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Amazon Launches Travel Booking Portal for Domestic India Flights

May 17, 2019
•
3 min read
Mumbai Economy, Business And Finance
Amazon Launches Travel Booking Portal for Domestic India Flights
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Ahh, Amazon. Back in the day, the online retailer was known as a virtual marketplace for books. Then it expanded to a few other things. And then a few more. Today, much of the world relies on Amazon for just about everything, from two-hour deliveries to Whole Foods groceries.

Add "flights to India" to that shopping list. In partnership with Indian online travel agency Cleartrip, the retail giant began offering domestic flights within India this week.

To access the flights, Amazon users must navigate to Amazon.in, the India-specific country page. Your usual US login works for this page, and the flights can be found under Amazon Pay by clicking on "Explore more from Amazon Pay" (marked with a red arrow in the screenshot below).

Flights took a little while to load, at least when TPG tested the service Friday:

But once the page loaded, a number of filters along the sidebar offered a selection experience very similar to shopping for regular products on Amazon:

Participating airlines include Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, GoAir, SpiceJet and AirAsia India as of the time of this post, with one-way flights on low-cost carriers beginning at around $40 USD.

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To celebrate the new travel launch, Amazon India is also offering a promotional rebate of up to 2,000 rupees, worth $28.44 USD as of the time of this post. The refund amount is relative to the booking total, and is available to both Prime and non-Prime members, who receive a lower discount. According to the check-out page, the refund will be added to your Amazon Pay balance within 48 hours of completed booking. Travelers will also see a nominal percentage-based convenience fee added at checkout; for a ~$130 round-trip ticket, the fee was around $5.

India is a key-growth market for Amazon, with around 100 million Prime members throughout the massive nation of nearly 1.4 billion. Cash back is a popular incentive for online retailers in India, according to Skift, and the initial promotion no doubt is designed to target budget-conscious shoppers.

This isn't Amazon's first foray into travel booking. In 2014, the online retailer attempted to launch a hotel booking platform. However, the effort was shuttered about a year after its launch due to poor response and performance. But responses might be different now: In 2018, Travel Wire Asia discovered that 44% of surveyed consumers would book travel via Amazon if it were an option today, and TPG Lounge members offered similar responses.

Featured image by Hindustan Times via Getty Images

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

American Express® Gold Card

TPG Editor‘s Rating
4 / 5
Go to review

Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.