With Routehappy coming to Community Participation, visuals are no longer the exception—they’re the new norm.
People want to know what they are getting, especially when it comes to premium products like airline tickets. In our recent flight shopper survey, the numbers are hard to ignore:
- 66% of travelers say visuals of seat types make them more likely to pay for a better seat.
- 56% are more likely to purchase ancillaries such as priority boarding, premium seating, baggage, or lounge access because of visuals.
- 76% say visuals of in-flight services such as Wi-Fi and food influence their purchasing decisions.
Yet across many airline and sales channel experiences, visuals are still missing or inconsistent. Aside from a few carriers, most airline websites still don’t show the visuals that shoppers expect. Aggregators display limited content for only select airlines, making it harder for travelers to compare and personalize their journey.
A new chapter for flight merchandising
ATPCO is working to change that. Starting 1 January 2026, Routehappy will be included in ATPCO’s Community Participation membership, giving all participating airlines access to Visuals, Attributes, the Routehappy API, and self-service tools. No new contract required.
Why visual shopping hasn’t caught up—until now
Even as many airlines have invested in great visual content, it hasn’t always made it into the shopping experience—especially on indirect sales channels. Without a shared approach to managing and distributing visuals, that content hasn’t consistently reached the point of sale. Long procurement processes, limited tools for targeting and customization, and the complexity of implementing visuals across multiple channels have all contributed to slower adoption. At the same time, some sales channels have been hesitant to fully support visuals, citing inconsistent coverage across airlines.
That’s about to change.
The turning point is here, so start creating today
By including Routehappy in Community Participation, ATPCO is removing many of the barriers that previously slowed adoption, giving airlines streamlined access to the tools they need to scale visuals more efficiently across the ecosystem.
For the first time, all Community Participants can deliver modern, targeted, merchandising experiences with Routehappy. Airlines can begin uploading media and creating their visuals today, ensuring they’re ready to go in the new year.
This shift benefits everyone. Airlines can more easily showcase their offers across more channels, while sales channels gain access to a broader set of visuals from more airlines, without managing multiple content sources. Travelers, in turn, enjoy a clearer, more engaging shopping experience.
A more consistent experience for everyone
With Routehappy included in Community Participation, all participating airlines will gain access to the same technology, workflows, and tools, making it easier to scale visual content efficiently across the ecosystem.
What this change unlocks for airlines:
- Greater transparency. Travelers can better understand what’s included in their fare, wherever they shop.
- Expanded opportunity. Airlines of all sizes can use the same tools, improving access for everyone.
- Simplified distribution. A unified platform streamlines how visuals are managed, updated, and shared.
Meanwhile, sales channels receive more complete, consistent content from more airlines, without the complexity of managing multiple sources. What was once fragmented will soon feel seamless.
While there will be a ramp-up period, this integration sets the foundation for the future of flight shopping: modern, visual, and connected.
Time to get started
ATPCO is here to help Community Participants activate Routehappy and start delivering enhanced shopping experiences. Airlines can now prepare and publish visuals across their own channels and partners, making merchandising both easier and more effective.
Sales channels will benefit from access to consistent, high-quality visuals across more offers, without the complexity of sourcing content from multiple partners. Whether you’re preparing content or displaying it, now’s the time to go faster, go beyond price, and modernize the flight shopping experience.
