MakeMyTrip, Ixigo Partner with OpenAI to Turn Travel Chat into Bookings

Two major Indian online travel brands, MakeMyTrip and ixigo, announced partnerships with OpenAI. MakeMyTrip said it will use OpenAI’s APIs to add new AI features that help travelers move from casual trip ideas to an actual booking inside its experience, including via its Myra interface. Ixigo said it is expanding AI deployment across ixigo and its brands, including ConfirmTkt and AbhiBus, using OpenAI’s enterprise tools.

Why OTAs are doing this now

Travel planning usually starts out messy: “Where should I go?” or “What’s best for my budget?” People then jump between apps, reviews, maps, and airline sites. That creates drop-offs before checkout. OTAs believe conversational AI can keep travelers in a single guided flow by asking clarifying questions (dates, budget, preferences), narrowing options, and presenting bookable choices more quickly. The business goal is simple: better conversion, lower support pressure, and a smoother path from inspiration to purchase.

What each company is trying to build

MakeMyTrip is positioning AI as a front-end that captures high-intent questions and routes users toward bookable outcomes—meaning it is not only giving suggestions, but also helping finalize a plan. Ixigo is emphasizing agentic AI and automation at scale. In plain language, that points to AI that can complete tasks end-to-end (like monitoring fares, triggering actions, and supporting service workflows), not just answer questions like a traditional chatbot.

What to expect next

Company statements frame these as active products and operations rollouts, not pilot experiments. The next thing to watch is execution: how quickly features appear in the apps, and whether they handle “money moments” well—fare rules, cancellations, refunds, and disruptions. OTAs that make AI reliable in those situations can win trust and repeat bookings, not just attention.

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