Priceline.com Unveils "Explore" Search Functionality on iPad App

HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today priceline.com, a leader in mobile travel and part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN), announced a new beta version of its iPad app that brings travel exploration, research and booking capabilities together in one interface.  The latest innovation in mobile travel app technology, priceline.com's new Explore functionality unhinges travel aspirations and empowers consumers to uncover new popular priceline.com destinations around the world, while comparing prices, reducing the need to research and book travel at different times in different places.  For the first time, priceline.com travelers can search for flights and access real-time pricing without defining a specific destination.  

Powered by Travelport Flex Explore search technology, Explore enhances priceline.com's existing iPad app, which has been a featured Travel app in Apple's iTunes store.  The application presents an easy-to-navigate graphical map of the world and an expansive range of inspirational search capabilities to narrow down the ideal destination and desired travel experience.  Beginning this week with priceline.com' Explore functionality, travelers can:

• Seamlessly research, and compare flight prices whether they know their destination or need help discovering a new place to visit
• Explore popular priceline.com travel destinations by interest from categories like "beach," "family-friendly" and "romantic"
• Customize global searches on a local level with the touch of finger on the app's interactive touch-screen map
• Access flight availability and pricing in real-time from any origin airport to a variety of destinations with one simple search, reducing the need to conduct multiple destination searches
• Narrow flight options and reveal additional airports and flights by circling an area on the map
• Leverage a budget filter to narrow flight results and destinations by preferred price

"Our iPad customers are in the early stages of travel planning, often booking further in advance for longer lengths of stay compared to smartphone users.  In fact, iPad users are almost three times more likely to book 10+ days in advance than iPhone users," said John Caine, Chief Product Officer of priceline.com. "We've designed this feature for iPad users by making it easier to research multiple destinations, and we are delighted to help travelers who are just beginning the exploration process."

"We're committed to helping our valued customer priceline.com inspire their travelers and delighted to work with them to provide consumers with great search functionality," said Kurt Ekert, chief commercial officer, Travelport. "Travelport initiatives are all founded on one underlying principle: to provide the most informed travel choice. Choice inspires and liberates travelers to search, book and enjoy travel in new ways.  Priceline.com Explore epitomizes what Travelport is bringing to the global travel industry through increased search capabilities, customization and control. This is what we aspire to do for all travel service providers to help them compete and prosper."

The new Explore functionality launches this week in beta and is available for download in Apple's iTunes store.

About Priceline.com

Priceline.com, part of The Priceline Group [NASDAQ: PCLN], gives leisure travelers multiple ways to save on their airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises. In addition to getting compelling published prices, travelers can take advantage of priceline.com's famous Name Your Own Price® service, which can deliver the lowest prices available, or the recently added Express DealsSM, where travelers can take  advantage of hotel discounts without bidding.

About Travelport

Travelport is a leading distribution services and e-commerce provider for the global travel industry.  With a presence in over 170 countries, approximately 3,500 employees and 2012 net revenue of more than $2.0 billion, travelport is comprised of the global distribution system ("GDS") business, which includes the Galileo and Worldspan brands, its Airline IT Solutions business and a joint venture ownership of eNett.  Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Travelport is a privately owned company. Follow Travelport on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Travelport.

SOURCE priceline.com