AI agents reshape travel bookings, challenging traditional distribution models

Skift reported that AI agents are now actively booking travel, with one exclusive agent handling over $1 billion in annual transactions, half related to travel. This development is prompting significant shifts in who controls the customer relationship and the economics of travel commerce.

According to Skift Research, while AI and chatbots currently have a low comfort score of -7% among travelers, the discovery process is evolving from 'search-scroll-compare' to 'ask-shortlist-decide.' This indicates a growing traveler openness to AI-assisted booking in the future.

Travel companies, including hotels and airlines, are competing to optimize their presence for AI discoverability. However, they face a dilemma: increasing reliance on AI platforms may lead to losing direct customer relationships, forcing them to weigh the value of distribution against customer control.

The Skift Commerce Summit 2026 focuses on these challenges, bringing together senior commerce leaders to make critical decisions about integrating AI into travel commerce and determining who will control bookings and customer data moving forward.