Giving your passengers all the information about their upcoming flight, train or ferry in one place is an absolute must. Sending a decent pre-travel email is imperative so that your customers feel well prepared for their journey. A well-timed email with everything your passenger needs to know can reduce anxiety, enhance customer satisfaction and even generate additional revenue for you. It can even help to reduce queues in the point of departure!
An pre-travel email should aim to help with the following:
- Preparation and planning: help passengers by providing essential information and reminders about their upcoming trip
- Improved experience: reduce confusion and avoid last minute confusions (tell them what terminal they’re departing from and what luggage allowances they have for example!)
- Customer satisfaction: Clear communication goes a long way to creating a loyal and happy customer
- Operational efficiency: online check-in reminders and emails with trip information can reduce check-in issues and unnecessary delays.
What should a good pre-travel email include?
- Booking number, date, time
- Departure airport, terminal, station and destination information
- App download information
- Online check-in options and deadlines
- Check-in counter open / close times
- Baggage allowance (carry on and checked baggage)
- Options to add baggage ahead of check-in
- Safety information (e.g. prohibited item information)
- Information about required travel documentation, visas, vaccinations etc.
- Seat information (either select seat, change, upgrade etc.)
- Meal preferences
- Weather at destination
- Ancillary services (lounges, car hire, activities at destination etc.)
- Loyalty information
That’s a lot of information to include into one email but it can be done. Whether it’s one email or split over a couple of emails a few days ahead of travel, all of the information listed is really important.
Tips for getting this email right
Start by personalising your hero image; show an image of the destination with important travel content overlaid via a personalised image using Data Canvas. If you want to make it really pop, add some fun animation to the image. I like this example from Virgin but I think it could be even more effective if it contained name personalisation along with the destination. For example: “Jordan, your flight to Miami is confirmed.”
Next I’d include an area for the most important information – booking number, flight details, departure and destination information, date, time, passenger information, baggage information, seat selection, meal preferences. Make sure to include a link to enable the passenger to add baggage or select their seat last minute.
If online check-in is open, include a timer visually showing how long the passenger has left to check-in online before it closes. The timer prompts immediate action leading to a greater number of online check-ins and has been known to generate revenue for travel providers through booking changes, upgrades, and baggage addons.
I’d suggest including a device-targeted app download banner alongside this content too. This will encourage passengers to download the app on their device.
Make sure to showcase your loyalty program in the pre-travel email too, if they’re logging in to check-in, it’s a good time to add their membership number or to sign up – if they haven’t already. If you know they’re a loyalty member, this is a good time to display their current status.
After this I’d suggest a dynamic section containing destination specific information if required, for example displaying visa requirements or such like. If this isn’t required this section doesn’t need to feature in the email.
Next, I’d love to see some useful content about where I’m going! A multi-day weather forecast for the destination for the arrival date and onwards is really useful – and it saves the passenger googling it themselves.
Now it’s time to showcase what the destination has to offer. Most travel providers work with a large partner network so leverage what they have to offer and showcase activities, restaurants, car hire at the destination. This opens revenue opportunities and provides your passengers with inspiration and ideas for their trip – it’s a win, win! This content can be easily powered using Code Chemistry’s Generator element and partner API’s.
Examples of content you could include:
Miami Activities
Additional pre-travel email suggestions
If you’re sending a series of emails, a progress tracker is an awesome way to show passengers where they are in their journey ahead of checking in or travel. The tracker can update dynamically so if they open an old email, it will show their latest progress. Here’s an example from Virgin:
Another useful element to include could be a critical message pixel which gives you the control to display an urgent message if needed, otherwise the content is not visible. This is perfect for any delays, travel changes, disruption or unforeseen circumstances like adverse weather affecting flights or ferries. Control the message displayed and hide it when the event is over.
A well thought out pre-travel email can really make a difference to your passengers. Getting it right shouldn’t be difficult and it shouldn’t mean months of work. You’ve got all of the data and partner APIs so consider leveraging what you have to deliver the best experience to your customers.
