Going's $100K/Month Flight Deal Engine: Deconstructing Their User Journey & Conversion Tactics

Seamless Onboarding: From Download to Deal Hunter

First impressions count, and Going understands this well. The journey starts with standard, yet essential, permission requests like tracking (framed to emphasize delivering relevant content). Critically, it quickly prompts users to sign in or sign up, offering frictionless options like Google and Apple sign-in alongside traditional email. This minimizes hurdles right at the gate.

The onboarding genius truly shines when Going immediately asks for the user's home airport. 📍 This isn't just data collection; it's instant personalization. The app immediately leverages this information to showcase relevant deals from that specific airport, demonstrating value within seconds of signup. Users instantly see why they downloaded the app, reinforcing their decision and pulling them deeper into the experience.

The Soft Paywall Playbook: Nudging Towards Premium

Before users get completely lost in browsing deals, Going introduces its monetization strategy: a tiered subscription model presented as a soft paywall. After showing a glimpse of the deals available from the user's home airport, the app presents its Premium ($49/year) and Elite ($199/year) options.

Notice the subtlety:

• Timing: It appears after initial value demonstration but early enough to set expectations.
• Tiering: Clear feature differentiation between Premium (economy deals, core features) and Elite (adds premium cabin deals, etc.). A "Best for you" tag often nudges towards the entry-level premium tier.
• Soft Approach: Crucially, there's a "Skip for now" option. This soft paywall converts interested users without completely blocking access for those not ready to commit, maximizing the potential user base while still prompting upgrades.
• Free Trial: For higher tiers like Elite, a compelling free trial (e.g., 2 weeks) is offered, utilizing the standard, trusted App Store purchase flow to reduce friction for trial starts.

This calculated approach filters users effectively, converting high-intent users early while allowing others to experience the core product and potentially upgrade later.

Core Experience: Making Deal Discovery Effortless

Going excels at making the hunt for flight deals feel less like work and more like exploration. The core experience offers two primary ways to discover deals:

🗺️ Map View: A visually engaging way to browse destinations globally, with price tags popping up, inviting serendipitous discovery. 📋 List View: A more structured approach, displaying deals as clean, informative cards showing the destination image, price, typical date ranges, and departure airport (often marked if it matches the user's home airport).

Tapping into a deal reveals a wealth of information presented clearly: specific flight details, sample itineraries, cabin class, and importantly, context on how good the deal is compared to typical prices. Powerful sorting (e.g., price low-to-high) and filtering options (price range, specific months, number of stops) are readily available, allowing users to quickly zero in on deals that match their specific needs and budget. The UI is clean, intuitive, and focused on getting users to the best deals efficiently. ✨

Retention Hooks: Keeping Users Engaged & Alert

Acquiring users is only half the battle; retention is where sustained revenue comes from. Going employs several clever hooks:

⭐ Watchlist: Allows users to save specific destinations they're interested in, creating a personalized feed of relevant deals and a reason to return. ✈️ Points Deals: Caters to savvy travelers by highlighting deals bookable with loyalty points, tapping into a dedicated niche. 🔔 Price Alerts: Perhaps the most powerful retention tool. Users can set up specific alerts for routes (From/To), dates, and cabin class. This transforms the app from a passive browsing tool into a proactive deal-finding assistant, delivering value directly to the user's notifications and email. The setup is straightforward, encouraging adoption. 📊 Notification Settings: Granular controls over what kinds of deals (domestic/international, cabin class) and how alerts are received (email/push) give users control, reducing notification fatigue and increasing relevance. 🌟 Rating Prompt: A standard in-app rating request appears after the user has engaged with the core features, maximizing the chance of positive feedback.

These features work together to keep users invested, returning, and ultimately, subscribed.

Key Takeaways for App Builders

Going's success isn't accidental. It’s built on a foundation of understanding the user journey and optimizing key moments:

1. Personalize Early: Make the app feel relevant from the first few interactions.
2. Demonstrate Value Quickly: Show users why they need your app before asking for commitment.
3. Strategic Monetization: Implement paywalls (soft or hard) thoughtfully. Tiered subscriptions and free trials can effectively segment and convert users.
4. Nail the Core Loop: Make the primary function of your app effortless and enjoyable. Clear UI, powerful filtering, and relevant information are key.
5. Build for Retention: Integrate features like alerts, watchlists, and personalized notifications that give users ongoing reasons to return.

Dissecting flows like Going's reveals the hidden patterns behind successful apps. Understanding these conversion points, engagement loops, and monetization tactics is crucial for any founder, marketer, or designer looking to build a high-growth mobile product. The difference between a forgotten app and a $100K/month business often lies in mastering these details.