, this analysis allows to identify most innovative features and quantify their adoption rates. 

Beyond producing a ranking, this benchmark was also designed as a comprehensive review of industry practices. By analyzing the functional depth and innovation level of 24 airline apps, we were able to map how leading players are shaping the digital traveler journey today. This perspective allows us to identify best practices across the industry — from seamless booking flows to advanced loyalty integration and AI-driven personalization.

For airlines, this benchmark is not only a comparative scorecard but also a source of inspiration for their digital roadmaps and product backlogs. By showcasing 40+ innovative use cases, the study highlights tangible opportunities to improve user experience, generate new revenue streams, and reinforce customer engagement. In a fast-changing competitive environment, the benchmark serves as both a diagnostic tool and a guide for prioritizing the next wave of digital investments.

Interested in learning how these insights can support your digital strategy? Get in touch with our experts now for a tailored presentation of our findings.