Amadeus Study: 74% of U.S. Travelers Use AI for Trip Planning

According to a new Amadeus report titled Tailored Horizons, 74 percent of U.S. travelers use artificial intelligence during the trip planning stage to identify hotels, routes, and ground transportation. While 85 percent of travelers agree these tools save time and provide personalized recommendations, consumer trust declines sharply when automated assistants move from making suggestions to taking financial action. [1]

How are travelers deploying artificial intelligence before and during trips?

Travelers primarily utilize artificial intelligence to gather ideas and manage logistics, according to Hotel Business. [2] More than half of U.S. travelers, 53 percent, rely on the technology for trip inspiration. [2] During the actual journey, 49 percent of travelers turn to automated tools for real-time information, which includes flight updates, navigation assistance, weather forecasts, and local recommendations. [2]

Personalization drives this adoption, with consumers seeking practical value at specific moments during their trips. [1] The most useful capabilities ranked by travelers include local guidance upon arrival, cited by 55 percent of respondents. [1] Budget-aware suggestions followed closely at 52 percent, while 49 percent of travelers prioritized real-time rebooking capabilities when their plans change. [1]

Asian Hospitality reported that the technology is already generating unexpected options for users. [1] Forty-three percent of travelers stated they received genuinely surprising or impressive travel options from artificial intelligence more than once, and another 26 percent experienced this at least once. [2] However, 64 percent of respondents noted that the tools often recommend familiar destinations rather than broadening their choices, showing room for improvement in personalization. [1]

Where do consumers draw the line on automated spending?

While interest in using digital assistants for transactions is high, travelers want to maintain final approval over their budgets. [1] The Amadeus report found that 65 percent of travelers are interested in completing their bookings and payments directly within an artificial intelligence assistant. [2]

Despite this interest, only 20 percent of travelers would allow a tool to spend money on their behalf within a set budget without requiring additional approval. [2] The largest segment of respondents, 43 percent, would only permit automated spending under certain conditions or restrictions. [2] Meanwhile, 29 percent of travelers refuse to allow automated tools to spend their money at all. [1]

What personal information will guests trade for better deals?

Trust in automated platforms depends heavily on transparency, control, and responsible data use, according to Hotel Business. [2] Travelers are broadly willing to hand over personal information when they receive a clear benefit in return. [2] Fifty-five percent of respondents will share data to find better prices or deals, 51 percent will do so to save time when searching or booking, and 46 percent will share information to receive better recommendations. [1]

As the table above illustrates, travelers remain highly protective of sensitive financial and personal identification data, even as they freely share their general travel habits. [2]

Do guests trust automated recommendations without verification?

Even as travelers embrace new planning tools, they continue to verify the advice they receive. [1] Nearly nine in 10 travelers cross-check suggestions generated by artificial intelligence before finalizing a booking. [2] Specifically, 42 percent of travelers always visit other travel websites to confirm the recommendations, and 47 percent do so sometimes. [2] Only 11 percent of U.S. travelers rely solely on automated recommendations. [1]

Overall confidence in planning an entire trip using only automated tools remains low. [1] Just 17 percent of travelers trust an artificial intelligence assistant alone to plan a trip. [2] The majority, 51 percent, prefer a combination of automated tools and human expertise. [2]

What are the expectations for human support when problems arise?

When disruptions occur during a journey, travelers overwhelmingly prefer traditional customer service channels over automated bots. [1] Thirty-seven percent of travelers prefer phone support when things go wrong, and 25 percent prefer in-person assistance. [2] In contrast, only 7 percent of travelers want to deal with bots or conversational assistants during a travel crisis. [1]

A separate Amadeus report highlighted that generating qualified leads and standing out in a competitive market are the top challenges facing hotel and venue sales teams worldwide in 2026. [1] As planners evaluate more options, response speed plays a larger role in purchasing decisions, reinforcing the need for efficient human support. [1]

Will artificial intelligence become a paid premium service?

Travelers do not expect to pay extra for automated planning features. [1] Half of U.S. travelers believe that travel companies should provide these digital assistants at no additional cost. [2] Only 4 percent of respondents believe the technology provides enough essential value to justify a premium price. [1]