Agentic AI in Travel

Disclosure: Despite the author's history with Hilton, this article summarizes public information from a variety of published sources. No proprietary information was utilized.

In the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, agentic AI stands out as a game-changer for industries requiring real-time decision-making and personalization. Unlike traditional AI that reacts to inputs, agentic systems autonomously plan, execute tasks and adapt, handling multi-step workflows like booking adjustments or itinerary management. 

According to a Fall 2025 McKinsey report, Remapping Travel with Agentic AI,  travel and hospitality are prime for this shift, with potential applications in faster room assignments, predictive maintenance, and dynamic menus. As adoption accelerates, leading companies are moving from pilots to production, delivering efficiency gains and enhanced guest experiences. Here are real-world examples from major players in hospitality.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Wyndham has rolled out its "Agentic AI by Wyndham" initiative, launching over 250 AI agents, marking one of the hotel industry's first large-scale deployments of agentic AI.  They partnered with several companies on the initiative, including OpenAI, Canary Technologies, Salesforce and Oracle. These agents handle guest interactions such as modifying bookings, offering personalized travel recommendations, and managing upsells like early check-ins or room upgrades. In production across properties, they've processed hundreds of thousands of calls, reducing average handle time by about 25% and boosting loyalty program enrollments by 300 basis points. Additionally, Wyndham franchisees use AI Voice agents for inbound calls, providing booking support and answering queries in real-time. This initiative not only streamlines operations but also frees staff for high-touch service, with brand review times cut by 94% in some cases.

IHG Hotels & Resorts

IHG leverages Google's Vertex AI and Gemini models for a generative AI-powered travel planning tool within its mobile app, enabling agentic capabilities like personalized itineraries based on guest preferences and real-time data. The system autonomously suggests accommodations, activities, and adjustments, enhancing user engagement. In partnership with Genesys Cloud, IHG deploys AI orchestration for guest experiences, automating support workflows and integrating data for proactive service. Cynthia Czabala, IHG's VP of AI and innovation, describes operational AI use as "a no-brainer," noting efficiencies in tasks like reservations and compliance. This approach unifies guest data for better personalization, driving loyalty and reducing friction in bookings.

Hilton

Hilton employs agentic AI in its chatbots, which handle complex guest queries and drive four times higher conversion rates in AI-assisted searches compared to traditional methods. Matthew Wilson, Hilton's VP of analytics, data science, and AI, highlights how these systems optimize operations and personalization. Through a partnership with Be My Eyes, Hilton enhances accessibility using OpenAI's GPT-4 for visual assistance in hotels, allowing AI to describe surroundings for visually impaired guests. The company sees agentic AI expanding over the next 12-24 months for tasks like predictive problem-solving, building on proprietary data for tailored experiences and efficiency.

Marriott International

Marriott is pioneering an "agentic mesh"—a cloud-native AI architecture that orchestrates autonomous agents across systems like reservations and property management. This allows reusable capabilities, such as dynamic pricing or maintenance requests. Renaissance Hotels' RENAI concierge uses agentic AI to curate local experiences, from dining to activities, based on guest data. For Homes & Villas, a generative AI search tool goes beyond location-based queries, autonomously planning full trips. CIO Naveen Manga emphasizes this horizontal layer for scalability, reducing errors and enabling real-time adjustments.

Expedia

Expedia Group is aggressively advancing agentic AI to create proactive, autonomous travel experiences that go beyond suggestions to full execution. Leveraging its vast dataset (over 70 petabytes) for billions of predictions annually, the company envisions agentic systems as digital concierges that compose complete itineraries, book accommodations and activities, and autonomously handle disruptions like rebooking flights or shifting plans during delays/weather events. Chief AI and Data Officer Xavier Amatriain emphasizes agentic technologies as key to "seamless end-to-end travel experiences," positioning Expedia as a leader in the shift toward adaptive, action-oriented AI in the industry.

Agentic AI provides a new frontier of automation and functionality for travel, and as agentic AI matures, hospitality leaders will utilize its power to transform guest journeys and operations. With benefits like cost savings, higher conversions, and personalized service, the industry is poised for broader adoption, though challenges in data integration and trust remain. 

Read the full report from McKinsey: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/travel/our-insights/remapping-travel-with-agentic-ai