Free Skift Report: Airlines and Direct-Channel Booking: Cutting Out the Middleman

As airlines seek to reclaim profits and acquire new customers, they must face complex relationships with OTAs and metasearch engines. In this position paper, we consider how performance marketing, search-engine optimization, and renewed attention to content can drive direct-channel conversions — sparing airlines steep third-party commissions and fees while growing loyalty and market share among new and existing segments of their consumer base.