MakeMyTrip has launched India's first early check-in and late check-out offering at this scale on an online travel agency (OTA). The feature is now available across more than 10,000 hotels, villas, and homestays in India and over 1,000 properties across 20 international destinations, including Dubai, Bangkok, Pattaya, Bali, and Kuala Lumpur. According to MakeMyTrip, this marks a significant milestone as it addresses a widespread friction point caused by the mismatch between transportation schedules and standard hospitality timelines.
MakeMyTrip's booking data revealed that 53% of travellers arrive at their destinations before 9 AM and 54% depart after 3 PM, creating significant demand for flexible check-in and check-out options. The company's data across flights, buses, and trains shows that more than half of travellers on short-haul flights to Singapore, Bangkok, and Hanoi, as well as long-haul flights to New York, land before 8 AM. With standard hotel check-in times typically set at 2 PM and check-out mandated by noon, travellers are often left navigating unfamiliar cities while half-asleep or waiting in lobbies. This pattern is equally pronounced on international routes, where the wait can stretch to 8 hours, forcing many to resort to expensive measures such as paying for an extra night to guarantee immediate room access.
The feature allows users to pre-book and confirm early or late room slots in three, six, or nine-hour windows. Instead of leaving travellers to make uncertain, informal front-desk requests, the platform integrates logistics data to automatically surface the most relevant window based on the user's flight, train, or bus arrival and departure times. According to MakeMyTrip, early check-in slots account for 77% of all bookings to date, while late check-outs comprise the remaining 23%. This creates a confirmed, pre-paid commitment that reduces the operational burden on hotel front desks while providing travellers with guaranteed access to their rooms.
Abhishek Logani, Chief Business Officer – Hotels at MakeMyTrip, explained that while price and location remain vital, flexibility and confirmed access are becoming core to booking decisions. He noted that partners have recognized this shift, stating that early-morning and late-evening inventory that previously went unmonetized now has a structured, revenue-generating use. The positive response to the feature reflects this fundamental change in traveler preferences, with MakeMyTrip planning to extend the feature to additional properties and international markets over the coming quarters.
According to Ankit Khanna, Chief Product Officer, Hotels, Growth and Emerging Businesses at MakeMyTrip, the initiative is ultimately about removing anxiety from the travel experience. He emphasized that the traveller wants to know, before they leave home, that the things they are counting on will hold. By turning an unpredictable operational hurdle into a structured product, the feature aims to fundamentally alter how consumers plan their itineraries, addressing one of the most persistent uncertainties in travel planning.
