AI Becomes a Traveler'sPlanning Companion

AI tools now rival traditional methods in how people organize their trip
42%
Use AI Assistants
|
74%
Adoption Interest
|
927
Survey Respondents

Top Sources Travelers Use When Planning Travel

Most commonly used resources for travel planning (respondents could choose multiple options)

100%75%50%25%0%
84%
Search engines (Google/Bing)
42%
AI assistants (ChatGPT, Bard)
38%
Booking/review platforms
31%
Social media
23%
Human travel agents
20%
Friends or relatives
Percentage (%)

📰 Key Insights

AI assistants have quickly become travelers' second-most-used planning tool, surpassing booking platforms, social media, and even human recommendations.

Search engines remain the dominant starting point, but AI is now the primary companion for creating structure around a trip.

  • AI is used by 42% of travelers, placing it above booking/review platforms (38%) and social media (31%).
  • Reliance on human travel agents and personal recommendations continues to fall, at just 23% and 20%.
  • Travelers increasingly see AI as a personalized advisor that simplifies research before they book.

What Do Travelers Use AI For When Planning Trips?

Survey question asked: "What tasks do you typically use AI tools for when planning a trip?"

Finding the right hotel or flight
66%
Comparing destinations
53%
Building daily itineraries
44%
Understanding visa requirements
29%
Budgeting or tracking trip costs
22%

🎯 Key Insights

Travelers rely on AI most for research and decision support, particularly when selecting hotels, flights, and destinations.

Two out of three users look to AI to identify the best places to stay or the most affordable flights, reflecting a shift away from digging through dozens of tabs and review sites.

AI is also becoming a creative partner during trip discovery. More than half use it to compare destinations, and 44 percent lean on it to build daily itineraries that match their interests.

  • 66% use AI to find hotels and flights, making it the top use case.
  • 53% rely on AI to compare destinations during early research.
  • 44% use AI to create customized itineraries.
  • Adoption drops for visa info (29%) and budgeting (22%), highlighting future development opportunities.

When Travelers Start Planning, Do They Begin with AI?

At what point in your travel planning process do you typically use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Bard, Copilot)?

19%24%28%29%
19% Start planning directly with AI
24% Use AI after initial research
28% Haven't tried AI yet but plan to
29% Never used AI for travel planning

📊 Key Insights

AI is steadily moving earlier into the travel planning journey.

Nearly 1 in 5 travelers now start planning directly with AI, using it as their first stop for inspiration and direction. Another 24 percent turn to AI after some initial research, usually to refine options around their trip.

Twenty-eight percent haven't tried AI yet but intend to, signaling strong momentum as tools improve. Only 29 percent say they've never used AI and have no plans to, making this the minority segment.

  • 19% begin planning with AI from the start.
  • 24% use AI after initial research to shape details.
  • 28% are prospective users, indicating significant room for growth.
  • Only 29% remain outside the AI travel ecosystem.

How Often Do Travelers Use AI When Planning?

How frequently do you use AI tools to help with travel planning?

25%18%28%29%
25% I've used AI on multiple trips
18% I've tried it once or twice
28% Not yet, but I'm interested
29% I've never used AI for trip planning

🗓️ Key Insights

A quarter of travelers say they've used AI on multiple trips, suggesting early users find enough value to return.

Another 18 percent have tried AI once or twice, reflecting a large pool of casual users who may deepen usage as tools get better.

The future pipeline remains strong. Twenty-eight percent haven't used AI yet but are interested, pushing total adoption or interest to more than 70 percent. Only 29 percent report never using AI for trip planning at all.

  • 25% are repeat users, showing ongoing value.
  • Another 18% have experimented casually.
  • 28% are waiting in the wings, representing strong growth potential.
  • Just 29% remain disengaged from AI travel tools.

What Features Would Make AI Planning Tools Better?

Most requested features in AI travel planning tools

Real-time alerts for price drops
69%
Voice assistant integration
56%
Cross-platform syncing
48%
Smart filters for interests
45%
Localized insights & safety tips
38%

Feature Insight

The top request by far is real-time price monitoring, with 69 percent wanting AI that automatically flags flight or hotel deals. This shows that cost savings remain a core priority, and travelers expect AI to act as a financial assistant.

Voice integration follows closely at 56 percent, pointing to a growing desire for hands-free assistance while researching or traveling.

Nearly half also want cross-platform syncing, signaling frustration with tools that don't remember preferences or past searches.

More personalized filtering and richer local context round out the list. Forty-five percent want smarter recommendations based on interests, while 38 percent want safety insights that adapt to destination, season, and travel style.

  • 69% want real-time price alerts, underscoring the importance of savings.
  • 56% are looking for voice integration and hands-free convenience.
  • 48% want seamless syncing across devices.
  • Deeper personalization and localized safety data remain valuable secondary priorities.

How Confident Are Travelers in AI's Accuracy?

How confident are you in the accuracy of AI-generated travel advice?

22%46%24%8%
22% Very confident — it's usually spot on
46% Somewhat confident — I double check
24% Not very confident — I verify elsewhere
8% Not at all confident

📉 Key Insights

Trust in AI travel advice is growing, but most travelers still see it as a starting point rather than a final authority.

Nearly half of the respondents fall into the middle ground. 46% are somewhat confident in AI recommendations but still double-check key details.

Another 22% say they're very confident, relying on AI with minimal verification.

At the same time, 24% remain cautious, routinely validating information elsewhere, while only 8% express no trust at all.

This suggests that skepticism is shrinking, but transparency and source clarity are still critical for broader adoption.

  • 22% trust AI enough to rely on it with little review.
  • 46% feel confident but still verify details.
  • 24% are hesitant and seek outside confirmation.
  • Only 8% lack confidence entirely.

📋 About This Study

  • Source: All-in-One AI "Travel Planning 2025" research
  • Sample Size: 927 international travelers
  • Geographies: U.S., EU, Southeast Asia
  • Survey Dates: April 2025
  • Methodology: Mixed-methods online survey; respondents screened for at least one trip in past 12 months. Questions covered planning behavior, AI tool experience, trust, and preferences.