AI reshapes travel booking
Trade outlets reported that AI systems are increasingly automating itinerary planning and discovery, changing how travellers search and book local services. Coverage described a shift toward smarter, low-friction booking experiences driven by AI tools. (travelandtourworld.com) (travelandtourworld.com)
Travel booking is shifting from search boxes to chat-style assistants that build trips, suggest hotels and activities, and increasingly handle the booking itself. (bookingholdings.com) Booking.com said its AI Trip Planner lets travelers ask for destination ideas, accommodation options, and city or regional itineraries in plain language. Booking Holdings said in February 2026 that its brands serve consumers and local partners in more than 220 countries and territories. (bookingholdings.com 1) (bookingholdings.com 2) Expedia Group expanded that model in 2025 with AI tools for both consumers and partners. The company said its AI Agent can surface real-time prices, guest reviews, and images during trip planning, while its October 9, 2025 B2B launch added Smart Trip AI for hotel and activity inspiration. (expediagroup.com 1) (expediagroup.com 2) Airbnb has pushed the same low-friction approach on the service side. In its 2025 Winter Release and third-quarter 2025 results, Airbnb said it expanded AI-powered customer support, added smarter search, and let users cancel or change reservation dates directly from chat. (airbnb.com 1) (airbnb.com 2) The basic idea is simple: instead of opening ten tabs to compare flights, hotels, maps, and tours, travelers type a request and the system assembles options in one place. Expedia’s developer hub says partners can deploy these tools as traveler-facing assistants or give them to agents to speed up complex bookings. (expediagroup.com) Travel companies are building these tools as more travelers say they will use them. SiteMinder’s 2025 survey, cited by Statista, found almost 80% of travelers globally were open to using artificial intelligence for planning, booking, and experiencing a trip, while Amadeus said 42% of consumers use artificial intelligence for travel planning to save time and 37% use it for personalized recommendations. (statista.com) (amadeus.com) The change is reaching hotels as well as online travel agencies. A March 2, 2026 Boston Consulting Group and New York University School of Professional Studies analysis said 37% of travelers already use large language model tools embedded in travel sites to plan and book trips, and described hotel discovery as moving from “search and scroll” to “ask and book.” (bcg.com) That shift also changes who controls discovery. The same March 2026 analysis said online travel agency commissions remain at 15% to 30%, while recommendation systems increasingly determine which properties and services get surfaced first. (bcg.com) Travel companies are also widening the funnel beyond rooms and flights. Airbnb’s May 13, 2025 summer release rebuilt its app around homes, services, and experiences, while Booking.com and Expedia both describe artificial intelligence tools that can connect lodging with local activities inside the same planning flow. (airbnb.com) (bookingholdings.com) (expediagroup.com) The industry’s bet is that trip planning will look less like comparison shopping and more like messaging a concierge. The companies racing to build those assistants are trying to own not just the booking page, but the moment a traveler first asks where to go. (phocuswire.com)
