At Plusgrade, I led end-to-end UX research initiatives to improve upgrade and ancillary purchase experiences across a wide portfolio of airline, hospitality, and cruise partners worldwide. My work supported both product evolution and strategic business decisions by grounding them in customer behavior, partner needs, and continuous experimentation.

Working closely with product managers, designers, analytics teams, and partner stakeholders, I designed and executed research programs that combined qualitative insights with quantitative validation. This included usability testing, in-product surveys, journey mapping, and targeted studies tailored to the unique needs of global partners such as Saudia, Spirit Airlines, and LOT Polish Airlines.

My role extended beyond research execution—I facilitated workshops, aligned cross-functional teams around user insights, and helped translate findings into product strategy for multiple verticals, from airlines to cruise and hospitality.

Key Contributions

• Designed and ran usability tests using UserTesting, URI, and in-product surveys via Hotjar
• Conducted and analyzed customer research for airline partners using SurveyMonkey
• Led user journey workshops and developed personas to guide cross-functional alignment
• Partnered with analytics and optimization teams to combine behavioral data with qualitative insights
• Provided actionable recommendations that informed both product iterations and business strategy

Highlighted Projects

• Unified Payment Page combining Points + Plusgrade
• Unified Loyalty Login across partners
• Partner Portal redesign: research, flow optimization, and structural recommendations
• Ancillary Merchandising Platform: redesign for airlines; optimization for hospitality & cruise
• Speed Pass & Experience Pass usability testing and concept validation
• Cash + Points concept testing and experience design
• Dynamic Seat Blocker: concept development and validation
• Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) “BOGO Priority Flight” concept design
• Cruise counter-offer testing and supporting research

These initiatives strengthened Plusgrade’s upgrade ecosystem by clarifying user behavior, validating new commercial opportunities, and ensuring that both travelers and partners benefitted from more intuitive, transparent, and seamless experiences.