New Amadeus study: While 3 in 4 U.S. travelers use AI for travel planning, trust must grow when it comes to bookings
Tailored Horizons reveals U.S. travelers still want human oversight when it comes to money and final decision-making during the travel experience
AI is now part of the travel experience, with 85% of U.S. travelers agreeing that AI tools save time and provide more personalized recommendations, according to new Amadeus report, Tailored Horizons.
Almost three-quarters of U.S. travelers, 74%, have used AI during the planning stage of a trip to help identify hotels, routes, and ground transportation options. More than half, 53%, use AI for inspiration, while 49% use it during their journey for real-time information such as flight updates, navigation, weather, and local recommendations.
However, confidence dramatically declines as AI moves from making suggestions to taking action.
While 65% of travelers are interested in completing booking and payment directly within an AI assistant, only 20% would allow an AI tool to spend money on their behalf within a set budget without additional approval. The largest group, 43%, would allow it only with certain conditions or restrictions, while 29% would not allow it at all.
“Travelers are increasingly turning to AI for inspiration, personalization, and real‑time support. Trust remains essential to that journey. AI can help simplify choices and make travel planning more relevant, but travelers still want confidence, reassurance, and ultimately the final say when it comes to making important travel decisions.”
Rajiv Rajian EVP and Chief Commercial Officer, Americas, Amadeus
AI is delivering on personalization
Findings from Tailored Horizons show that personalization is the key driver of AI adoption. Travelers are most interested in AI support that delivers practical value at the right moment, with local guidance once they arrive (55%); budget-aware suggestions (52%); and real-time rebooking when plans change (49%), ranking as the most useful capabilities.
AI is already creating moments of delight, with 43% of travelers saying they have received genuinely surprising or impressive AI travel options more than once, and another 26% saying this has happened at least once. However, personalization still has room to improve: 64% say they have experienced AI recommending familiar destinations or options rather than broadening their choices.
Lack of willingness to pay for AI assistants
Despite enthusiasm for AI, travelers do not expect it to become a standalone paid service. Half of U.S. travelers believe travel companies should provide AI assistance at no additional cost, while only 4% believe AI assistance will become essential enough to justify a premium price.
Trust also depends on transparency, control, and responsible use of data. Travelers are broadly willing to share information when they see a clear benefit, with the most valued exchanges including finding better prices or deals (55%); saving time when searching or booking (51%); and receiving better recommendations (46%).
For Amadeus, this reinforces the need to scale AI responsibly across travel, combining trusted data, integrated technology, and human oversight at the moments that matter.
Travelers are most comfortable sharing travel preferences (63%); budget preferences (58%); and previous booking history (48%). However, they remain more cautious with sensitive information such as payment details (21%), and identity information (19%).
Even as travelers embrace AI, they continue to verify advice. Nearly nine in ten cross-check AI-generated suggestions before booking, with 42% always visiting other travel websites to confirm recommendations and 47% doing so sometimes. Only 11% rely solely on AI recommendations.
Human support remains essential at key moments
When things go wrong during a trip, travelers still prefer speaking with a person, with phone support (37%) and in-person assistance (25%) ranking ahead of AI bots or conversational assistants (7%). Similarly, only 17% would trust an AI assistant alone to plan a trip, while 51% want a combination of AI and human expertise.
“Amadeus research suggests the future of travel personalization will be defined by AI that is designed to recognize traveler preferences and context, help anticipate their needs, and support better decisions — while keeping people in control when it matters most.”
Jay Richmond Vice President, Solutions Consulting, Amadeus
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