Datalex and Censuswide have released a new report, analysing how retail is evolving across the aviation industry.
Polling covered 150 global airline leaders, including 45 airline CEOs. 47% of respondents said they wanted to be live with full Offer-Order capabilities and limited reliance on legacy systems within 12 months. This aim is ‘highly optimistic’, the report notes, although applauds the industry’s ambition.
Greater distribution efficiency, improved customer experience, and better data and analytics were highlighted as the main benefits of retail transformation. Respondents said skills gaps represented the greatest barriers to achieving it, mentioned by 27% of those surveyed.
The research emphasised the importance of payments, no longer an afterthought but a key component of modern airline retail. 41% of respondents said payments were an important differentiator in certain markets or channels, with 31% citing ‘higher conversion through local and alternative payment methods’ as the biggest opportunity in the sector. At the same time, only 22% said they offered such payment methods.
As for AI retail, dynamic bundling was the focus application for most respondents (40%). Low-cost carriers (LCCs) are especially keen to advance here: 45% said dynamic bundling was where they would get the most value from AI, compared to only 38% of legacy carriers.
32% of respondents said they had already established dedicated Offer-Order teams. On the organisational front, 30% reported greater interdepartmental collaboration to achieve retail success. The report concludes:
Looking ahead, airlines that begin the transition will be better positioned to innovate faster, deliver more personalised experiences, and operate with greater agility. However, achieving these outcomes will require carefully managed transformation strategies, strong cross-functional alignment, and the right technology partnerships.
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