Pilot vs. Kiwi.com: feature comparison, ratings, and FAQ
A data comparison maintained by Pilot (pilotplans.com). Full comparison: https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/kiwi-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.
Kiwi.com: Cheap-flight booking with virtual interlining (self-transfer itineraries).
Kiwi.com is built to find and book flights. Pilot plans the whole trip and books your stay at private rates, and you add your flights to the plan so the whole trip stays in one place.
Key facts
- Pricing
- Pilot: completely free to plan and book. Kiwi.com: Free to search; pay per booking.
- Overall rating
- Pilot: 4.7 from 50,000+ travelers. Kiwi.com: Trustpilot 3.9, App Store 4.6, Google Play 4.3.
- Founded
- Pilot: 2022. Kiwi.com: 2012.
- Books hotels in the app
- Pilot: yes, at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays. Kiwi.com: partial.
- Full comparison
- https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/kiwi-alternative
Feature comparison
Each row shows whether Pilot and Kiwi.com offer the feature: Yes, No, or Partial. A [n] marker cites the source in References.
| Feature | Pilot | Kiwi.com |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | ||
| Flight price tracking and alerts | No | Partial[1] |
| Flight price prediction | No | No |
| Flexible date flight search | No | Yes[1] |
| Flexible destination search | No | Yes[1] |
| Multi-city flight search | No | Yes[1] |
| Carbon emissions display | No | Partial[1] |
| Carbon offset purchase | No | No |
| Real-time flight delay alerts | No | No |
| Gate change notifications | No | No |
| Live flight map tracking | No | No |
| Planning | ||
| Itinerary builder | YesPlan the whole trip in one place; Kiwi.com is built around finding and booking flights | No |
| Drag and drop reordering | Yes | No |
| Customizable map pins and routes | YesSee your whole trip on a map; Kiwi.com is a flight search | No |
| Add activities, transportation, or stays from anywhere | Yes | No |
| Attach info to any item | Yes | No |
| Notes and checklists | Yes | 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[1] |
| Offline access on mobile | Yes | No |
| 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 | YesAdd your flights and other legs to the plan; Kiwi.com books the flights themselves, including self-transfer routes, which Pilot does not | Yes[1] |
| 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 in the app at private rates; Kiwi.com sells accommodation as a side add-on, not its focus | Partial[1] |
| Member-only hotel rates | YesPrivate 'book early' rates straight from hotels across 3,000,000+ stays; with Kiwi.com, stays are secondary to flights | No |
| Add accommodation to itinerary | Yes | Partial[1] |
| Transportation cost tracking | Yes | No |
| Flight deals | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Files tab | Yes | No |
| Attach files to itinerary items | Yes | No |
| Instant booking confirmation | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Checkout without upsells | Yes | No |
| Reviews from real travelers | Yes | No |
| No hidden fees or taxes | Yes | No |
| Collaboration | ||
| Invite friends | Yes | No |
| Real-time collaborative editing | YesPlan together in one shared trip; Kiwi.com books one itinerary at a time | 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[1] |
| Leave a trip | Yes | No |
| Trips dashboard | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Trip menu actions | Yes | Partial[1] |
Ratings
| Source | Pilot | Kiwi.com |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot rating | 4.4 | 3.9[2] |
| App Store rating | 4.8 | 4.6[2] |
| Google Play rating | 4.2 | 4.3[2] |
Pricing
| Pilot | Kiwi.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Free to plan and book | Free to search; pay per booking[1] |
Frequently asked questions
What is Kiwi.com?
Kiwi.com is a flight booking site, free to search, known for 'virtual interlining' routes that combine airlines that do not normally connect into one self-transfer itinerary, and it also sells some ground transport and accommodation.
What is Pilot?
Pilot is a trip booking and planning app where you build a flexible itinerary, then book your hotel at private rates straight from hotels. Kiwi.com books flights, while Pilot plans the trip and books your stay.
Is Pilot a good Kiwi.com alternative?
For the trip and the stay, yes; for the flight itself, no, since Kiwi.com books flights and Pilot does not. Pilot plans the whole trip and books your hotel at private rates, with a map, group collaboration, and real people on support.
Does Pilot book flights?
No, Pilot books your stay at private rates straight from hotels, not flights. You can add your flights to your Pilot itinerary so the whole trip is in one place, but you book the flight itself elsewhere.
Is Kiwi.com legit?
Kiwi.com is a real, popular way to find cheap flights, but its self-transfer routes carry missed-connection risk and its refunds and support draw heavy complaints. Pilot books your stay at private rates with real people on support.
Pilot vs Kiwi.com: which should I use?
Use Kiwi.com to find and book a cheap flight. Use Pilot to plan the trip and book your stay, with a map, a flexible itinerary, group collaboration, and real people on support, all free and in one place.
References
- kiwi.com (2026-06-04)
- Trustpilot, App Store, Google Play (2026-06-04; verify before publish)