Survey: Almost half of all mobile Priceline bookings take place from a car

If you're heading out on a road trip with an avid Priceline mobile user doing the driving, you might want to think twice about your decision.

That's because in a fall survey of 200 of its mobile app and mobile website users, Priceline found that 43% booked Tonight-Only Deals hotel rooms from their cars.

The survey, which covered users of Priceline's iOS and Android apps, and mobile site, also found that another 14% tapped away from a Wi-Fi hotspot to make their hotel bookings.

"Similarly, 40% of those who booked Express Deals [upfront price disclosures but no hotel name] rooms said they were on the road when the bookings were made," Priceline states.

OK, the survey doesn't say if the in-the-car mobile bookers were driving their cars at the time, but you never know.

“This snapshot demonstrates just how last-minute mobile-equipped travelers can be when it comes to making their hotel reservation decisions,” says Priceline’s Travel Ekspert, Brian Ek. “Having the Priceline.com app on their mobile devices gives them the freedom to focus their pre-trip time on what they’re going to see and do, knowing that they can book their room and get a great deal even after they’ve hit the road.”

It's now well-established from numerous companies that the prepondance of their hotel bookings through apps and mobile sites are last-minute, often on the day of stay.

In another data point from the Priceline survey, it found that mobile hotel bookers stated that free Internet (47%) was the most important perk leading to their bookings.

Other perks, and their decision-making importance, were:

• Free breakfast (39%)
• Free parking (39%)
• Swimming pool (26%)
• Fitness center (17%)
• Restaurant (14%)
• Business center (13%), and
• Pet-friendly (7%)