Why Hopper Asks for a 'Tip' When Booking

There are a number of innovative features that set Hopper apart from other online travel agencies. 

The fintech add-ons, like the option to cancel for any reason, is one of them — and how Hopper makes much of its money. 

And, another unique feature is one that asks the customer to pay a “tip” to Hopper as part of a booking. 

While that particular feature is not new, according to the company, it attracted some press this week for being “deceptive.” Whether or not a tip is included is indicated by the position of a toggle button on the final payment page before completing a booking. The default for that toggle is the on position, meaning a tip is included in the final price automatically. The customer has to switch the toggle to the off position in order to not pay a tip.

Plus, calling it a tip