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More than ten airlines, both domestic and international, have started utilizing a new ticketing service integrated into a popular AI assistant developed by a major Chinese tech company. Launched just before the Lunar New Year, this service helps users find flights that best match their individual preferences.
Partnering with the company’s online travel platform, the AI ticketing tool has rapidly gained traction, collaborating with airlines such as China Eastern, China Southern, Juneyao, Hong Kong Airlines, Emirates, United Airlines, and others since its debut on February 11. An insider from the civil aviation industry shared that the service allows users to search for flights with specific features—like Wi-Fi on board—and quickly retrieve multiple options, complete with details like departure times, prices, and other features. Once a user selects the most suitable flight, they can purchase tickets directly through the travel platform.
Traditionally slow to adopt new digital tools, many airlines have swiftly aligned with this AI-powered service to capitalize on the significant traffic potential it offers. Management representatives explained that this move is also aimed at leveraging ticket discounts provided by large language model (LLM) companies to draw in more customers, especially younger travelers.
Airlines are increasingly looking beyond traditional customer acquisition channels, recognizing a shift in how consumers book flights and what they expect from their travel experience. The AI assistant offers tailored travel options based on user requests, compares the advantages and disadvantages of each, and even provides recommendations and tips to avoid common pitfalls. To encourage adoption, the service offers discounts ranging from approximately $3 to $44 per ticket.
During the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday period, which concluded on February 23, orders for flight tickets generated through the AI assistant showed a remarkable 540% increase compared to the nine days prior. The average ticket price for these bookings was over 700 yuan, and the trend of daily bookings persisted even after the holiday, a representative noted.
Collaborating with large language model developers gives airlines an affordable way to attract new customers while speeding up their product and service innovation within the AI ecosystem. This approach helps airlines meet the diverse and personalized needs of modern travelers, according to an industry expert.
Over the past six decades, the global process of selling flight tickets has continually evolved. The integration of AI is now poised to usher in a new era in airline sales, transforming how tickets are marketed and purchased.
AI-assisted booking services are still in the early stages of developing user habits, and large-scale implementation will require ongoing improvements and updates to the underlying language models. Such advancements will allow AI to better understand individual preferences and enable airlines to offer a broader range of personalized products tailored to various customer needs.
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