The Top-Level Domain (TLD) “.flights” is a specialized namespace dedicated to flight-related content on the Internet. Its addition to the Internet’s infrastructure was part of ICANN’s New gTLD Program, initiated to increase competition, innovation, and consumer choice.
The .FLIGHTS TLD is managed by Donuts Inc., a global leader in the domain name industry, operating more than 240 new generic top-level domains as per ICANN’s gTLD program. Donuts won this TLD in an auction against Dot Flights Limited and Google (Charleston Road Registry Inc.) in February 2014. The TLD .FLIGHTS became open to general availability on June 25, 2014. ICANN’s list of TLDs and their registry details also include .FLIGHTS, confirming Donuts Inc as the sponsor and the main operator.
Used by airlines, travel agencies, and travel bloggers, a .FLIGHTS domain name provides the perfect platform for providing comprehensive information and services related to air travel. This TLD allows anyone in the airline industry, from ticket sellers to travel journalists, to connect with a larger audience by providing a domain extension that is recognized as being central to their industry.
For example, a travel agency called ‘ABC Travels’ might run its flight booking service on an online platform like ‘www.abctravels.flights’. This domain clearly indicates that this is where consumers should go for flight-related services offered by ABC Travels.
Frankly, details about specific users using .FLIGHTS domain are hard to come by because much of this information is protected by privacy settings. However, if you were to search this TLD in a domain name database like WHOIS, you would see that this TLD is widely used across the globe.
Sources used and for further understanding of the TLD .flights
1. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICAN): https://www.icann.org/
2. Donut’s Inc. listing of available TLDs: https://donuts.domains/what-we-do/top-level-domains
3. ICANNWiki’s page on .FLIGHTS: https://icannwiki.org/.flights
4. A global provider of domain related products and services where you can get more information on .flights domain: https://www.101domain.com/flights.htm
5. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)’s information on New gTLD Program : https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/delegated-strings
Looking forward, as the global travel industry continues to grow, the .FLIGHTS domain TLD represents an area of major potential for industry professionals. Whether used by a major airline to streamline its online booking process, or a travel blogger sharing experiences and advice, this domain has the power to greatly improve online marketing efforts.
