How long does the Duffel interview process take?

Most candidates spend between 4 and 8 weeks from recruiter screen to offer. The onsite loop itself runs in a single day or is split across two half-days, with debrief and offer typically within 5 business days after.

How should I prepare specifically for Duffel?

Focus on three things: (1) the company DNA shown above — what they actually grade for, (2) the rounds in your loop, especially the round most candidates underestimate, and (3) drilling on the question types in this guide using a structured framework like CIRCLES or STAR.

Does this apply to engineering or design roles at Duffel?

The DNA stays the same — what changes is the round mix. SWE candidates face coding screens instead of Product Sense; designers face portfolio reviews and design exercises. The "what they value" and behavioral signals carry across all functions.

Other roles at Duffel:Product Manager Software Engineer Sales Customer Success Solutions Architect

Growth · Solutions Architect Interview Guide

Applies via Ashby

How to Pass the Duffel Solutions Architect Interview in 2026

The Duffel DNA (TL;DR)

Duffel values candidates who demonstrate strong analytical problem-solving, technical proficiency, and a deep understanding of API-first products. They seek individuals who are proactive, customer-centric (especially for developer users), and thrive in a fast-paced, evolving travel tech landscape.

The Duffel Interview Loop

Your onsite loop will typically consist of 5 rounds.

1
Round 1
Recruiter Screen
Motivation, technical depth, customer-facing experience, fit.
2
Round 2
Technical Discovery
Diagnosing customer technical context, integration requirements, scoping a fit.
3
Round 3
Architecture Demo
Presenting a reference architecture live, defending design choices, handling depth-of-knowledge probes.
4
Round 4
Sales Pitch / Co-Sell
Working with an AE on a mock customer call, anchoring value, navigating objections.
5
Round 5
Behavioral / Leadership
Past evidence of ownership, influence, resolving conflict.

The Danger Zone: Top Reasons Candidates Fail

Based on our database of Duffel interview outcomes, avoid these common traps:

Blaming the other party entirely without taking responsibility for their own role in the conflict.
Blaming the other person without discussing their perspective.
Focusing only on the negative aspects without highlighting learning or positive outcomes.
Failing to articulate the specific actions taken beyond their defined role or the positive impact achieved.

Test Yourself: Real Duffel Questions

Three real prompts pulled from our database.

Type · Conflict Resolution

Tell me about a time you faced a significant conflict with a team member or manager. What was the situation, and how did you resolve it?

Type · Influence

Describe a situation where you had to persuade a skeptical colleague or stakeholder to adopt your point of view or approach. How did you do it?

Type · Technical Depth

Walk me through your understanding of API integrations and how you'd approach troubleshooting a common integration issue between a travel management system and an airline API.

+ many more questions, signals, and worked examples

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Duffel Interview Question Bank

A sample from our database, grouped by round. Sign up to see the full set.

10 of 22 questions shown

Recruiter Screen

1
Type · Motivation
What interests you about the Solutions Architect role at Duffel, specifically within the travel industry?
2
Type · Customer-Facing Experience
Describe a time you had to explain a complex technical concept to a non-technical stakeholder. What was the situation, your approach, and the outcome?
+ 1 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)

Technical Discovery

3
Type · Scoping Fit
A mid-sized travel agency wants to use Duffel to automate flight bookings for their corporate clients. What key questions would you ask to understand their current workflow, technical stack, and integration needs?
4
Type · Diagnosing Context
Imagine a customer is struggling with high latency when fetching flight data via Duffel's API. What are the potential causes you'd investigate, and how would you prioritize your investigation?
+ 2 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)

Architecture Demo

5
Type · Reference Architecture
Present a high-level architecture for integrating Duffel's flight booking API into a typical e-commerce website, highlighting key components and data flows. Be prepared to defend your design choices.
6
Type · Depth of Knowledge
How would you design a system to handle real-time flight availability updates and price changes for a large number of concurrent users browsing a travel site using Duffel?
+ 1 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)

Sales Pitch / Co-Sell

7
Type · Value Anchoring
An airline is hesitant to adopt Duffel, citing concerns about disrupting their existing direct booking channels. How would you position Duffel's value proposition to address their concerns and highlight the benefits?
8
Type · Navigating Objections
During a mock sales call, a potential customer expresses concern that integrating with Duffel will be too complex and time-consuming, potentially delaying their product launch. How do you respond?

Behavioral / Leadership

9
Type · Conflict Resolution
Tell me about a time you had a significant disagreement with a cross-functional team member (e.g., engineer, designer, marketer) about a product decision. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?
10
Type · Ownership
Tell me about a time you took ownership of a problem that wasn't strictly within your job description. What was the situation, and what did you do?
+ 8 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)