Most U.S. travelers are now using artificial intelligence platforms to research or book their trips, which is the fastest behavioral shift in a decade, according to Phocuswright’s newest report.
The study found that more than half of travelers (56%) used AI for at least one trip in the last year, which is more than double the amount in 2024.
"AI has crossed the threshold from curiosity to utility,” said Pete Comeau, managing director of Phocuswright.
Comeau says that travelers are no longer just experimenting with AI but integrating it into their research and trip design.
He calls it “a structural shift, and it’s happening faster than anything we’ve tracked in the past decade.”
However, travelers are still wary of AI results, with only 8% of AI users saying that AI answers alone were sufficient. Half of AI users (51%) usually double check AI recommendations by clicking through to source websites.
AI is definitely reducing clickthrough in search overall, but travel is much more resilient because it’s higher stakes and verification-heavy, especially in the transaction phase.
"This violates the common narrative of a zero-click world,” said Mike Coletta, senior manager of research and innovation at Phocuswright. “AI is definitely reducing clickthrough in search overall, but travel is much more resilient because it’s higher stakes and verification-heavy, especially in the transaction phase. Which helps explain why Google and the OTAs continue to report solid financial results.”
The majority of millennials (74%) report using AI, followed by Gen Z (72%), Gen X (50%) and baby boomers (27%).
AI is also increasingly being used beyond the research phase for real-time destination support. According to the research, half (51%) of travelers use AI for post-arrival recommendations on what to do. The majority (95%) say that AI is helpful for in-destination tasks such as navigation, managing reservations and learning about neighborhoods.
