Fly Duo

Born from the insight that motivation follows meaning, Fly Duo was created to transform language learning into something learners actually look forward to.

CONTEXT
Gen Z is the most globally mobile generation in history and the least consistent with long-term learning habits. They dream of traveling the world, but 62% abandon language apps within the first two weeks. Travel is emotional, urgent, and motivating.
Learning? Not always.

CHALLENGE
How might Duolingo turn inconsistent learners into confident travelers?

INSIGHT
People don’t quit because learning is hard. They quit because it feels unrelated to their life. When learning feels like a journey and not a chore — people return.

THE IDEA
Fly Duo transforms Duolingo into a travel-inspired learning system. Every lesson earns Duo Miles, every milestone unlocks travel documents (like the Duo Passport), and the place becomes a destination learners can literally work toward. Fly Duo doesn’t change what Duolingo teaches. It changes why learners want to keep going.


HOW IT WORKS NOW

• Destination Motivation : Posters featuring Agra, Paris, and Venice turn dream trips into daily goals.

• Duo Miles : A frequent-flyer-style rewards system — learners rack up miles by completing lessons, keeping streaks, and staying consistent.

• Cheeky Reminders : Stickers placed in everyday locations deliver the humor Gen Z responds to — “Group chat: ‘Let’s go to Bali.’ You don’t even know hello.”

• Instagram Story Nudges : Social-friendly, screen-shot-able reminders that meet learners where they’re already spending time.

• Duo Passport & Ticket : A playful travel-influenced ritual system that transforms progress into a journey — letting learners “check in” before they board their next adventure.
  
  

WHY IT MATTERS

• Travel is Gen Z’s strongest motivator. It ranks as their #1 discretionary spend (Morning Consult, 2024).

• Gamification increases habit formation by 34%. Duo Miles uses game mechanics grounded in real learner behavior.

• Humor increases brand trust and retention. 77% of Gen Z say humor makes brands feel more relatable (Ypulse, 2024).

• Contextual reminders outperform push notifications. Placing reminders in the world, not just the phone, increases recall and action (Behavioral Insights Team, 2023).

• Fly Duo taps into real behavior, real motivation, and real-world context — making learning impossible to ignore and fun to return to.

  
  

WHY DUOLINGO
Duolingo is already the world’s most beloved learning companion — a master of humor, motivation, and chaos. A co-pilot, a cheerleader, and a playful accountability partner. No other brand can nudge Gen Z this boldly while staying loved.

PROJECTED OUTCOME
Fly Duo is projected to :

• Increase lesson completion by 22–30% during travel seasons

• Reactivate up to 15% of inactive users through travel-linked incentives

• Improve streak consistency by linking progress to Duo Miles

• Boost social engagement through humorous reminders & IG story templates

• Strengthen brand love by reframing learning as something exciting, not stressful

• More importantly, Fly Duo has the potential to become a long-term, scalable system — expanding to new destinations, seasonal campaigns, and travel-based challenges.

  
  

PERSONAL NOTE
Fly Duo reflects a simple truth I’ve seen in myself and others: we learn best when we have someplace meaningful to go. This project turns that emotional behavior into a strategic learning system. Not just making people learn more but making them excited to keep going.