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

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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.

Rajiv Rajian, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer, Americas, Amadeus, says, “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.”

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.

Jay Richmond, Vice President, Solutions Consulting, Amadeus, says, “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.”

Download the full report here.

Notes to editors

Methodology

Working with research partner Mercury Analytics, Amadeus questioned 1,000 U.S.-based travelers in July 2026 – 500 of whom identified as traveling regularly for business. Tailored Horizons also features input from executives at Amadeus, AMGINE, Gant Travel, HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions), and Navan.

About Amadeus

Amadeus makes the experience of travel better for everyone, everywhere by inspiring innovation, partnerships and responsibility to people, places and planet.

As the system of record in travel, our technology powers the travel and tourism industry, enabling airlines, airports, hotels, travel sellers and partners to operate at global scale. Built on decades of industry expertise, our open platform connects hundreds of systems and workflows across the end-to-end journey, helping the industry respond to evolving traveler expectations and transforming how travel works.

Amadeus integrates innovative and transformational technologies – from artificial intelligence and cloud computing to biometrics and advanced data capabilities – seamlessly and at scale across the travel ecosystem. As the embedded and neutral execution layer, we orchestrate the AI enabled travel ecosystem to make travel work smarter. By connecting suppliers, sellers and digital assistants to trusted, dynamic travel data, AI reinforces and augments the Amadeus platform.

We are also committed to making travel a force for social and environmental good, working collectively with partners to help protect the people and places we visit and ensure travel continues to have a positive impact on the world.

With a truly diverse workforce spanning more than 150 nationalities, Amadeus brings together deep technology expertise and a passion for travel.

We are an IBEX 35 company, listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange under AMS.MC, and have been recognized by the Dow Jones Best-in-Class World Index for 14 consecutive years.

Amadeus. It’s how travel works better.

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