Airbnb plans to launch AI travel agent in 2027, will help users plan and book entire trips

Airbnb plans to launch an AI-powered travel agent in the first half of 2027. The agent will help users discover destinations, compare stays, plan itineraries and book entire trips, while also assisting with reservations, refunds and other travel-related issues.

From picking your holiday destination to finding the right stay and planning what to do next, there's a lot that goes into organising a trip. Airbnb wants an AI agent to help with all of it. The company is building an AI-powered travel agent that will help users explore places, compare stays, plan itineraries and book entire trips. It will also assist travellers with issues that may come up during their holidays, from changing reservations to getting refunds.

Airbnb announced the launch timeline in its third-quarter 2026 shareholder letter on Thursday, via TechCrunch. The company says it plans to roll out the AI travel agent in the first half of 2027, giving users a new way to plan, explore and book their holiday.

What is Airbnb's AI travel agent and how will it work?

According to the report, Airbnb's AI travel agent will work differently from the chatbots users may be familiar with. Instead of simply answering questions through text, it will bring up different travel options in a more visual format. Users will be able to browse photographs, compare properties and explore places before deciding where to go.

For instance, someone looking for a holiday stay could see maps, property photos, comparisons, calendars and suggested itineraries, depending on what they ask for. Airbnb says the agent will use hundreds of travel-specific interface elements, putting together the ones relevant to a user's request in real time.

Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO, describes the experience as something that will feel "a little bit like generative UI". This means the interface will adapt to a traveller's needs rather than simply responding through a traditional chat window.

The agent will also help users beyond the booking stage. According to Airbnb, travellers will be able to use it to change reservations, resolve payment issues, request refunds, rebook stays and get round-the-clock safety support. The company reportedly believes its existing booking and customer support infrastructure will allow its AI agent to handle these requests more easily than an external AI assistant.

Why is Airbnb building an AI travel agent?

During the company's earnings call, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky explained why travel planning needs a different approach to AI. He said planning a holiday is not the same as asking an AI assistant to book a restaurant table or schedule an appointment. Travellers enjoy discovering destinations, browsing properties and deciding where to go with friends and family. A chatbot that simply responds with blocks of text may not offer the same experience.

Chesky said 80 per cent of travellers enjoy researching trips. They want to look at photographs, compare homes and discuss their choices with fellow travellers. Airbnb believes a travel-specific AI agent would be better suited to this kind of planning than a general-purpose AI assistant.

The company also plans to draw on its nearly 20 years of experience connecting hosts and guests. This could give its AI agent an advantage when helping users with bookings and travel-related requests. Airbnb says it eventually wants the agent to cover more than accommodation, including hotels, services and experiences.

The AI announcement comes alongside a strong quarter for Airbnb. The company reported third-quarter revenue of $4.87 billion, up 19 per cent year-on-year and above Wall Street estimates.