MakeMyTrip has launched a new feature that enables travellers to confirm early check-in and late check-out slots at the time of booking, expanding flexibility across more than 10,000 hotels, villas and homestays in India and over 1,000 properties across 20 international destinations.
The offering allows guests to secure room access in advance through three-, six-, or nine-hour windows, replacing the traditional practice of requesting early arrival or late departure at the property. According to the company, this is the first large-scale implementation of such a service by an online travel agency in India.
The launch addresses a common challenge faced by travellers arriving early in the morning or departing late in the evening. MakeMyTrip’s booking data across flights, buses and trains shows that 53 per cent of domestic travellers reach their destination before 9 AM, while 54 per cent begin their return journey after 3 PM. These schedules often leave travellers waiting several hours before standard hotel check-in times or after mandatory check-out deadlines.
The trend is also evident on international routes. The company noted that more than half of travellers flying to destinations such as Singapore, Bangkok, Hanoi and New York arrive before 8 AM, despite hotel check-in timings generally beginning between 2 PM and 3 PM. In many cases, travellers have traditionally booked an additional night to guarantee earlier room access.
MakeMyTrip said its platform automatically recommends the most relevant early check-in or late check-out slot during the booking process by analysing available flight, train or bus schedules. The company stated that the feature benefits both travellers and accommodation providers by providing guaranteed room access while helping hotels monetise inventory that may otherwise remain unused.
Commenting on the development, Abhishek Logani, Chief Business Officer – Hotels, MakeMyTrip, said:
“The criteria travellers use to choose stays are evolving. Price and location remain important, but flexibility and confirmed access are also becoming an active part of the booking decision. Partners have recognised this shift: early-morning and late-evening inventory that previously went unmonetized now has a structured, revenue-generating use. The positive response to the feature reflects that. We will extend it to additional properties and international markets over the coming quarters.”
The feature has already seen strong adoption, with early check-in accounting for 77 per cent of bookings compared to 23 per cent for late check-out.
Ankit Khanna, Chief Product Officer, Hotels, Growth and Emerging Businesses, MakeMyTrip, added:
“Much of what we have built over the years has been about removing anxiety from travel. The traveller wants to know, before they leave home, that the things they are counting on will hold. Early check-in and late check-out are one of the most persistent of those uncertainties, and arguably the hardest to crack. Making it a guaranteed slot turns a problem travellers had learned to live with into one they can settle before they leave home.”
