Travel Has Started Weighing AI’s Worth

Travel's AI race is entering a more disciplined phase, with companies increasingly explicit about AI's value. Booking and Airbnb demonstrate measurable ROI: Airbnb's support cost per booking fell ~16% YoY, with ~45% of issues resolved without a human. Expedia's recommendations and search ranking boost conversions, while natural-language search yields 60%+ more traveler-intent data but not yet direct conversions. Sabre and Amadeus invest in AI infrastructure ahead of clear payoff, viewing consumer agentic travel as medium-to-long-term.