UI / UX Design
MakeMyTrip: Flexi Check-In
Improving hotel booking flexibility with a Flexible Check-in feature
Role
UX Designer
Timeline
3 Months
Deliverables
Mobile, Web, PWA
Inductry
Product managers, designers, engineers
Project Overview
MakeMyTrip is one of India’s largest travel platforms, helping millions of travelers book flights, hotels, and holiday packages.
While working as a Product Designer, I contributed to improving the hotel booking experience by designing several feature-level enhancements.
One of the key features I worked on was Flexible Check-in, designed to give travelers more control over their stay timings.
Instead of being restricted to fixed hotel check-in times, users could now select their preferred check-in slot and enjoy a 24-hour stay starting from their chosen time.
My Contributions
• UX exploration for flexible booking options
• designing the flexible check-in flow
• improving hotel listing and booking UI
• collaborating with product and engineering teams for implementation
The Problem
Hotel check-in times are typically fixed (for example, 2 PM check-in and 12 PM check-out).
However, many travelers arrive earlier or later depending on their travel schedules.
This creates friction for users who:
• arrive early in the morning
• arrive late at night
• want a full 24-hour stay
Users often needed to either wait for hours or pay for an additional night, which created a poor booking experience.
Opportunity
The opportunity was to create a feature that allows users to choose their preferred check-in time while still maintaining hotel booking constraints.
The goal was to make the booking process more flexible without making the experience complex.
Research & Insights
To understand how travelers interact with hotel bookings, we analyzed booking patterns and user expectations around check-in flexibility.
Key Insights
Travel schedules often don't match standard hotel check-in times.
Users value control and flexibility when booking stays.
Clear communication of booking conditions reduces confusion during checkout.
These insights helped shape the concept of Flexible Check-in.
Product Thinking
Instead of forcing users into fixed check-in times, the booking experience could allow travelers to choose a check-in slot that works best for them.
The idea was simple:
Allow users to select a check-in time between 6 AM and 6 PM, and automatically provide a 24-hour stay from that time.
For example:
Check-in at 10 AM → Check-out at 10 AM next day
This approach balanced user flexibility with hotel operational constraints.
Designing the Flexible Check-in Experience
The challenge was to introduce this feature without making the booking experience complicated.
The design needed to:
• clearly explain what flexible check-in means
• help users select time slots easily
• communicate stay duration transparently
Key Design Elements
• visible flexible check-in label in hotel listings
• clear time slot selection interface
• explanation of 24-hour stay duration
This ensured users understood the benefit before booking.
Key Design Decisions
Making the Feature Discoverable
Flexible check-in hotels were highlighted in listings so users could easily identify properties offering this benefit.
Simplifying Time Selection
Instead of complex input fields, the design used predefined time slots that users could quickly select.
Communicating the Value Clearly
The interface emphasized that users would receive a 24-hour stay starting from their chosen time, helping reduce confusion.
Integration Into Booking Flow
The feature was integrated seamlessly into the existing hotel booking journey.
Users could:
discover hotels with flexible check-in
select their preferred time slot
confirm booking with transparent stay duration
Solution
The Flexi Check-in feature allows travelers to view available check-in slots directly during the booking process.
Users can select their preferred check-in time based on hotel availability and pricing.
Key improvements included:
Flexible check-in time selection
Users can choose check-in times that match their travel schedules.
Transparent pricing adjustments
Any additional charges for early check-in are clearly displayed.
Seamless integration with the booking flow
The feature fits naturally within the existing booking experience.
Impact
The Flexi Check-in feature introduced greater transparency and flexibility into the hotel booking journey. By surfacing check-in options directly within the booking flow, travelers could make more informed decisions and plan their stays with greater confidence.
Other Contributions
In addition to Flexible Check-in, I also worked on other improvements within the hotel booking journey, including:
• Extra Bed feature
• Location Cards for better property discovery
• Booking journey improvements
These enhancements helped improve usability and decision-making during the booking process.
Reflection
Working on a live travel platform like MakeMyTrip reinforced the importance of designing features that balance user needs with business and operational constraints.
Key learnings from this project:
• small feature improvements can significantly enhance user experience
• clarity in communication reduces booking confusion
• designing within existing product ecosystems requires thoughtful integration
