Addressing the L2B Ratio Explosion
AI is reshaping travel search, causing the look-to-book (L2B) ratio to explode. OAG data shows early online booking required 100-200 searches per ticket, now closer to 10,000-20,000, and potentially 200,000 in the future. This raises serving costs and threatens pricing infrastructure. Solutions discussed include caching, intelligence layers, and indicative pricing.
Impact and considerations
Rising search costs could impact airline pricing and distribution efficiency, requiring innovative solutions.
Key points
- L2B ratio rose from 100-200 searches per booking to 10,000-20,000.
- Agentic AI could push L2B to 200,000 searches per booking.
- Rising search costs threaten airline pricing infrastructure.
- Solutions include caching, intelligence layers, and indicative pricing.
- GDSs are considering adding value through an intelligence layer.
Sources and time
- Primary source
- PhocusWire / Phocuswright
- Other sources
- 0
- First source publication
- 9 Jul 2026, 15:00
- Page published
- 13 Aug 2026, 08:13
- Last updated
- 9 Jul 2026, 15:00
- Original links
- PhocusWire All News：Addressing the L2B ratio explosion (opens in a new tab)Primary source · en · Published 9 Jul 2026, 15:00