How AI can make travel easier, cheaper, and more personalized

Houston - Every day, we hear about new ways artificial intelligence is being put to use.  Now AI is changing the way we travel by saving money, personalizing experiences, and can even make some travel safer.

We talked with Christianne Klein, founder of FoodFamilyTravel.com, who’s been trying out these new AI travel features. 

Using AI planning tools

First, she says AI-powered travel apps can help you plan trips, including iPlan.ai, Layla, Guide Geek. Many travelers also use ChatGPT.

They can help create itineraries, find sites and restaurants, even help you plan how much time you'll need to get from one side of a town to a museum on the other side of town.  

Klein says these tools can help you find lower-cost travel options and avoid dynamic pricing.

"You can say What’s the best way to get there? What are the cheapest flights that might not be advertised?  What would be helpful for me? Compare round trips and one-way fares? There are so many ways to use these tools that get around those dynamic pricing issues that we see in this industry," explained Klein.

AI-personalized hospitality

Restaurant

Some restaurants are also using AI to plan menus and cut down on wasteful food ordering with predictive AI.

Klein says some fine dining establishments are creating menus using an AI chef, programming that she has trained under renown chefs, to plan dishes she would have been trained to make.

While other restaurants are creating personalized menus for your preferences, allergies, and suggesting wine pairings.

Hotels

Hotels are using AI in a variety of ways to personalize experiences.

Klein says Four Seasons has an AI-powered website that handles everything from dinner reservations to spa bookings, often anticipating your questions before you ask.  

Marriott is using AI to help event planners design customized weddings and conferences.

Hilton uses AI to adjust room settings and recommendations for returning guests in a Smart room.  The Peninsula Hotels are using your preferences, such as room temperature, pillow type, or favorite beverage, to create familiar experiences when you check in again.

In Las Vegas, Klein says hotels use AI to predict peak check-in and dining times and to optimize housekeeping.

"So if you’re staying at a Hilton in Rome, and they know you prefer 68 degrees at night and 72 during the day, and that you prefer a south-facing room, that now goes in the system. And the next time you stay at a Hilton in Times Square or Las Vegas or Chicago, they will automatically have it set for 68 at night, 72 in the day, and in a south-facing room," said Klein.

AI luggage and car seats

AI is also being built into some luggage.  You may have seen a robotic suitcase in an airport with a traveler riding it like a scooter.

And AI has been incorporated into child safety seats made by Cybex.  The seat has "SenorSafe" technology connected to a mobile app, alerting parents to how the child is doing in the car seat.

"It will tell you, OK, the child has now escaped.  They've opened that latch up, they're no longer safe.  It will tell them if it’s getting too warm for them, if they're getting too much sun.  And if someone goes out of the car, it will start beeping to let you know the child is still in the back," said Klein.

Klein says as more hotels, restaurants, and airlines begin to incorporate AI, you can expect to have more personalized services.