Travelers today expect seamless, personalized experiences from the moment they start planning a trip to the moment they return home. For airlines, hotels, and rental car companies, that means delivering consistent, high-quality service across every touchpoint, all while managing high support volumes and unpredictable disruptions.

AI agents are a powerful solution to these challenges. Unlike traditional chatbots, AI agents can understand context, execute multi-step processes, and communicate in natural, empathetic ways across languages. They integrate directly with existing systems to handle flight reservations, room check-ins, and last-minute rental extensions.

By reducing friction and scaling support during peak periods, AI agents help travel and hospitality companies meet modern customer expectations while controlling costs. They turn moments of stress into moments of trust, and routine interactions into brand-building experiences.

Here are five ways AI agents are transforming travel and hospitality CX today.

1. Handling disruptions and seasonal surges without breaking stride

Weather delays, equipment issues, staffing shortages, and peak travel periods can derail even the best plans. Airlines, hotels, and rental car companies must manage these “irregular operations” quickly to minimize customer frustration and operational strain.

AI agents make it possible to scale instantly, without the need for complex staff planning or scrambling for temporary support. Whether it’s an unexpected storm or the holiday travel rush, they can proactively notify travelers, present alternative options, and carry out rebookings or adjustments in real time.

With Decagon, travel brands can handle large volumes without sacrificing quality. Agent Operating Procedures (AOPs) ensure every rebooking or reroute follows your business rules exactly, while built-in guardrails keep responses on-brand and escalate sensitive conversations to human representatives. Even in high-pressure moments, customers get fast, empathetic service they can trust.

2. Resolving bookings and account needs in minutes, not hours

Changing, canceling, or extending reservations is one of the most common reasons customers reach out, but also one of the most frustrating if the process takes too long. Imagine running late and needing to push back a hotel check-in, only to sit on hold for 40 minutes before being told you’ve called the wrong department. Situations like this don’t just waste time; they add stress to moments when travelers need quick, clear support.

Decagon’s AI agents eliminate those delays by handling the entire workflow from start to finish. They connect directly to booking engines, CRMs, and payment platforms, using integrations and tools to make changes instantly and accurately. This direct system access means no back-and-forth, no lost details, and no delays to keep travelers moving.

3. Acting as a personal travel concierge

Beyond transportation and lodging, travelers want experiences that are tailored to their preferences. AI agents can make recommendations based on trip themes, loyalty status, and past preferences, then book add-ons like restaurant reservations, spa treatments, or premium car upgrades on the spot.

Decagon’s AI agents work across chat, email, voice, and other channels to deliver concierge-level service wherever customers prefer to engage. From confirming a late hotel checkout over chat to booking a scenic car rental upgrade via phone, the experience is consistent, personal, and always on-brand.

4. Converting service moments into revenue moments

Moments of service are also moments to grow revenue if they’re handled thoughtfully. AI agents can identify opportunities for upsells like business-class seating, hotel suite upgrades, or premium vehicle rentals. They can also offer save-the-sale incentives during cancellations, turning a lost booking into a retained customer.

Decagon’s flexible AI platform makes this simple, adapting to your specific offers, pricing rules, and customer segments. Whether suggesting trip insurance, an airport transfer, or a local tour, the system ensures the right offer appears at the right time without interrupting the flow of the conversation.

5. Turning support into operational intelligence

Every traveler interaction contains valuable data, but most companies lack the tools to mine it effectively. Conversational AI platforms change that. By analyzing conversations at scale, brands can uncover patterns like recurring complaints, emerging service gaps, or sudden spikes in support demand. These insights enable teams to address root causes before they escalate.

Decagon turns this data into action. Watchtower acts as an always-on QA layer, reviewing every conversation against your custom criteria. Ask AI makes it easy to query past interactions and instantly pull insights for product, service, or operational decisions. Combined with Decagon’s broader analytics capabilities, these tools help travel and hospitality brands transform support from a cost center into a source of strategic intelligence.

Ready to reimagine travel and hospitality?

Decagon helps airlines, hotels, and rental car companies resolve disruptions, manage bookings, and uncover insights that keep travelers happy and operations smooth. But the future is about more than fixing problems; it’s about creating journeys that feel effortless.

We’re building AI agents that anticipate needs, offer upgrades at the perfect moment, and coordinate every detail across air, stay, and ground in a single conversation. They’ll act as proactive travel companions, elevating experiences and strengthening loyalty.

Request a demo to see how Decagon helps leading travel and hospitality brands create trips worth remembering.