Expedia Group Reveals ‘The AI Trust Gap’: Travelers Embrace AI for Planning but Rely on Trusted Brands to Book
Expedia Group Reveals ‘The AI Trust Gap’: Travelers Embrace AI for Planning but Rely on Trusted Brands to Book
New report finds nearly 70% of travelers prefer booking with trusted travel brands over AI chatbots and agents
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today Expedia Group released The AI Trust Gap report, revealing a growing disconnect between how travelers use AI chatbots and agents and where they book. While AI is quickly becoming a go-to tool for trip planning and inspiration, travelers still overwhelmingly rely on trusted travel brands for booking and support.
Travelers don't have a technology problem with AI. They have a trust problem.
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The Expedia Group survey, which interviewed more than 5,700 adults across the U.S., U.K., and India, highlights a defining shift in travel: AI is reshaping discovery, but trust — not technology — is the deciding factor in where travelers transact.
Travelers embrace AI for discovery and planning
Expedia Group research shows that travelers are open to using AI chatbots and agents to help with planning a trip:
- 53% are comfortable letting AI suggest travel options
- 42% use or would use AI to monitor prices
- 40% use AI to help build itineraries
- Nearly half (48%) say AI saves them time and helps them discover places they wouldn’t have found otherwise
However, traditional channels still dominate trip planning
Even as travelers experiment with AI, familiar tools continue to lead in the planning phase:
- Only 8% of travelers in the U.S. and U.K. currently rely on AI chatbots and agents, such as ChatGPT or Gemini, when planning a trip
- By comparison, 59% use search engines
- And 49% use online travel agencies
When it’s time to book, travelers still turn to trusted brands
Despite growing comfort with using AI in the planning phase, travelers are not ready to transact with the technology: The AI Trust Gap is most pronounced at the point of purchase, where travelers clearly favor trusted travel brands over AI booking tools:
- The majority, 68%, prefer to book with a trusted travel brand over AI chatbots and agents, even when AI booking is available
- Two-thirds (66%) say they would not trust an AI assistant to buy or book anything on their behalf
- Very few (8%) feel comfortable booking through an AI platform
Travelers’ concerns about AI-driven transactions center on:
- Loss of control (57%)
- Data/payment detail privacy (57%)
- Misuse of personal data (56%)
Travelers want accountability – not just automation
As a high-stakes category, travel amplifies the importance of trust in both technology and customer support . When something goes wrong, travelers expect reliable support and real accountability:
- More than a third (40%) of travelers are concerned about poor customer service if something goes wrong after AI has made a purchase
"Travelers don't have a technology problem with AI. They have a trust problem," said Xavi Amatriain, Chief AI & Data Officer at Expedia Group. "AI is already transforming how people plan, discover and experience travel. But travelers aren’t interested in booking a trip through an AI chatbot, and what’s holding them back isn’t model quality or features. It’s trust. Trust in travel isn’t built through technology alone. It’s built through real-world relationships and assets, strong customer support, and decades of deep industry knowledge. That kind of foundation takes time to build."
What this means for the travel ecosystem
For the travel industry, this creates both a challenge and an opportunity. Travelers are starting to plan their trips in new places — AI assistants, conversational search, and social platforms — but they are still booking and managing their trips where trust is strongest. This fragmentation makes distribution more complex, but also more critical across the full journey.
The opportunity lies in offering innovative, AI-powered experiences at every stage of the traveler journey, while being the trusted place where travelers discover, book, manage, and complete their trips.
To read more about The AI Trust Gap in travel and explore additional findings, visit the Expedia Group partner blog.
Methodology
The AI Trust Gap research, which was commissioned by Expedia Group and conducted by YouGov, surveyed more than 5,700 adults across the U.S., U.K., and India from March 10-25, 2026. The survey explored attitudes toward AI across the full travel journey, including planning, booking, and in-trip support, as well as trust, concerns, and future expectations.
About Expedia Group
Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) is the global travel marketplace with one purpose: to help travelers explore the world, one journey at a time. Expedia Group™ connects travelers, partners, and advertisers through its trusted brands, leading technology, and rich first-party data, delivering predictive, personalized experiences that shape the future of travel.
Expedia Group’s ecosystem includes three flagship consumer brands – Expedia®, Hotels.com®, and Vrbo® – the largest B2B travel business, and a premier advertising network. Guided by an experienced and passionate global team, Expedia Group helps millions of travelers in more than 70 countries explore the world with confidence and ease.
© 2026 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Expedia Group and the Expedia Group logo are trademarks of Expedia, Inc. CST: 2029030-50.
