From Keywords to Conversations
The biggest change in travel planning is the shift from rigid search boxes to natural conversations. Instead of manually applying filters for price, dates, and amenities, you can now simply tell the app what you want. Platforms like Kayak, Expedia, and India’s
own MakeMyTrip are integrating conversational AI that understands plain language. You can type or speak a request like, “Find me a family-friendly hotel in Goa with a pool for the last week of December under ₹15,000 a night,” and the AI will do the heavy lifting, instantly serving up relevant options. This moves the experience from a manual search to a guided conversation, making it faster and more intuitive.
Your Personal Itinerary Builder
Beyond just finding flights and hotels, AI is excelling at building complete, custom itineraries. This is where the technology truly feels like a personal travel agent. You can give a vague prompt, such as “plan a relaxing 5-day trip to the Kerala backwaters” or “a 10-day adventurous trip through Rajasthan,” and the AI can generate a day-by-day plan. These AI-generated schedules often include suggestions for attractions, restaurants, and even factor in travel time between locations. Global players like Expedia have introduced tools like 'Activity Planner' and local-focused apps like TripVexa allow you to generate an entire plan, which you can then tweak and personalise.
Smarter Group and Budget Planning
Planning a trip with friends or family introduces a new layer of complexity, from coordinating dates to managing a shared budget. AI is stepping in to solve this headache. Expedia's new assistant, Romie, can be added to a group chat to help everyone agree on a destination and build an itinerary together. It can summarise conversations to understand the group's preferences and find options that work for everyone. On the budget front, AI tools are getting better at helping you see the big picture. They can compare package deals versus booking separately and even use historical data to suggest whether a flight price is a good deal or likely to drop.
Real-Time Help, Before and During Your Trip
The assistance doesn't stop once the booking is complete. Many apps are using AI to provide real-time support. Before you leave, tools like PackPoint can generate a customised packing list based on your destination's weather and planned activities. During your travels, AI assistants like Google Gemini can act as a live guide in your pocket. You can use your phone's camera to translate menus, learn about a monument you're looking at, or find an alternative plan if rain washes out your beach day. Similarly, MakeMyTrip's updated AI assistant, Myra, can handle post-booking queries and even help with cancellations or changes directly in the chat.
The Human Touch Still Matters
While AI offers incredible convenience, it's still a co-pilot, not the pilot. The technology is rapidly evolving, with surveys showing a high awareness among travellers, even if adoption is still catching up. These tools are excellent for accelerating research, discovering new options, and handling the logistical heavy lifting that used to take hours. However, it's wise to treat AI-generated plans as a fantastic first draft. Always double-check critical details like visa requirements, booking conditions, and the final price. The best approach is to use AI to narrow down the choices, and then apply your own judgment to make the final call, combining the best of machine efficiency with human experience.
