Hilton has introduced an AI-powered trip planner built on Anthropic technology. The tool allows users to input travel ideas in plain language to receive suggestions for destinations, hotels, and itineraries. Launched in March, the planner initially operated in beta on the company website and is currently expanding to the Hilton Honors mobile application.
By August, the system had engaged in over 18,000 conversations with guests. Popular search destinations included Orlando, Aspen, Chicago, New York City, and the Caribbean. Hilton plans to integrate additional large language models into its platform, including Google Gemini and OpenAI models, to further enhance the booking experience.
CEO Chris Nassetta stated that over 80% of Hilton’s business is currently direct, and the company views AI as a method to strengthen these customer relationships. While the company is also developing a Claude connector to display property details and pricing, management does not anticipate that AI will fundamentally alter the hotel booking system in the near term.
Market data indicates varying levels of consumer trust in AI for travel. According to Hilton’s 2027 Trends report, 63% of travelers trust AI for general decision-making, while only 22% trust it to create personalized itineraries. Industry forecasts from IDC suggest that AI agents could handle 30% of all travel bookings by 2030.
