Travellers don’t have a technology problem with artificial intelligence but they do have a trust problem, according to Expedia’s AI Trust Gap Report, which found that while travellers are increasingly comfortable using AI in a supporting role, most are not keen on relying on it to book.
The report shows 53% of travellers surveyed are comfortable letting AI suggest options, 42% would use AI to monitor prices and determine the best time to book and 40% would use AI to help build itineraries.
However, when it comes time to actually book, some 66% stated they wouldn’t do so via AI, with the main reason behind this being a lack of trust.
Some 57% stated that they don’t like the loss of control that comes with letting AI book their trip, with 57% citing concerns regarding data privacy and 56% saying they have concerns over the misuse of personal data.
Expedia states that while AI is becoming a powerful discovery tool, it hasn’t replaced the need for trusted travel platforms.
“AI chatbots excel at low-stakes tasks like summarisation, but it can’t call a hotel at 2am to fix a booking error, rebook after a cancellation or advocate for a traveller if something goes wrong mid-trip; only a trusted travel brand can,” says the report.
Check out the full report HERE.
. . . Supporting Survey
Expedia is not alone in its findings; the Global Rescue Winter 2026 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey also found that while 36% of travellers expect to use AI in some capacity when planning travel in 2026, another 36% say they will not use AI for travel planning at all.
That reluctance grows when AI suggests destinations travellers have never considered, with 41% saying they would be unlikely to travel to a destination recommended by AI, in fact just 1% say they would be very likely to trust the recommendation outright.
“Travellers are interested in AI, but they are not ready to hand over control,” says Dan Richards, ceo of The Global Rescue Companies.
“AI is viewed as a helpful assistant, not a trusted authority, particularly when safety, cost and risk are involved.”
