A new mobile service lets travelers bid on available airline seats in the two weeks leading up to departure. The app, Air Ticket Arena, launched last month and gives users the ability to choose flight preferences such as date, destination and itinerary, then submit bids indicating how much they are willing to pay for a seat. Airlines determine which seats are offered for bidding and evaluate bids 24–48 hours before each flight.
Users must place separate bids for outbound and return segments; return flights can be bid on up to 14 days after the departure leg. Successful bids are converted into electronic tickets and delivered to the passenger.
According to Air Ticket Arena founder Budinski, the platform launched with seven initial airline partners, including Turkish Airlines and Croatia Airlines. The company expects to expand its partner network through the year.
The bidding model is designed to give carriers more control over last-minute inventory while allowing price-sensitive travelers a chance to purchase tickets at potentially lower fares. Seats made available for bids are typically those that airlines determine are unsold or are flexible to sell close to departure without disrupting revenue management strategies.
For passengers, the process is straightforward: select travel details, enter a bid amount for each leg, and wait to learn whether the offer is accepted during the airline’s bid evaluation window. When a bid is accepted, the platform issues an electronic ticket and confirms travel details to the user.
This approach targets travelers with flexible schedules who are comfortable waiting until shortly before departure to secure discounted fares. It may also appeal to those planning one-way trips or who can separate outbound and return travel purchases, since the system requires individual bids for each leg.
Airlines using a bid-based system can optimize last-minute capacity and recover value on seats that might otherwise go unsold, while maintaining discretion over which inventory to offer and which offers to accept. The platform’s model aims to balance passenger opportunity for lower prices with airline revenue protection.
As the product and partner roster evolve, travelers should watch for updates on supported routes and participating carriers. Users considering bidding should review fare rules and ticketing conditions once a bid is accepted to ensure they understand change and cancellation policies tied to the electronic ticket issued.