[Case 03]
Air Travel
GLIDE: Designing a Calm, Predictable Travel Experience
Project Overview
Air travel is stressful, fragmented, and reactive. Travelers juggle 3–5 separate apps for flights, airports, navigation, and anxiety management, often learning critical information too late. GLIDE is an all-in-one travel companion that guides users through every phase of their journey with real-time foresight, navigation, and reassurance.
My focus: end-to-end journey design, in-flight anxiety support, and integrating real-time guidance into a single coherent experience.
Problem Statement
Travelers constantly react instead of anticipating.
From home to arrival, users face a stream of time-sensitive questions:
What time should I leave?
Are TSA lines long right now?
Where is my gate?
Is turbulence dangerous?
These questions create anxiety, missed connections, and poor handoffs between apps.
How might we help travelers anticipate what is coming next, not just react when something goes wrong?
[Industry]
Air Travel
[My Role]
Product Strategist & UX Designer
[Platforms]
mobile
[Timeline]
4 weeks
4 weeks
Persona
Alex Chen
Graduate Student
Alex is an international graduate student who travels between the U.S. and Europe to visit family and attend conferences. He is comfortable with technology but feels anxious about complex airport logistics, immigration steps, and in-flight turbulence. He relies on multiple apps but still feels unprepared when something changes.
26
Detroit, MI
3–4 trips per year
Male
Goals
Goals
Arrive at the airport at the right time without guessing
Navigate unfamiliar airports confidently
Understand what is happening during delays or turbulence
Fustrations
Fustrations
Juggling 3–5 separate travel apps
Unclear timing around TSA, boarding, and immigration
Fear during turbulence with no reliable explanation
Process
[01 Research]
Quantitative • Surveyed 28 Gen Z and Millennial frequent travelers • 67.6% rated travel stress as moderate to high • 84.6% rated integrated real-time updates as highly useful • Only 23% were initially willing to pay, signaling a strong free-first expectation
Qualitative • Conducted 6 usability tests on early prototypes • 6 out of 6 testers reported feeling more prepared after using GLIDE • Turbulence guidance and step-by-step airport flow were consistently called out as most valuable
Key insight: Anxiety peaks during transitions (home → airport, gate → boarding, turbulence), not during steady states.
[01 Research]
Quantitative • Surveyed 28 Gen Z and Millennial frequent travelers • 67.6% rated travel stress as moderate to high • 84.6% rated integrated real-time updates as highly useful • Only 23% were initially willing to pay, signaling a strong free-first expectation
Qualitative • Conducted 6 usability tests on early prototypes • 6 out of 6 testers reported feeling more prepared after using GLIDE • Turbulence guidance and step-by-step airport flow were consistently called out as most valuable
Key insight: Anxiety peaks during transitions (home → airport, gate → boarding, turbulence), not during steady states.
[01 Research]
Quantitative • Surveyed 28 Gen Z and Millennial frequent travelers • 67.6% rated travel stress as moderate to high • 84.6% rated integrated real-time updates as highly useful • Only 23% were initially willing to pay, signaling a strong free-first expectation
Qualitative • Conducted 6 usability tests on early prototypes • 6 out of 6 testers reported feeling more prepared after using GLIDE • Turbulence guidance and step-by-step airport flow were consistently called out as most valuable
Key insight: Anxiety peaks during transitions (home → airport, gate → boarding, turbulence), not during steady states.
[02] Design Principles
Anticipate, do not react
Reduce cognitive load at every handoff
Make invisible systems visible (timing, wait times, conditions) and design for emotional reassurance, not just logistics
[02] Design Principles
Anticipate, do not react
Reduce cognitive load at every handoff
Make invisible systems visible (timing, wait times, conditions) and design for emotional reassurance, not just logistics
[02] Design Principles
Anticipate, do not react
Reduce cognitive load at every handoff
Make invisible systems visible (timing, wait times, conditions) and design for emotional reassurance, not just logistics
[Click image to make larger and click image again to zoom out]
[Click image to make larger and click image again to zoom out]
[03] Core Experience
GLIDE dynamically updates as the user moves through four phases:
• Pre-flight • Airport • In-flight • Arrival
The app always answers one primary question: “What do I need to do right now, and what is coming next?”
