United Airlines bans AI agents from booking flights over security concerns

United Airlines announced a ban on artificial intelligence agents making flight reservations on behalf of travelers, citing security risks and the possibility of violating federal regulations, CBS MoneyWatch reported.

The airline highlighted concerns that AI agents require access to customers' personal information, including payment credentials, which could expose sensitive data or lead to unintended purchases and account changes.

United also noted that AI agents performing tasks like flight check-in could breach federal rules that require travelers to verify in person that their luggage does not contain banned substances.

To address these issues, United is updating its booking and ticketing policies to restrict AI agent access both directly on its digital platforms and indirectly through travel agencies and aggregators.

An aviation analyst told CBS News that United aims to maintain control over the booking process and avoid additional costs associated with increased AI-driven flight searches, contrasting with other airlines like Southwest that have taken different approaches to AI integration.