Expedia Says AI Inspires Trips but Travelers Still Book With Brand

Expedia Group says travelers are becoming more comfortable with AI when planning trips, but most still do not trust it to complete the booking.

In a new report released on April 14, the company said people are happy to use AI for ideas, recommendations, and itinerary building, yet they still prefer to book through a travel brand they already know.

Travelers like AI for planning, but not for payment

Expedia’s survey shows that travelers are open to AI in the early part of the journey.

According to the company,

• 53 percent are comfortable with AI suggesting travel options,
• 42 percent would use it to track prices, and
• 40 percent would use it to help build an itinerary.
• Nearly half also said AI saves time and helps them discover places they may not have found otherwise.

But that confidence drops once booking enters the picture. Expedia said

• 68 percent would rather book with a trusted travel brand than through an AI chatbot or agent.
• Another 66 percent said they would not trust AI to make a purchase on their behalf.
• Only 8 percent said they feel comfortable booking through an AI platform.

Trust is harder to earn in travel

Travel is different from many other online purchases because the booking is only one part of the experience. A trip may later involve cancellations, delays, refunds, schedule changes, or customer service problems. In those situations, travelers usually want a company they can contact directly and hold responsible.

Expedia says the biggest concerns around AI bookings include loss of control, privacy around payment and personal data, and uncertainty about support if something goes wrong after the transaction. AI may be useful as a planning assistant, but many travelers still do not see it as a reliable seller.

Expedia is still betting on AI across the travel journey

Expedia has been using AI not only inside its own consumer products, but also across partner-facing tools and new discovery channels, showing that it wants to stay present wherever travelers begin searching and planning trips. The company is expanding across AI platforms and partnerships, including work with OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.

Photo by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash