Progressive Web Application versus Native Application for Flight Bookings : An Evaluation of the Advantages and Disadvantages of Native Mobile Applications and Progressive Web Applications

Sammanfattning: There are many ways of implementing an application, and the choices of how to cater to the specific needs of a customer are many. Today, one of the major decisions made when developing an application is whether to implement a native or web-based solution. Each of these alternatives comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The choice between a native application or a web application is highly dependent on the necessity of certain functions. A native application has many valuable functions but lacks features that web applications can provide. A Progressive Web Application (PWA) is a third option that aims to combine the capabilities of both web and native mobile apps. This evaluation focuses specifically on the needs of a booking flow for airlines. In these types of self-service applications, high-quality Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is vital, as the user's experience will dictate each customer's view of and future interaction with the company. This thesis investigates if PWA are capable of achieving the same capabilities as a native application, as well as providing a high-fidelity prototype of a PWA application. This will allow companies to assess if PWA are suitable for this purpose along with what their strengths and weaknesses are. After evaluation, it was concluded that PWA are a viable alternative to native apps in this context, as a prototype was able to emulate the majority of established characteristics of a native app.