What the latest data tells us about the future of the journey.
We recently reviewed several new industry reports and surveys about AI in travel. The findings show that AI is no longer just a trend—it is now central to the travel experience. As we move into 2026, there is a growing gap between brands that are scaling these technologies and those that risk falling behind in a more automated market.
The shift
The travel industry is facing a major shift, much like when GDS arrived in the 1960s or the Internet in the 1990s. We are moving past simply testing Large Language Models and stepping into a new phase of AI in travel. Now, airline and hospitality CEOs need to rethink the passenger journey to make it smarter and effortless. The majority of executives today see AI as the most transformative technology of the past generation. Travel leaders who do not close the gap between people and technology and scale up AI by 2027 may find their brands falling behind in an AI-driven market.
To succeed, organisations should focus on creating better experiences, not just processing transactions, and treat data as the key to global mobility.
Data-driven benchmark: universal prioritisation
Brands now need strong data foundations to stay competitive. The 2026 AI & Data Leadership Survey shows that using AI well means investing in both data quality and how organisations are set up.
As the market changes, executive priorities are shifting quickly:
- 99.1% Investment Priority: Investing in data and AI is now almost required for global brands.
- 92.7% Data Quality focus: The push for AI has led to a major effort to clean up data foundations.
- Production-at-Scale explosion: Two years ago, just 4.7% of firms used AI at scale. Now, that number has jumped to 39.1%.
While the technology is ready, people remain the biggest challenge. More than 90% of executives say that culture and change management are the main barriers to adoption. For older airlines, success depends on how quickly their teams can adapt. Bridging the gap between people and technology is now essential for survival.
Beyond the chatbot: the rise of Agentic AI
The industry is moving from Generative AI Advisors, which provide guidance, to Agentic AI Executors that can act on their own. Unlike reactive bots, these AI agents can make decisions, work with older systems, and solve complex travel problems by themselves.
Agentic AI addresses the industry's "middleware" problem, which used to involve connecting separate legacy systems. By managing the "Passenger’s Digital Twin"—a data profile that includes biometrics and e-ink bag tags—AI agents reduce the need for repeated document checks and manual entries. This lets staff spend more time on valuable human interactions.
Takeaways for travel leaders
Technology is driving the intelligence departure, but cultural change is leading the way. Surveys show that 97.1% of executives believe AI will have a positive long-term impact if it supports, rather than replaces, the human touch.
- Close the gap between people and technology by addressing the 93.2% cultural challenge. Invest in training to prevent AI fatigue and help staff use AI as a tool.
- Focus on making your data easy for machines to read. Go beyond SEO and aim for Agentic Optimisation. If your data cannot be used by different systems, your brand will be invisible to the next generation of travellers.
- Update your technology plans to move from basic chatbots to autonomous agents that can handle rebooking and refunds on their own.
- Adopt the Digital Twin approach by making sure all passenger data, such as preferences, biometrics, and bag tags, is unified. This will help create a seamless, Ready to Fly experience.
Resources:
- AI & Data Leadership Executive Benchmark Survey, Randy Bean (Foreword by Thomas H. Davenport), 2026
- Remapping Travel with Agentic AI, McKinsey & Company / Skift, 2025
- Travel 2045: A 20-Year Outlook for the AI Era, OAG, 2026
- How AI is Reshaping Every Step of the Traveller Journey, TNMT, 2025
- The 'Ready to Fly' Revolution, Ink Innovation, 2026
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