Travel Tools - Milefy.com - air travel comparison for frequent flyers

Hi everyone,

I am happy to announce that right now me and my co-founder Craig plus a team of developers and designers are in the process of building a travel search comparison site for frequent flyers called Milefy.

We are still very much in the early stages of the project, and thanks to the awesome feedback of some 30 good-hearted FTers and MPers, we are doing our best to optimize the site specifically for frequent flyers.

Please see this demo-page (http://www.bunainternational.com/demo-0.1.html) to have an idea of what the v 1.0 will contain. I know these Paintbrush mockups don't look very sexy but they should illustrate what we're out to do. Around next week, we'll have some much nicer mockups for you. FYI, the fares will be displayable both as "timebars" and as a normal list with complete flight information.

While you're at the demo page, please do take the survey (takes abt 6 mins) referred to at the bottom of the site (also accessible here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D7LMLG5). We would love to hear your feedback! Unfortunately, we can't offer you miles for taking the survey at this time.. :P But we use the feedback to optimize it for your usage!

We'll be starting off with a limited number of user accounts so if you want to be among the first to play around with the site when it's up and running, please register your email at www.milefy.com (http://www.milefy.com) to get a shot at an exclusive invitation before the launch. Of course, we'd also be happy if you would tweet, Facebook and tell all your frequent flyer friends about us!

Finally, Randy has been very kind and created us a ConcourseZ Forum called "Milefy" over at Milepoint so if you're a member there, please check in now and then to follow the development, refer to the (future) FAQ or shower us with compliments/comments/feedback/questions/support/criticism/critique/curse words.

Alex

Here are a few more mockups – this time of results displayed also in normal list form, and not just as timebars! These mockups are the same screens as in the demo page (http://www.bunainternational.com/demo-0.1.html), just with some new looks and functions:

- Screen 3: List, with filters (http://wthisruby.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/b-nl-03-normal-list.jpg)
- Screen 2b: List, with alternative departures expanded (http://wthisruby.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/c-nl-02b-normal-list-more-departures.jpg)
- Screen 6: List, sorted by CPAM (http://wthisruby.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/d-nl-06-normal-list-cpam.jpg)
- Screen 3 again: Timebars, with filters (http://wthisruby.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/a-03-timebars-with-filters.jpg)

Now, these too are obviously still under work, but I figured some of you might be interested in seeing something a step closer to the final result. With that said, we still haven’t optimized the interface for user experience, so some modifications are bound to happen before we have this in HTML.

Here are a few more mockups – this time of results displayed also in normal list form, and not just as timebars! These mockups are the same screens as in the demo page (http://www.bunainternational.com/demo-0.1.html), just with some new looks and functions:

- Screen 3: List, with filters (http://wthisruby.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/b-nl-03-normal-list.jpg)
- Screen 2b: List, with alternative departures expanded (http://wthisruby.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/c-nl-02b-normal-list-more-departures.jpg)
- Screen 6: List, sorted by CPAM (http://wthisruby.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/d-nl-06-normal-list-cpam.jpg)
- Screen 3 again: Timebars, with filters (http://wthisruby.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/a-03-timebars-with-filters.jpg)

Now, these too are obviously still under work, but I figured some of you might be interested in seeing something a step closer to the final result. With that said, we still haven’t optimized the interface for user experience, so some modifications are bound to happen before we have this in HTML.

real nice things mate. But please work on your buttons man, this looks so Windows 3.11... : ) Just hire a Professional to do the design because nowardays if the next door looks pretty its whats gets picked. Look at awardwallet... : )

Like the idea, but you really need to bring a usability expert onboard as that interface looks way too complicated to be used by anybody other than absolute frequent flyer geeks.

Hey guys,

Thanks very much for the feedback!

Yup, we actually do have a professional UX/UI designer working on the interface and solving user experience issues right now. The mockups are actually meant to serve as guidelines for the UX/UI designer, but I figured it could be interesting for people to get another idea of what the site would contain. FYI, I did these in Paint, and they will by no means be the final product. :)

FrankC6, exactly! How do we include all relevant information without the site becoming too "busy" and users losing interest? The user experience is one of the biggest challenges we're working on.

You face tough competition, but I wish you luck. I've joined - looking forward to trying it out.

mooper,

I acknowledge that there is competition in this field, and particularly in the total travel field (it'll be especially interesting now with Google's acquisition of ITA). However, our niche is pretty much exclusively frequent flyers and we aim to do our best to serve the segment through the value we will provide. Thank you very much for signing up and the luck wishes!

...especially interesting now with Google's acquisition of ITA...

Yes, they will be your biggest challenge. Perhaps you can differentiate by combining mile/point features with the price features - something ITA doesn't currently do.

Good luck with this Alex.

mooper, yes! That is precisely what we are trying to do. :)

stephlac, thank you very much! :)

Hi FTers,

We've just finished a few design proposals for Milefy and would want YOU guys to be the ones deciding the future look of the site! Have a look at what we've put together at www.milefy.com/design-proposals.html and let us know what you think in the super short survey form at the bottom of the page!

In other Milefy news:
- We're building in flight data from one of the most comprehensive flight aggregators to offer users competitive fares and a great wealth of routing options.
- We're integrating the mileage accounts from one of the most innovative points aggregators.
- We're likely to start with more FFPs already by beta than initially indicated.

Cheers,
Alex

Your site appears to be hammered just by sending out the survey email- I cant get the images to load

We've had minimum traffic this past couple of weeks and the site had turned idle. Unfortunately, it took a few visits from people to wake it up but it should be functioning as normal now. Sorry about this!

This will not occur when we are launched.

Hi all,

Been quite a while!

Happy to inform those of you who aren't on the mailing list that we've got a demo in place would be glad if you'd want to come over to try it out:

http://demo.milefy.com

Currently, only United's Mileage Plus accrual rules are integrated with fares in the demo but we aim to add more programs and features soon. The search may a little bit slow too but hang in there and you'll get fares!

For all of you that have tried it out: We had some cases with searches returning no fares. This should be sorted out by now!

Head on over and try it out and please do let us know your feedback in the short survey that takes just 5 minutes so we can improve and make sure this will become a great application!

Cheers,
Alex