Airlines Southwest and easyJet launch ChatGPT booking plugins

Major airlines are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence into the travel planning process through ChatGPT plugins. Southwest Airlines has launched a bespoke plugin developed in partnership with OpenAI and Amazon Web Services (AWS). This tool allows users to seek travel inspiration or provide specific dates and destinations to find offers, eventually directing them to the airline's website to finalize bookings.

Similarly, easyJet has introduced a ChatGPT integration that enables travelers to search for flights and package holidays, view live pricing and availability, and check flight status via conversational prompts. While the AI assists with research and discovery, customers are directed to easyJet’s official websites to complete their purchases.

The shift follows industry research indicating a growing reliance on AI for trip planning. easyJet reported a significant increase in organic traffic from ChatGPT to its flight and holiday websites, noting that a majority of travelers already using AI for planning utilize ChatGPT.