AI adoption is redefining how we explore the world
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a forward-looking promise in the travel industry; it’s a functional reality that is already transforming how millions discover, plan, and book their trips. A recent study of over 9,000 consumers reveals a significant and rapid uptick in UK travellers using AI-powered platforms, with adoption increasing by 61% year-on-year[1].
Even more telling is the behavioural shift among younger travellers. Millennials and Gen Z—digital natives with high expectations for customisation—have led a 183% growth in AI-driven travel usage in just one year, significantly outpacing overall year on year usage in the UK since 2024. These figures speak not only to technological readiness but to changing consumer values: convenience, personalisation and relevance are becoming non-negotiable.
As travel demand continues to rebound and evolve, the integration of AI is fast becoming the cornerstone of modern travel experiences.
Personalisation is no longer optional—it’s expected
Perhaps the most visible impact of AI on travel lies in the domain of personalisation. What began as basic filtering and sorting of options has matured into full-scale prediction and recommendation engines that learn, adapt, and deliver highly relevant itineraries.
Travel platforms powered by proprietary AI, such as Opodo and eDreams, are now harnessing vast datasets to anticipate needs before users even articulate them. This is particularly valuable in a sector where every traveller brings different priorities—budget, timing, interests, accessibility, and more. For instance, the preferences of a solo backpacker differ dramatically from those of a family with young children or a business traveller navigating tight schedules.
Consumers have made it clear: they are frustrated with generic results and repetitive inputs. A substantial 44% of UK travellers cite a lack of personalisation as a key booking frustration, while 37% are overwhelmed by the time it takes to filter out irrelevant options[2]. Among 25–34-year-olds, those numbers rise even higher, pointing to a generational demand for smarter, faster, more adaptive tools. These reported consumer frustrations have created a clear mandate for the travel industry.
By deploying AI to remove friction from these processes, platforms are responding to the clear call for a more intelligent travel experience—one that feels effortless, tailored, and intuitive.
Behind the scenes: How AI streamlines the journey
Beyond the front-end interface, AI is also revolutionising internal operations across the travel sector. For example, our proprietary AI at is engineered to process over 100 million daily searches to generate 6 billion predictions per day. This predictive capability allows for the precise anticipation of individual customer needs, automatically filtering out irrelevant options and ensuring highly personalised results that resonate deeply with user preferences—directly addressing some of the most frustrating aspects of travel highlighted by the market research.
This kind of predictive power doesn’t just improve the user experience; it enables platforms to operate with greater efficiency and agility. Real-time trend analysis helps optimise inventory and pricing strategies, while dynamic recommendation engines improve marketing precision. All of this helps companies meet demand in smarter, more sustainable ways.
Crucially, these capabilities are not developed overnight. The most effective AI-driven systems reflect years of iterative investment and learning. Their ability to parse immense volumes of data and deliver context-specific results is what ultimately determines their impact, not only on the user journey but on the travel business ecosystem as a whole.
Consumer expectations are driving innovation
The shift toward AI-first travel experiences is not solely a product of technological advancement; it is a direct response to consumer behaviour. In today’s mobile-first world, where most travel planning occurs on small screens, relevance and brevity are key.
Users don’t want to scroll through hundreds of options. They want smart suggestions that reflect their individual needs, in formats that are fast and easy to navigate. When asked how AI should support them with planning travel, UK travellers prioritised help with finding the best-value flights (40%), suitable accommodation (29%), and discovering new destinations (28%). These preferences reflect a desire for more than automation—they reflect a desire for inspiration, efficiency, and clarity.
Moreover, this trend spans all age groups. While younger demographics are leading adoption, older generations are quickly following. Nearly half (48%) of UK consumers over 55 say they’ve used AI for travel for the first time in the past 12 months, highlighting the broadening relevance of this technology[3]. Across all age groups, the study reveals that planning and booking trips tops the list of areas where consumers leverage technology for decision-making.
Redefining supply in a world of choice
The traditional one-size-fits-all travel model, which was built around static, pre-defined packages, is increasingly out of sync with consumer preferences. Today’s travellers want flexibility, control, and the ability to create dynamic combinations of flights, accommodation, and activities.
AI makes this level of modularity possible. It breaks down travel into adaptable components, offering suggestions based on both personal context and broader travel trends. This is particularly critical in a market as diverse and competitive as travel, where relevance is currency.
The ability to deliver consistent, high-quality results at scale hinges on the sophistication of a platform’s underlying AI. Those that can interpret intent, evaluate billions of options in real time, and fine-tune recommendations are emerging as leaders—not by offering more, but by offering better.
This is also shifting expectations industry-wide. Consumers who are accustomed to personalised experiences in media, commerce, and social platforms now demand the same from travel. According to McKinsey, 71% of consumers are more likely to book with brands that offer tailored recommendations and customised travel experiences[4], a statistic that reinforces the growing centrality of personalisation to brand trust and loyalty.
The future of travel is being written in code
As the travel industry prepares for the next chapter of growth, AI will remain a critical enabler; both as a competitive differentiator and as an operational backbone.
The platforms that thrive will be those that move beyond seeing AI as a feature and instead adopt it as a foundational principle. They will use data not just to automate, but to learn and evolve. They will focus on delivering not just content, but context. And they will invest not just in technology, but in understanding the travellers they serve.
With continued government interest in AI skill development and rising consumer familiarity with AI-enabled experiences, the UK stands well-positioned to lead this next wave of transformation.
Ultimately, the value of AI in travel is not in replacing human decision-making—it’s in enhancing it. By giving travellers smarter tools, more relevant choices, and less friction at every step, AI empowers people to explore the world on their own terms. This widespread preference for tech assistance in travel underscores the industry’s unique position at the forefront of AI adoption.
