ChatGPT becomes a travel booking interface: How AI is redefining customer journeys in the travel industry

From conversation to conversion 

Until now, travel planning required multiple touchpoints, from search engines to price aggregators to online travel agencies (OTAs). ChatGPT’s new Apps SDK changes that paradigm. Users can now interact conversationally with integrated apps such as Expedia, Booking.com, and Zillow to check availability, explore destinations, and complete bookings, all within a single, AI-driven dialogue. 

This integration, powered by the Model Context Protocol (MCP), enables secure, real-time data exchanges between ChatGPT and third-party systems. For the user, the experience feels intuitive and seamless. For the industry, it represents the convergence of conversational AI and transactional commerce. 

Strategic implications for the travel ecosystem 

The new AI-powered booking model brings both opportunity and risk: 

• For online travel agencies and global brands: This is a natural extension of their distribution footprint. Being “discoverable in chat” becomes a new competitive advantage. 

• For independent hotels and regional operators: The challenge intensifies. As online travel agencies gain deeper integration within AI ecosystems, direct channels risk declining visibility and traffic. Strategic differentiation will increasingly depend on first-party data, brand experience, and partnerships with emerging AI platforms. 

• For travel tech leaders: The MCP framework opens a new frontier for innovation, enabling personalized, context-aware applications that anticipate traveler needs. 

Why it matters now 

Consumers no longer want fragmented search journeys. They expect frictionless, context-rich experiences that reduce cognitive load and speed up decision-making. ChatGPT’s app ecosystem achieves precisely that, transforming “search and compare” into “converse and confirm.” 

For the travel industry, this is not a distant trend — it’s an operational reality. The competitive advantage will shift toward those who can harness AI to unify discovery, personalization, and conversion into a single journey. 

Our strategic perspective 

At OMMAX, we view this as a defining moment for travel digitalization. The convergence of conversational AI, contextual data, and commerce automation is setting new standards for customer experience. Our advisory teams are already working with hospitality and travel leaders, including Lufthansa, Condor, DERTOUR, B&B Hotels, and Sunweb, to develop AI-driven go-to-market strategies, optimize digital ecosystems, and align their MarTech stacks with this new landscape. 

The question for C-level leaders is no longer “if” but “how fast” to integrate conversational AI into your digital distribution strategy.