Expedia Study: Travelers Use AI to Plan but Won't Let It Book

New research published by Expedia Group today puts a number on something the industry has been circling for a while: travelers are willing to use AI for inspiration and trip planning, but when it comes to committing money, most still want a recognized brand involved.

The study, conducted by YouGov across 5,700 adults in the United States, United Kingdom, and India, found that 53% of travelers are comfortable with AI-generated recommendations and 48% value the time savings AI tools provide. At the same time, 68% said they prefer to complete bookings through established, trusted brands rather than through an AI agent. Two-thirds — 66% — are unwilling to let AI handle purchases on their behalf without their direct involvement in the transaction.

Planning vs. booking: a meaningful split

The finding matters because it carves up the travel journey at a strategically important point. The top of the funnel, where travelers browse destinations, compare dates, and explore options, is increasingly AI territory. But the moment of purchase, where trust and accountability are most at stake, still flows through brands that travelers know.

Expedia has been building toward this argument for some time. Chief executive Ariane Gorin said earlier in the year that the company's edge in an AI-disrupted landscape comes from its position as a trusted intermediary: "Travelers want to know that we've got their back." The new research gives that claim empirical backing.

Operationally, Expedia is moving fast in the same direction. The company's chief financial officer noted in February that AI agents now handle more than half of all inbound customer queries, evidence of how deeply AI has been embedded in post-booking support. Expedia is also integrating its platforms with Amazon Alexa+ and other major AI assistants, aiming to ensure its brands show up in the planning phase before purchase intent crystallizes.

What it means for property operators

For hotel and short-term rental operators, the study reinforces a point worth sitting with: OTA distribution is not just a traffic channel. It is a trust proxy. Travelers booking through Expedia, Booking.com, or Airbnb are not only finding properties there; they are relying on the platform's brand to absorb some of the risk of a transaction they cannot fully verify in advance.

That means investing in OTA profile quality — reviews, photography, pricing accuracy, response times — is not just a conversion tactic. It is participation in a trust chain that the research suggests travelers are reluctant to bypass, even as AI tools become more capable.

The cross-market design of the study also hints at divergence between the US and UK versus India, where comfort with AI-assisted purchasing tends to be higher. Operators targeting Indian travelers specifically may find AI-integrated booking flows have more traction than in Western markets.

Expedia Group's Q1 2026 results are due May 7.