The travel industry is experiencing its most significant disruption since the rise of online booking sites 25 years ago. AI agents from OpenAI, Google, and others aren't just suggesting flights anymore – they're autonomously booking entire trips, potentially bypassing the very platforms where many of us earn our precious points and miles.

The bottom line: This shift could fundamentally change how you accumulate and redeem rewards, making some strategies obsolete while creating entirely new opportunities. Here's what every points enthusiast needs to understand about this rapidly evolving landscape.

The AI Revolution Happening Right Now

Major travel platforms are scrambling to counter what they see as an existential threat. Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb are all racing to deploy their own AI agents after realizing that OpenAI's Operator, Google's Gemini, and other autonomous systems could completely bypass their websites.

Think about it: Why would travelers visit Expedia to compare hotels when ChatGPT can research options, negotiate rates, and complete bookings directly with suppliers? This isn't theoretical anymore – these AI agents are already live and processing real bookings.

The numbers tell the story: Navan's AI agent alone handles over 150,000 travel chats monthly, resolving more than half without human intervention. Meanwhile, the AI tourism market is projected to explode from current levels to over $1 billion annually as adoption accelerates.

Why Traditional Booking Sites Are Panicking

For decades, online travel agencies (OTAs) like Booking.com and Expedia have operated as middlemen, charging airlines and hotels 15-20% commission while offering travelers convenience and comparison shopping. This $1.6 trillion market now faces a fundamental threat.

AI agents can bypass these intermediaries entirely, going directly to suppliers or finding better deals through alternative channels. As one industry expert put it: "This isn't about AI assistants anymore; it's about fully autonomous agent networks that execute complex workflows in real time."

The response has been swift but defensive. Booking.com CEO Glenn Fogel recently told the Financial Times: "We don't have to do what OpenAI, Google, Grok or Meta are doing... [all of whom] are having to invest incredible amounts of money to build these models." Translation: We're hoping our existing advantages can fend off this disruption.

What This Means for Your Points Strategy

This shift creates both opportunities and challenges for points and miles enthusiasts:

The Challenges

Portal earnings could disappear: Many of us rely on shopping portals like Chase's Ultimate Rewards portal or airline shopping portals to earn bonus points. If AI agents book directly with suppliers, these earning opportunities might vanish.

Loyalty program bypassing: AI agents optimize for price and convenience, not loyalty program benefits. They might book you on the cheapest flight without considering that you're 5,000 miles away from elite status on your preferred airline.

Credit card category confusion: Your travel credit card earns bonus points on "travel purchases," but what happens when an AI agent books through unconventional channels that don't code as travel?

The Opportunities

Better deal discovery: AI agents excel at finding hidden inventory and comparing prices across platforms humans never check. This could mean more opportunities to book cheap cash rates and save your points for higher-value redemptions.

Complex itinerary optimization: Planning multi-city trips with different alliance partners just got easier. AI agents can optimize routing across multiple loyalty programs simultaneously.

Dynamic strategy adjustment: Instead of manually monitoring award space and pricing, AI could continuously optimize your bookings based on changing availability and your specific goals.

How Travel Companies Are Fighting Back

The industry's response has been fascinating to watch:

Booking.com is integrating OpenAI's models into their own platform, essentially trying to beat AI agents by becoming one. Their new AI features can handle complex queries like "find me a family-friendly hotel in Barcelona with a pool, near the beach, under $200/night."

Expedia launched "Trip Matching" – an AI tool that creates itineraries based on Instagram reels, then books everything through Expedia's ecosystem. Smart move to keep transactions in-house.

Airbnb deployed an AI customer service agent and promises more "agentic" functions in 2025. They're betting that better service will maintain customer loyalty.

Kayak is building AI agents specifically for booking completion, addressing their biggest weakness – having to send customers elsewhere to finish transactions.

The Real Winners and Losers

Winners:

• Airlines and hotels who can reduce their dependence on OTAs and their hefty commission fees
• Travelers seeking simplicity who don't optimize for points and just want the best deal
• Tech-savvy points enthusiasts who learn to work with AI agents as sophisticated research tools

Losers:

• Traditional OTAs unless they successfully transform into AI-first platforms
• Casual points earners who rely on simple portal strategies that may disappear
• Travel agents handling routine bookings (though complex trip planning remains human territory)

Your Action Plan for the AI Travel Future

Short-term (Next 12 months):

1. Diversify your earning strategies beyond shopping portals
2. Focus on credit card spending rather than portal dependence
3. Learn to use AI tools like ChatGPT for research while booking traditionally
4. Monitor your loyalty programs for changes in how they integrate with AI agents

Long-term (2-3 years):

1. Expect hybrid booking workflows where AI researches and you complete transactions
2. Prepare for new earning categories as credit cards adapt to AI-driven bookings
3. Develop AI prompts that include your loyalty program preferences and point-earning goals
4. Stay informed about which platforms maintain the best rewards integration

The Bottom Line

This transformation represents the most significant shift in travel booking since Expedia launched in 1996. While it creates uncertainty around traditional points-earning methods, it also opens new possibilities for those willing to adapt.

The key is staying informed and flexible. AI agents aren't going away – they're getting smarter every month. The points and miles enthusiasts who thrive will be those who learn to work with these tools while maintaining focus on maximizing travel value.

Remember: The goal isn't to resist this change but to understand it early and position yourself advantageously. Whether you're booking through an AI agent or a traditional site, the fundamental principle remains the same – maximize your earning potential while getting the travel experiences you want.

Want to stay ahead of industry changes that impact your points strategy? Check out our analysis of Delta's AI pricing system and Chase's new Points Boost feature to understand how technology is reshaping reward optimization. Plus, make sure you have the right travel credit cards positioned for whatever changes come next.

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