[03] Core Experience
GLIDE dynamically updates as the user moves through four phases:
• Pre-flight • Airport • In-flight • Arrival
The app always answers one primary question: “What do I need to do right now, and what is coming next?”
[03] Core Experience
GLIDE dynamically updates as the user moves through four phases:
• Pre-flight • Airport • In-flight • Arrival
The app always answers one primary question: “What do I need to do right now, and what is coming next?”
Got rid of confusing transaction home screen and made a dedicated home screen
Got rid of confusing transaction home screen and made a dedicated home screen
Got rid of confusing transaction home screen and made a dedicated home screen
Design Process
[Design Process]
Feature 1: Guided Journey Timeline
• Real-time leave times • TSA wait times • Gate walking time • Boarding and gate close alerts
This replaced static itineraries with a live, adaptive plan.
Feature 1: Guided Journey Timeline
• Real-time leave times • TSA wait times • Gate walking time • Boarding and gate close alerts
This replaced static itineraries with a live, adaptive plan.
Feature 1: Guided Journey Timeline
• Real-time leave times • TSA wait times • Gate walking time • Boarding and gate close alerts
This replaced static itineraries with a live, adaptive plan.
Feature 2: Turbulence Guidance
For anxious travelers, we designed an in-flight reassurance system:
• Live flight conditions, • Plain-language explanations of turbulence, • Safety education and breathing tips
This shifted fear from the unknown to the understandable.
Feature 2: Turbulence Guidance
For anxious travelers, we designed an in-flight reassurance system:
• Live flight conditions, • Plain-language explanations of turbulence, • Safety education and breathing tips
This shifted fear from the unknown to the understandable.
Feature 2: Turbulence Guidance
For anxious travelers, we designed an in-flight reassurance system:
• Live flight conditions, • Plain-language explanations of turbulence, • Safety education and breathing tips
This shifted fear from the unknown to the understandable.
Feature 3: Airport Navigation
• AR and map-based wayfinding • Search along your route • Time and distance estimates
Reduced missed gates and unnecessary rushing.
Feature 3: Airport Navigation
• AR and map-based wayfinding • Search along your route • Time and distance estimates
Reduced missed gates and unnecessary rushing.
Feature 3: Airport Navigation
• AR and map-based wayfinding • Search along your route • Time and distance estimates
Reduced missed gates and unnecessary rushing.
Feature 4: AI Assistant
Users can ask natural language questions about:
• Lost luggage • Airport services • Flight issues • Credit card benefits
This reduced the need to switch between airline, airport, and finance apps.
Feature 4: AI Assistant
Users can ask natural language questions about:
• Lost luggage • Airport services • Flight issues • Credit card benefits
This reduced the need to switch between airline, airport, and finance apps.
Feature 4: AI Assistant
Users can ask natural language questions about:
• Lost luggage • Airport services • Flight issues • Credit card benefits
This reduced the need to switch between airline, airport, and finance apps.
Feature 5: Travel Wallet
The Travel Wallet centralizes all critical travel documents and perks in one place:
• Boarding passes and QR codes • Passports and visas • Credit cards and lounge access • Vouchers, upgrades, and compensation credits
Design intent: eliminate last-minute document hunting and surface hidden value at the right moment.
Feature 5: Travel Wallet
The Travel Wallet centralizes all critical travel documents and perks in one place:
• Boarding passes and QR codes • Passports and visas • Credit cards and lounge access • Vouchers, upgrades, and compensation credits
Design intent: eliminate last-minute document hunting and surface hidden value at the right moment.
Feature 5: Travel Wallet
The Travel Wallet centralizes all critical travel documents and perks in one place:
• Boarding passes and QR codes • Passports and visas • Credit cards and lounge access • Vouchers, upgrades, and compensation credits
Design intent: eliminate last-minute document hunting and surface hidden value at the right moment.
