Review of Kiwi.com – Flight comparison calculator
While flight comparison sites are multiplying on the web, it’s sometimes difficult for the simple user to make a choice and select the one that will best fit their specific needs. Today, the editors of Generation Voyage have decided to introduce you to Kiwi: created in 2012 in the Czech Republic, it is one of the pioneering platforms and has succeeded in becoming one of the leaders in this highly competitive market.
To help you understand how this specific flight comparison tool works, why it’s a must-have when you’re looking for a trip, and to list its advantages and disadvantages, we invite you to take a look at our full Kiwi flight comparison test.
What is Kiwi.com?
Photo credit: Unsplash – Ross Parmly
Kiwi is one of the most popular flight comparators among travelers: it has established itself as an undisputed benchmark not only because it offers the usual features and options offered by all flight comparators, but also because it has considerably improved them by optimizing the algorithm usually used by the latter. What’s more, since June 2017, Kiwi has been able to draw on the world’s largest database of local flights: today, the company with 8,000 daily bookings generates nearly $925 million in sales and employs over 1,900 staff.
It is therefore able to compare thousands of flights, adapting to your price, time and geographical requirements down to the last millimeter, and propose the offers most likely to satisfy them. You can carry out a sorted search, of course, but you can also compare the various services on offer very precisely, and refine your selection by choosing a customized flight ticket: with or without stopovers, from the airport of your choice, at the time that suits you… The search interface is extremely user-friendly, and features advanced innovative options, such as the integration of ground transportation: yes, Kiwi now lets you book trains and buses! This option is still rare among traditional flight comparison services, and reinforces Kiwi’s position as an innovative leader. And because Kiwi is located in Europe, the service is safe and guaranteed by the European regulations governing the sector: novice and experienced travellers alike can be sure of taking their flight with complete peace of mind.
Once you’ve made your selection, the trip of your dreams is yours: Kiwi automatically redirects you to the airline’s website to purchase your ticket. Once your payment has been validated, you’re ready to go on vacation: just get to the airport at your scheduled boarding time, and that’s all there is to it. Oh, and one small detail: did you know that you no longer need to print out your plane ticket? All you need to do to board your flight is bring your identity papers to the airline counter, and you’ll be given a boarding pass containing all the information you need for your trip. A practical way to avoid losing your ticket!
Kiwi.com’s added value: a trip for every budget
While Kiwi’s algorithm is more than complete, its main advantage is that it enables everyone to take off, whatever their budget. Thanks to an interactive map, Kiwi.com establishes a budget for each destination, all over the world: a way of anticipating your departure and, above all, the trip that suits you best!
How does it work?
Because it’s not an online travel agency, Kiwi allows you to obtain preferential fares: there are no extra costs associated with using the platform – quite the contrary! In fact, it’s nothing more than a flight selection tool, allowing you to save precious time and book your ticket directly on the website of the airline that has found favor in your eyes.
Kiwi boasts partnerships with 99% of the world’s airlines: this omnipresence at your service means you can find the best deal available, in milliseconds. To achieve this, the site created by Czechs Oliver Dlouhý and Jozef Képesi – who were looking to book low-cost flights for their vacations – was able to benefit from the acquisition of WhichAirline, a flight search engine that increases the number of simultaneous users, and from massive investments valuing the company at over 9 million dollars.
The power of today’s society means that anyone can travel without a care in the world!
Advantages and disadvantages of Kiwi.com
Benefits
- Clear, intuitive interface with numerous search options
- Free to use
- Sponsorship offers
- No intermediaries
- Wide choice of flights to all destinations
- 24-hour customer support & Kiwi warranty
- Offline mode for data access without a network
Disadvantages
- Depending on the airline, prices may increase: fuel surcharges, baggage surcharges, etc.
- Kiwi can use several different companies for the same trip.
Kiwi : Editor’s opinion
As you can see, Kiwi’s ergonomic and powerful flight comparator clearly stands out from the crowd of other sites offering this service. We were won over by its clear interface and various options, as well as by the objectivity of its system for sorting available offers, which avoids unpleasant surprises: partner airlines paying commissions at the expense of others, carefully hidden fees, etc.
What’s more, customer service is fast and hyper-reactive: this helps to avoid potential disappointments and settle potential disputes in record time. In fact, this is the brand’s motto: travelers must be satisfied in record time, and in this, Kiwi differentiates itself from many other online flight comparison services where customer relations are not the absolute strong point.
We also appreciate the many social, environmental and humanitarian initiatives: the values advocated by Kiwi are clearly expressed in its « Care » program, designed to help causes close to the company’s heart.
Oh, and one more thing: if you refer a friend, Kiwi will give them €20 towards their next flight! Perfect for a trip with friends or your other half! When do you take off?