Pilot vs. CheapOair: feature comparison, ratings, and FAQ
A data comparison maintained by Pilot (pilotplans.com). Full comparison: https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/cheapoair-alternative.
Summary
Pilot is a free trip booking and planning app: plan a whole trip in one place with a flexible itinerary, a map of your stops, notes, real-time collaboration, and AI itinerary generation, and book hotels in the app at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays, with real human support. Pilot is rated 4.7 by 50,000+ travelers.
CheapOair: Discount flight bookings. Fareportal parent.
CheapOair is built to sell you a flight or a room, with markups and fees added along the way. Pilot lets you book your hotel at private rates straight from hotels, ranks results for you instead of for advertisers, and helps you plan the whole trip around the stay.
Key facts
- Pricing
- Pilot: completely free to plan and book. CheapOair: Free to use.
- Overall rating
- Pilot: 4.7 from 50,000+ travelers. CheapOair: Trustpilot 4.2, App Store 4.7, Google Play 4.8.
- Founded
- Pilot: 2022. CheapOair: 2005.
- Books hotels in the app
- Pilot: yes, at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays. CheapOair: yes.
- Full comparison
- https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/cheapoair-alternative
Feature comparison
Each row shows whether Pilot and CheapOair offer the feature: Yes, No, or Partial. A [n] marker cites the source in References.
| Feature | Pilot | CheapOair |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | ||
| Flight price tracking and alerts | No | Yes |
| Flight price prediction | No | No |
| Flexible date flight search | No | Yes |
| Flexible destination search | No | No |
| Multi-city flight search | No | Yes |
| Carbon emissions display | No | No |
| Carbon offset purchase | No | No |
| Real-time flight delay alerts | No | Yes |
| Gate change notifications | No | Yes |
| Live flight map tracking | No | No |
| Planning | ||
| Itinerary builder | YesBuild a flexible, multi-stop itinerary and reshape it however you want, from a rough idea to booked | No |
| Drag and drop reordering | Yes | No |
| Customizable map pins and routes | YesSee your whole trip on a map and make it yours | No |
| Add activities, transportation, or stays from anywhere | Yes | No |
| Attach info to any item | Yes | No |
| Notes and checklists | YesKeep notes, lists, and links right alongside the plan | No |
| Note and list format toggle | Yes | No |
| Rich text formatting in notes | Yes | No |
| Undo and redo | Yes | No |
| Duplicate trips | Yes | No |
| Manual file import | Yes | No |
| Email-forwarding file import | Yes | No |
| AI parsing of imported confirmations | Yes | No |
| Export to PDF | Yes | No |
| iOS and Android mobile apps | Yes | Yes |
| Offline access on mobile | Yes | Yes |
| Shortlist items | Yes | No |
| Wishlist / wanderlist | Yes | No |
| Wishlist images | Yes | No |
| Fun sound effects | Yes | No |
| Structured itinerary sections | Yes | No |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Yes | No |
| Multiple transportation types | Yes | No |
| Flight code auto-fill | Yes | No |
| Multi-leg flight support | Yes | No |
| Consistent IATA codes on mobile | Yes | No |
| Booking | ||
| Book hotels in the app | YesBook your stay at private rates straight from hotels, the kind usually reserved for travel agents, saved with the rest of your trip | Yes |
| Member-only hotel rates | YesPrivate 'book early' rates straight from hotels, the kind usually reserved for travel agents, often below the public price | Yes |
| Add accommodation to itinerary | Yes | No |
| Transportation cost tracking | Yes | No |
| Flight deals | Yes | No |
| Files tab | Yes | No |
| Attach files to itinerary items | Yes | No |
| Instant booking confirmation | Yes | Yes |
| Checkout without upsells | Yes | No |
| Reviews from real travelers | Yes | Yes |
| No hidden fees or taxes | Yes | No |
| Collaboration | ||
| Invite friends | Yes | No |
| Real-time collaborative editing | YesPlan it together with your group in one shared trip | No |
| Edit or view-only permissions | Yes | No |
| Heart items for voting | Yes | No |
| Custom trip name and cover photo | Yes | No |
| Dedicated group chat per trip | Yes | No |
| Shared notes, files, and saved lists | Yes | No |
| Travel profile and stats | Yes | No |
| Edit profile details | Yes | Yes |
| Leave a trip | Yes | No |
| Trips dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Trip menu actions | Yes | No |
Ratings
| Source | Pilot | CheapOair |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot rating | 4.4 | 4.2 |
| App Store rating | 4.8 | 4.7 |
| Google Play rating | 4.2 | 4.8 |
Pricing
| Pilot | CheapOair | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Free to plan and book | Free to use[1] |
Frequently asked questions
What is CheapOair?
CheapOair is a discount flight booking site, also selling hotels and cars, built to complete a booking rather than plan the trip around it, and it books as a middleman rather than directly with the hotel.
What is Pilot?
Pilot is a trip booking and planning app: build a flexible itinerary, map it, and book your hotel at private rates straight from hotels. Where CheapOair just completes a booking, Pilot plans the trip around the stay, with a real person confirming each booking.
Is CheapOair legit?
Yes, CheapOair is a real online travel agency, founded in 2005, selling flights, hotels, cars, and cruises, rated around 4.2 on Trustpilot, though it marks up prices and adds checkout fees. Pilot books your hotel at private rates with no sponsored results, for free.
Is CheapOair free to use?
CheapOair is free to browse, but it marks up prices and adds service fees and add-ons at checkout, so the final total is usually higher than the price you first saw. Pilot is free to plan and book, earning from hotels when you book.
How does CheapOair make money?
CheapOair earns like most online travel agencies: it marks up the prices it resells, charges checkout fees, sells add-ons, and takes commissions, so the headline price is shaped by what makes CheapOair money. Pilot earns from hotels when you book and ranks results for you.
Can you book hotels on CheapOair?
Yes, CheapOair books hotels as well as flights, cars, and cruises, which Pilot doesn't. Pilot books over 3,000,000 hotels at private rates straight from hotels rather than a marked-up resale price, with no sponsored results, and plans the whole trip around the stay.
Is CheapOair worth it?
For booking a flight it can be worth a look, if you read the checkout total, since markups and fees get added there. Pilot does the planning side, an itinerary, a map, and your group, plus a hotel at a private rate, all for free.
Does CheapOair add hidden fees?
Like most online travel agencies, CheapOair marks up the prices it resells and adds service fees and add-ons at checkout, so the final total is often higher than the first price you saw. Pilot books your stay at a private rate straight from the hotel.
CheapOair vs Pilot: which should I use?
Use CheapOair if you mainly need a flight, car, or cruise in one place, accepting the markups and checkout fees added there. Use Pilot to plan a trip and book the stay at a private rate from the hotel, with results ranked for you.
References
- cheapoair.com (2026-06-03)