Pivots and Iterations
Discoverability
Early designs hid critical features behind menus. After testing, we:
• Elevated the journey timeline to the home screen
• Reduced feature depth in favor of progressive disclosure
Discoverability
Early designs hid critical features behind menus. After testing, we:
• Elevated the journey timeline to the home screen
• Reduced feature depth in favor of progressive disclosure
Discoverability
Early designs hid critical features behind menus. After testing, we:
• Elevated the journey timeline to the home screen
• Reduced feature depth in favor of progressive disclosure
Business Model Pivot
Research showed low initial willingness to pay. We shifted to a freemium model supported by:
• Airline and airport partnerships
• Premium upgrades for anxiety and perks tools
Business Model Pivot
Research showed low initial willingness to pay. We shifted to a freemium model supported by:
• Airline and airport partnerships
• Premium upgrades for anxiety and perks tools
Business Model Pivot
Research showed low initial willingness to pay. We shifted to a freemium model supported by:
• Airline and airport partnerships
• Premium upgrades for anxiety and perks tools
Business & Strategy
Value created: reduced travel stress through foresight, guidance, and reassurance
Freemium model:
• Free core journey guidance • Premium: anxiety tools, perks discovery, compensation automationnerships
Target: 500K users in year one
Value created: reduced travel stress through foresight, guidance, and reassurance
Freemium model:
• Free core journey guidance • Premium: anxiety tools, perks discovery, compensation automationnerships
Target: 500K users in year one
Value created: reduced travel stress through foresight, guidance, and reassurance
Freemium model:
• Free core journey guidance • Premium: anxiety tools, perks discovery, compensation automationnerships
Target: 500K users in year one
Competitive Advantage
GLIDE consolidates 3–5 apps into one:
• Flight tracking • Airline apps • Airport maps • Meditation apps • Deal and perks tools
Unique strengths:
• Travel anxiety support • Cross-provider integration • Rights and compensation automation • Smart navigation with real-time data
GLIDE consolidates 3–5 apps into one:
• Flight tracking • Airline apps • Airport maps • Meditation apps • Deal and perks tools
Unique strengths:
• Travel anxiety support • Cross-provider integration • Rights and compensation automation • Smart navigation with real-time data
GLIDE consolidates 3–5 apps into one:
• Flight tracking • Airline apps • Airport maps • Meditation apps • Deal and perks tools
Unique strengths:
• Travel anxiety support • Cross-provider integration • Rights and compensation automation • Smart navigation with real-time data
High Fidelity Prototype
Outcomes signals of product–market fit:
Outcomes signals of product–market fit:
67.6% report moderate to high travel stress
84.6% find real-time updates highly useful
96.2% already use multiple travel apps
Reflection
Reflection
Designing for emotion is as critical as designing for function
I learned that reducing anxiety required more than improving logistics. Features like turbulence guidance and step-by-step transitions showed me that emotional reassurance can be a core product value, not an afterthought.
Designing for emotion is as critical as designing for function
I learned that reducing anxiety required more than improving logistics. Features like turbulence guidance and step-by-step transitions showed me that emotional reassurance can be a core product value, not an afterthought.
Designing for emotion is as critical as designing for function
I learned that reducing anxiety required more than improving logistics. Features like turbulence guidance and step-by-step transitions showed me that emotional reassurance can be a core product value, not an afterthought.
Foresight reduces stress more than alerts
Real-time alerts alone were not enough. The biggest impact came from helping users anticipate what was coming next, which shifted the experience from reactive to proactive.
Foresight reduces stress more than alerts
Real-time alerts alone were not enough. The biggest impact came from helping users anticipate what was coming next, which shifted the experience from reactive to proactive.
Foresight reduces stress more than alerts
Real-time alerts alone were not enough. The biggest impact came from helping users anticipate what was coming next, which shifted the experience from reactive to proactive.
Systems thinking matters more than individual screens
Building GLIDE taught me to design across data, business models, and cross-provider integrations. The hardest and most valuable work was aligning journeys, features, and strategy into one coherent system.
Systems thinking matters more than individual screens
Building GLIDE taught me to design across data, business models, and cross-provider integrations. The hardest and most valuable work was aligning journeys, features, and strategy into one coherent system.
Systems thinking matters more than individual screens
Building GLIDE taught me to design across data, business models, and cross-provider integrations. The hardest and most valuable work was aligning journeys, features, and strategy into one coherent system.