Can a BigCommerce site be made ADA compliant for travel and hospitality?

Yes, provided the merchant or development team applies WCAG 2.2 AA at the source code and content level. No platform — including BigCommerce — guarantees compliance automatically.

What does the DOT require for airline websites?

Under the Air Carrier Access Act and DOT regulations (14 CFR Part 382), primary public-facing airline web pages and core functions must conform to WCAG 2.0 AA. The 2024 final rule strengthens these requirements and adds explicit penalties for non-compliance.

Are hotel "accessible room" filters required?

Effectively yes. ADA Title III requires hotels to provide accessibility information at the time of reservation, including details sufficient for a guest with a disability to determine room suitability. DOJ guidance and many settlements require filterable, structured accessibility data — not a buried PDF.

Is BigCommerce accessible?

The platform supports accessibility; merchant configuration determines whether the final site conforms.

Can a BigCommerce site be made ADA compliant for travel and hospitality?

Yes, provided the merchant or development team applies WCAG 2.2 AA at the source code and content level. No platform — including BigCommerce — guarantees compliance automatically.

What does the DOT require for airline websites?

Under the Air Carrier Access Act and DOT regulations (14 CFR Part 382), primary public-facing airline web pages and core functions must conform to WCAG 2.0 AA. The 2024 final rule strengthens these requirements and adds explicit penalties for non-compliance.

Are hotel "accessible room" filters required?

Effectively yes. ADA Title III requires hotels to provide accessibility information at the time of reservation, including details sufficient for a guest with a disability to determine room suitability. DOJ guidance and many settlements require filterable, structured accessibility data — not a buried PDF.

Is BigCommerce accessible?

The platform supports accessibility; merchant configuration determines whether the final site conforms.

guide

BigCommerce accessibility for travel and hospitality: setup, plugins, and audit checklist

Running an accessible BigCommerce site for travel and hospitality combines two layers of responsibility: BigCommerce's platform-level accessibility, and the travel & hospitality-specific compliance frameworks — ACAA (US airlines), ADA Title III (hotels), EAA (EU passenger transport) — that layer on top.

AccessivePath Research · IAAP-aligned research team3 min readPublished November 1, 2025· Updated May 10, 2026

Why BigCommerce for travel and hospitality?

BigCommerce accessibility relies on accessibility-conscious Stencil themes (Cornerstone is the most-accessible reference), accessible app selection, and merchant discipline on content — the platform supports WCAG 2.2 AA conformance but does not enforce it.

Travel & Hospitality accessibility — the regulated reality

Travel and hospitality accessibility covers airline and hotel websites, booking platforms, loyalty portals, and travel apps — a regulatory must under the Air Carrier Access Act for US airlines, the EAA for EU passenger transport, the ADA for hotels and tour operators, and the DOT's 2024 final rule on airline website accessibility.

BigCommerce accessibility challenges that hit travel and hospitality hardest

• Cornerstone theme variants

• Third-party app injections

• Inaccessible quickview overlays

Travel & Hospitality pain points your BigCommerce site will likely have

• Inaccessible booking calendars and seat-selection maps

• No way to specify accessibility needs in booking flow

• "Accessible room" filters that do not actually filter

• Inaccessible boarding-pass / e-ticket PDFs

• Inaccessible loyalty-portal account management

Setup steps

1. Use Cornerstone: Most-accessible default.

2. Audit installed apps: Each app injects markup.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Cited answers. Sourced. Updated as standards and case law change.

Can a BigCommerce site be made ADA compliant for travel and hospitality?
Yes, provided the merchant or development team applies WCAG 2.2 AA at the source code and content level. No platform — including BigCommerce — guarantees compliance automatically.
What does the DOT require for airline websites?
Under the Air Carrier Access Act and DOT regulations (14 CFR Part 382), primary public-facing airline web pages and core functions must conform to WCAG 2.0 AA. The 2024 final rule strengthens these requirements and adds explicit penalties for non-compliance.
Are hotel "accessible room" filters required?
Effectively yes. ADA Title III requires hotels to provide accessibility information at the time of reservation, including details sufficient for a guest with a disability to determine room suitability. DOJ guidance and many settlements require filterable, structured accessibility data — not a buried PDF.
Is BigCommerce accessible?
The platform supports accessibility; merchant configuration determines whether the final site conforms.

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